Recap · 2026 week 9 · Saturday, October 31, 2026
Final
Miami rallies late to stay unbeaten at UNC
Darian Mensah threw 3 touchdown passes as the top-ranked Hurricanes survived Billy Edwards Jr.'s 4-touchdown day for North Carolina.
Third and Data
Written with AI and reviewed by our staff.
No. 1 Miami beat North Carolina 38-35 on the road, going ahead for good on Fletcher's 2-yard touchdown run with 7:49 left. The win moved the Hurricanes to 8-0 and 6-0 in conference play.
Nothing came easily for the top-ranked team. The lead changed hands 4 times, and the game was tied twice.
Miami won the first quarter 7-0, but North Carolina scored 14 points in the second, and the Hurricanes took only a 17-14 lead into halftime. North Carolina went in front 21-17 with 10:51 left in the third quarter, Miami's biggest deficit of the game.
Miami answered to lead 24-21 at the end of the third North Carolina moved back in front in the fourth quarter before Miami's Fletcher ran it in from 2 yards out with 7:49 to play, making it 31-28. Miami never trailed again, and the teams traded touchdowns the rest of the way to finish at 38-35.
Miami's Darian Mensah completed 22 of 29 passes for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns without an interception. Two to Malachi Toney.
North Carolina's Billy Edwards Jr. matched him nearly throw for throw, going 28 of 34 for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns with no interceptions. That was well above the Tar Heels' 222 passing yards a game entering, and Jelani Thurman caught 2 of the touchdowns.
The Miami defense still found ways to get to Edwards. Miami's Marquise Lightfoot had 2 sacks and 2 tackles for loss, and the Hurricanes finished with 4 sacks, above their 2.9 a game entering.
North Carolina kept drives alive, converting 8 of 11 third downs against a 40% rate entering. The Tar Heels' ground game gave them little, with 66 rushing yards against a usual 114. Miami's own running game was quieter than usual at 142 yards, well short of its 211 a game.
The takeaway
Miami: The Hurricanes are 8-0 and 6-0 in conference after a win built on clean football, with no turnovers and 30 penalty yards, half their 63 a game entering.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels fell to 4-4 and 2-3 in conference despite 27 first downs, well above their usual 19, while managing just 1 sack against their 2.0 a game.
Up next
Miami: The Hurricanes play at No. 5 Notre Dame on Saturday, Nov. 7.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels play at UConn on Saturday, Nov. 7.