CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Drake Maye and Tez Walker proved to be an unbeatable pairing, and Omarion Hampton’s strength continued to shine on the big stage Saturday night.
North Carolina gave its undefeated start to the season another boost by defeating 25th-ranked Miami 41-31 at Kenan Stadium, with Maye throwing three of his four touchdown passes to Walker and the No. 12 Tar Heels in one inspired second half caught fire.
UNC trailed 17-14 at halftime before taking control with three consecutive touchdowns and 21 unanswered points in the third quarter. The Tar Heels (6-0 overall, 3-0 ACC), who were among 11 undefeated teams at the Power Five level of college football entering Saturday, earned their fifth straight win over Miami.
Omarion Hampton ran for 197 yards and scored twice, crushing a Miami defense ranked No. 1 nationally against the run. The Hurricanes had not allowed an opposing team to reach 100 rushing yards in a game this season, giving up just 58.2 rushing yards per game.
Early in the third quarter, Mayes’ 56-yard touchdown bomb over the top to transfer receiver Walker gave UNC the lead, staying at 21-17. Walker beat Miami cornerback Jaden Davis deep on that play, collected the ball from Maye and marched into the end zone.
Then, after linebacker Cedric Gray put the Tar Heels in favorable field position with a leaping interception, Walker raced into the end zone with a 33-yard touchdown catch and run, giving UNC a 28-17 lead. Carolina was facing a third-and-20 situation, but a few moments later, Walker made a hand gesture in front of the corner where the Miami crowd was to deny the U.
Maye threw for 273 yards and was sacked five times, four of them in the first half. Walker finished the game with six catches for 132 yards.
In a rare top-25 matchup at Kenan Stadium, the UNC defense recorded four takeaways, two of them on Miami’s first two possessions of the second half – just the eighth for the Tar Heels at home in the last 40 years.
Noah Burnette made field goals of 34 and 23 yards in the fourth quarter. His first score increased UNC’s lead to 38-17 early in the fourth quarter. For the first time since 1914, Carolina scored 30 or more points in the first six games of a season.
When Miami’s Andres Borregales hit a 28-yard field goal at the end of the first half, the Hurricanes’ 17-14 lead marked the first time UNC had suffered a halftime deficit this season. Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke threw for 391 yards and three touchdowns.
UNC’s Tez Walker had three touchdown catches Saturday night. (Photo: Jim Hawkins / Inside Carolina)Penalty flags are flying
Miami’s seven-play, 57-yard drive for a field goal, using the final 55 seconds of the game before halftime, included two offsides penalties on UNC defender Des Evans, who lined up in the neutral zone, almost resulting in a A fitting conclusion for the flag was -filled first half.
The Tar Heels had been assessed nine penalties at that point, costing them 97 yards, and were on pace to surpass their school record for most penalties (16) and yards penalized (150) in a game. Ultimately, they fell just shy of the record with a total of 14 penalties for 147 yards.
UNC and Miami committed a combined 13 penalties in the first half, eight of which came in the first quarter, which ended with Miami coach Mario Cristobal’s outrage. At this point, Carolina was preparing to punt on 4th-and-25, backed up from its own 8-yard line. But Miami’s Keontra Smith was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, giving the Tar Heels a first down — and Cristobal was heated.
Right knee in the right place
In the first quarter, UNC interior defender Jahvaree Ritzie unknowingly found himself with his right leg in a very convenient spot after Miami drove to the Tar Heels’ 1-yard line.
As Miami running back Henry Parrish Jr. plunged into the huddle on first-and-goal, Ritzie’s right knee released the ball, resulting in a fumble, and Carolina linebacker Cedric Gray grabbed the bouncing ball in the end zone for one early takeaway It seemed like it could potentially have a huge impact later in the night.
Next on the agenda is
North Carolina completes its three-game ACC home series against Virginia next weekend, October 21, at Kenan Stadium. The Cavaliers (1-5, 0-2), whose opener was Saturday, picked up their first win of the season last week by defeating William & Mary.
Virginia has yet to beat a team at the FBS level this season. UNC has won the last two meetings and leads the all-time series 66-58-4 in what is known as the South’s oldest rivalry.