Miami vs North Carolina Final Score: No. 1 Hurricanes Survive 38-35 at Kenan Stadium
No. 1 Miami trailed in the fourth quarter at Kenan Stadium, then scored the game's decisive points off a strip-sack and held off three onside kicks to beat North Carolina 38-35 and stay unbeaten at 8-0.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 1 Miami survived its Halloween night scare. The Hurricanes beat North Carolina 38-35 at Kenan Stadium on Saturday night, scoring the final 14 points of the game after the Tar Heels had taken a 28-24 lead early in the fourth quarter, and running out the clock after recovering a third onside kick attempt in the final minutes.
Mark Fletcher's 2-yard touchdown run with 7:49 remaining put Miami back in front, and the defense delivered the night's biggest play on the next possession: with North Carolina holding the ball and just under seven minutes left, needing a touchdown to retake the lead, the Hurricanes forced a strip-sack. Miami scored on the ensuing drive, with Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney connecting for their second scoring play of the night, to open a 38-28 lead.
North Carolina was not done. Billy Edwards Jr. hit Trech Kekahuna on a 15-yard slant with 1:38 left to cut the margin to 38-35, and the Tar Heels tried onside kick after onside kick to get the ball back. Miami recovered the third and final attempt and ran out the clock. The Hurricanes finished with 422 yards of offense; North Carolina had 407 and matched its season high in points in the loss.
Fletcher finished with three touchdowns, including a 31-yard catch-and-run, on a night when Miami's stars carried the offense. Edwards, the Wisconsin transfer, shook off two opening incompletions to close the first half 12 of 16 for 152 yards and two touchdowns, and North Carolina led briefly in both halves - 21-17 early in the third quarter and again in the fourth - before Miami's closing run. Miami led 17-14 at halftime.
The win moves Miami to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the ACC, and ends North Carolina's five-game winning streak in the series. The Tar Heels fall to 4-4 and 2-3 in conference play, and to 0-12 all-time against the nation's No. 1-ranked team. Miami's road now runs through its biggest test of the season: a trip to Notre Dame on November 7, where College GameDay will be waiting in South Bend.
