Miami's 38-35 win over North Carolina ends Tar Heels' streak against top-ranked foes

No. 1 Miami kept its perfect record intact by defeating North Carolina 38-35 on Saturday night. The Hurricanes avoided a major upset and remain undefeated in conference play.

Mark Fletcher Jr. gave Miami the lead with a 2-yard touchdown run on fourth down with 7:49 remaining. It was his third score of the game. The defense then sealed the win when Marquise Lightfoot stripped Billy Edwards Jr. from behind. Justin Scott recovered the fumble with 5:33 left on the clock.

The Hurricanes extended their advantage after the turnover. Elija Lofton made a crucial catch to gain a first down, moving the team into scoring range. Darian Mensah then threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Malachi Toney to make the margin 38-28 with 2:33 left.

The game went to the final minute. North Carolina had two onside kick recoveries negated by penalties. Miami eventually recovered its own onside kick to take control of the possession. The Hurricanes then used a kneel-down to end the contest.

The Tar Heels fell to 0-12 against No. 1-ranked opponents. Miami will travel to face No. 5 Notre Dame next week. The Hurricanes enter that matchup with an 8-0 overall record and a 6-0 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference.