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Tar Heel Nation Sees Fight As UNC Football Falls to Miami

Here's how fans reacted to the Tar Heels' Week 9 matchup.
Logan Lazarczyk|
Oct 31, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) passes the ball in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Oct 31, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) passes the ball in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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North Carolina Tar Heels

The North Carolina Tar Heels entered Week 9 desperate for a win after last week's collapse against Syracuse.

Here's how Tar Heel Nation reacted to their team's performance against the No. 1-ranked Miami Hurricanes.

Offense Fails To Respond

Miami marched down the field for a touchdown on the opening drive. North Carolina had a chance to return the favor and maneuvered past midfield. However, the drive stalled, as Billy Edwards Jr. was sandwiched for a sack on third down. North Carolina's trainers checked on the veteran quarterback after the play.

Defense Generating Pressure Early

Although Miami hit paydirt on the opening drive, the Tar Heels' defensive line consistently forced Darian Mensah out of the pocket. That remained the case on the second drive, forcing the Hurricanes to punt.

Edwards Jr. on Fire

After failing to connect on his first two pass attempts, the Wisconsin transfer completed nine straight passes for 95 yards and one touchdown. The Tar Heels carved their way down the field on an 11-play, 84-yard drive. Jelani Thurman capped off the drive with an eight-yard touchdown reception.

Jelani Thurman Scores Again

Edwards Jr. continued his lethal dissection of the Hurricanes' defense en route to a second touchdown drive. He found Thurman for their second scoring connection of the game. The game was tied 14-14 with just under two minutes remaining in the first half.

Defense Comes Up With Big Stop Before Halftime

The Hurricanes had an opportunity to take a seven-point lead into halftime and were on their way to scoring a third touchdown. However, North Carolina's defense forced a stop on third-and-goal. Miami would settle for a field goal and take a 17-14 lead into halftime.

North Carolina Takes the Lead

Edwards Jr. proved his strong first-half performance wasn't a fluke, completing five passes for 71 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown strike to Jordan Shipp. The Tar Heels led 21-17 after the opening drive of the second half.

Questionable Pass Interference Call Leads To Touchdown

North Carolina appeared to have picked up a pivotal third-down stop in the red zone. However, cornerback Jaiden Patterson was called for a perplexing pass interference while contesting a pass for Malachi Toney. It was third-and-one, so the Hurricanes would likely convert on fourth down. Nevertheless, it was a call that could swing the game.

Demon June Gives the Tar Heels Lead in Fourth Quarter

The Tar Heels continued to answer the bell, with the offense matching punch for punch with the Hurricanes. June punched in a one-yard touchdown to give North Carolina a 28-24 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Costly Turnover

With a little over five minutes left in the game, the Tar Heels trailed by three points and had a chance to take the lead. However, Edwards Jr. stepped up to his right and fumbled the ball on a sack. Miami recovered the ball inside the Tar Heels' 40-yard line.

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Logan Lazarczyk
LOGAN LAZARCZYK

Logan Lazarczyk is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Journalism. Logan joined our team with extensive experience, having previously written and worked for media entities such as USA Today and Union Broadcasting.