No. 1 Miami beat North Carolina 38-35 at Kenan Stadium on Saturday night. The difference was on the ground: the Hurricanes ran for more than twice as many yards as the Tar Heels, and Mark Fletcher Jr. punched in two second-half touchdowns, the second of which put Miami ahead for good.

North Carolina threw the ball as well as anyone could ask, completing 28 of 34 passes for 341 yards. It still lost because Miami was nearly as sharp through the air, then added a run game the Tar Heels could not answer.

How It Happened

Miami struck first at 8:33 of the first quarter when Darian Mensah found Malachi Toney for a 2-yard score. North Carolina tied it early in the second on an 8-yard Billy Edwards Jr. pass to Jelani Thurman.

Mensah hit Fletcher for 31 yards to restore the Miami lead. Edwards and Thurman connected from 8 yards again with 1:56 left in the half. Jake Weinberg's 25-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining sent Miami into the break in front.

The third quarter traded leads. Edwards hit Jordan Shipp for 16 yards to put North Carolina ahead, and Fletcher answered with a 2-yard run to give the lead back to Miami.

Demon June's 1-yard run put the Tar Heels on top again with 11:46 to play. Fletcher scored from 2 yards at 7:49 to put Miami ahead for good, then Mensah found Toney for 9 yards to add a cushion. Edwards hit Trech Kekahuna for a 15-yard score with 1:38 left, but North Carolina got no closer.

Key Performers

Darian Mensah (MIA): 3 passing TD – 2 and 9 YDS to Malachi Toney, 31 YDS to Mark Fletcher Jr.

Mark Fletcher Jr. (MIA): 3 total TD – 31-yard reception, two 2-yard runs

Billy Edwards Jr. (UNC): 4 passing TD – 8 YDS twice to Jelani Thurman, 16 YDS to Jordan Shipp, 15 YDS to Trech Kekahuna

Miami passing: 22-29, 274 YDS, 3-0 (TD-INT)
Miami rushing: 33 ATT, 142 YDS, 4.3 per carry
UNC passing: 28-34, 341 YDS, 4-0 (TD-INT)
UNC rushing: 30 ATT, 66 YDS, 2.2 per carry
Turnovers: MIA 0, UNC 1

North Carolina converted 8 of 11 third downs and piled up more first downs than Miami. That kept the game close, but the Tar Heels averaged barely 2 yards a carry. Miami averaged more than 4, and that gap showed up at the goal line, where Fletcher finished both of his short runs.

Ball security mattered too. Miami had no turnovers and only 3 penalties. North Carolina lost a fumble in a game decided by a field goal's worth of points.

What It Means

Miami moves to 8-0 and is now 4-0 on the road. A ranked team at the top of the poll visiting an unranked opponent is supposed to win comfortably. This was a fight to the final two minutes, but the Hurricanes answered every North Carolina lead and remain unbeaten.

North Carolina falls to 4-4. The bigger concern is where the losses come from. The Tar Heels are 2-1 away from Chapel Hill and now 1-3 at Kenan Stadium.

A home team that throws for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns should usually win. North Carolina did not, and its home record keeps telling the same story. Until the run game gives Edwards some help, the Tar Heels will keep needing near-perfect passing nights just to stay level.