Miami, Florida – The Miami Hurricanes exorcised their demons with a 38-35 thriller over the North Carolina Tar Heels on Halloween night, improving to 8-0. UM’s spooky victory snaps UNC’s five-game winning streak against the Cardiac Canes. Miami’s last victory at Chapel Hill was on October 28, 2017. After North Carolina answered with a 15-yard touchdown pass, it all came down to the onside kick. Although the Tar Heels recovered both, each had a penalty. The first was an offside violation, and the second was an illegal block. The third time was the charm as Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. recovered the ball to seal UNC’s fate. This was the first time in coach Bill Belichick’s entire head coaching career, spanning both the NFL and NCAA, that his team lost a game while scoring at least 35 points. Belichick was 103-0 heading into the primetime matchup, per ESPN Insights.
The defense makes a huge stop with a forced fumble, and the offense lands the knockout blow.#GoCanespic.twitter.com/Qy9iGgWrYA
— Gabriel Garcia (@Gabewritesports) November 1, 2026
Dynamic duo Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney continued their playoff push and Heisman run with prolific performances. Mensah completed 22 of 29 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Miami’s signal caller faced eight blitzes, completing six of seven passes for 58 yards and two TDs. Mensah has been superb in those situations, recording 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Of the 66 passes, 58 were completed for an astounding 87.9% success rate.
Finally, Hurricanes recover the onside kick after back to back attempts that resulted in offsides. pic.twitter.com/fX08rEvMMe
— Reason (@the_real_reason) November 1, 2026
Toney is a major recipient of those plays. The wide receiver collected seven catches for 75 yards and two TDs. Mark Fletcher Jr., meanwhile, led the ground game with two rushing touchdowns and a 31-yard TD reception, breaking the school record for the most total touchdowns. The previous record of 35, originally set in 1992, was shared by Edgerrin James and Stephen McGuire.
Huge play https://t.co/Bg4jJxxYkP
— Gabriel Garcia (@Gabewritesports) November 1, 2026
Ghost busting at Chapel Hill
Things started well as Mensah marched the team downfield for a first-drive score while the Tar Heels punted. They were in for a spooky seesaw battle, however. UNC quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. tied it with an eight-yard score to Jelani Thurman. He’d torch the secondary for 341 yards and four touchdowns. The two sides traded scores, including another to Thurman and Fletcher’s TD pass, before Jake Weinberg 25-yard field goal made it 17-14. By halftime, Miami’s defense struggled on third-down conversions, with North Carolina going five-for-seven and one-for-one on fourth down.
Mark Fletcher is getting it done, quite the Trick AND Treat.#GoCanespic.twitter.com/Ee83sc83Ij
— Gabriel Garcia (@Gabewritesports) November 1, 2026
North Carolina scored to start the third quarter. Edwards lobbed it to Jordan Shipp for the 16-yard strike. Trailing for the first time all-game, the Hurricanes responded. Mensah rushed for 24 yards, then completed a short pass to Fletcher for a 12-yard gain. Toney followed up the role reversal with an 11-yard rush, with Elija Lofton producing an explosive 19-yard play to set up Fletcher’s go-ahead rushing TD. Lofton would finish with three receptions for 48 yards.
There we go! Nice catch by Barkate.#GoCanespic.twitter.com/rt7r6gYqzH
— Gabriel Garcia (@Gabewritesports) November 1, 2026
For a fleeting moment, it seemed the holding penalty that nullified Benjamin Hall’s rushing touchdown would turn the tide. It only delayed them. From a shotgun formation on Miami’s 22-yard line, Edwards completed passes for 10 and 11 yards, allowing running back Demon June to score on the last yard. Down 28-24 with 11:46 remaining, key passes to Cooper Barkate, Javian Mallory, and Toney culminated in Fletcher’s third TD of the evening. Barkate, who struggled the past two games, had four catches for 71 yards. UM’s defense finally came through late in the fourth quarter. Marquise Lightfoot stripped the ball away, and Justin Scott made the key recovery.
The defense finally comes through in CLUTCH fashion. The Hurricanes now have a chance to bury North Carolina. #GoCanes pic.twitter.com/InOsrcG9z3
— Gabriel Garcia (@Gabewritesports) November 1, 2026
Miami seized on the golden opportunity. Mallory, recording 51 yards on 12 carries, produced a three-rush sequence for 12 yards complemented by Lofton’s critical 12-yard first down. Unwilling to let the chance slip away, UM’s Heisman duo struck once more with a nine-yard TD pass to bury UNC.
Impressions
Still undefeated, still number one. Despite the aerial assault, Miami’s run defense held the Tar Heels to 66 rushing yards. They also kept it clean with only three penalties. While the offense has been fantastic, the defense continues to regress. Fortunately, they forced a fumble to briefly halt North Carolina’s determined onslaught. The Tar Heels were 8-of-11 on third down and a perfect 2-for-2 on fourth down. Sure, the unit as a whole recorded four sacks and five tackles-for-loss, but that secondary was atrocious. Ahmad Moten Sr. is the lone player who recorded a pass deflection. Furthermore, the final drive before the onside kick perfectly captures how much the secondary has struggled all season. They forced one punt. Corey Hetherman has to turn it around quickly.
Miami is officially on upset watch.
Billy Edwards Jr. finds Jordan Shipp in the end zone to give North Carolina a 21-17 lead. pic.twitter.com/prIBlWfUn4
— Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) November 1, 2026
Regardless, the Battle for Chapel Hill is over. The Battle of South Bend has just begun. Notre Dame awaits.
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