CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – It may not have been the deciding game in the ACC Coastal Division race that it was billed in the preseason, although North Carolina and Miami provided an entertaining offensive shootout at Kenan Stadium on Saturday. The Tar Heels built an early 18-point lead and then needed a Cedric Gray interception in the red zone with six seconds remaining to secure the 45-42 victory.
UNC (4-3, 3-3 ACC) wasted little time in getting on the board as Ty Chandler gashed the Hurricanes for a 51-yard touchdown run off the left side. Following a Jahfari Harvey pick-six, Sam Howell (17-of-26 passing, 154 yards, 2 TD, INT) responded with a 45-yard scoring strike to Josh Downs. Howell then found John Copenhaver for a two-yard touchdown pass and Chandler added a four-yard score to give UNC a 28-10 lead midway through the second quarter.
The Hurricanes (2-4, 0-2 ACC) found their offensive rhythm, scoring 24 points over their next five possessions. Howell’s pin-ball 11-yard touchdown run gave UNC a 45-34 lead with 9:22 left, although the Tar Heel offense faltered in the late stages, going three-and-out on four of its final five drives. Miami pulled to within three points with 3:08 to play on Jaylan Knighton’s four-yard touchdown run and marched deep into UNC territory in the final minute.
Gray, a sophomore inside linebacker, played hero for the Tar Heels, securing his second interception of the day off a tipped pass by Jeremiah Gemmel at the 16-yard line in the final seconds.
Entertaining, if Not Infuriating
In a game pairing preseason Coastal favorites and current ACC disappointments, both programs paired glimpses of potential with batches of mistakes. There were plenty of points, explosive plays, head-scratching interceptions, a multitude of penalties, defensive stops and missed assignments.
Midway through the season, UNC and Miami have essentially played themselves out of the Coastal Division race, although there’s time left to make significant strides on both sides of the field. There wasn’t much evidence of growth for the Tar Heels following their loss to Florida State last week, although Phil Longo’s ground game was efficient enough to offset the Hurricanes’ pass rush. Chandler ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, while Howell added 93 yards and two scores despite being sacked four times.
UNC’s defense was stout early against Miami third-string quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, yet fell into its typical inconsistent ways in allowing its opponent to score 24 points in a five-possession stretch that turned a potential blowout into a competitive affair in the fourth quarter. The Hurricanes gained 21 yards on their first 17 plays and then 400 yards on their next 62 (6.5 ypp).
Bowl Hopes Alive and Well
Miami represented the easiest remaining opportunity for a Power 5 win for the Tar Heels, which made a victory essential for a potential third-straight bowl bid. FCS opponent Wofford will provide another win, meaning UNC will need to secure just one more victory to become eligible for the postseason. It won’t be easy, given the remaining schedule: at No. 14 Notre Dame, No. 16 Wake Forest, at soon-to-be-ranked Pittsburgh and at No. 22 N.C. State.
Play of the Game
GAME WINNING INTERCEPTION ??@UNCFootball | @accnetwork | #SCTop10 | #ACCFootball pic.twitter.com/4tlZhjMGQO
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) October 16, 2021
Up Next
The Tar Heels enter their bye week before traveling to South Bend to play the Fighting Irish on Oct. 30. Notre Dame is 5-1 entering Saturday’s rivalry matchup with Southern Cal.
