Miami Defeats North Carolina 38-35 to Hold No. 1 Seed Ahead of Notre Dame Visit
Injuries and communication errors plagued the Hurricanes' defense, yet they secured a narrow victory to remain undefeated.
By Nikolai Patterson ·
The No. 1 Miami Hurricanes defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 38-35 on Saturday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to extend their undefeated record to 1-0 for the season. The victory keeps Miami as one of only three remaining undefeated teams in college football.
The win was not clean. Miami's defense struggled to stop the North Carolina offense, allowing 35 points against a power-conference opponent for the first time under coach Bill Belichick. Edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot attributed the defensive struggles to communication breakdowns, a problem exacerbated by injuries to the secondary.
North Carolina quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. threw four touchdown passes. The Tar Heels converted 11 of their third-down attempts and two of their fourth-down chances, punting only once. This efficiency limited Miami to just seven possessions. Despite the defensive pressure, the Hurricanes scored on six of those seven drives.
Miami running back Mark Fletcher set a school record with 38 career scrimmage touchdowns. He also tied the Miami record for career rushing touchdowns with his 35th. Quarterback Darian Mensah added three touchdown passes. Lightfoot provided the decisive play with a fourth-quarter strip sack of Edwards Jr.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal noted that his team must address specific defensive issues before their next game. He cited soft spots in coverage, sporadic tackling, and a lack of swarming to the ball as key areas for improvement. Cristobal said the team must find a way to win while also getting better in those areas.
The next opponent is the No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who will host Miami in South Bend, Indiana, for Week 10. The rivalry carries extra weight this year. Miami beat Notre Dame in the opening game of the 2025 season, a result that helped the Hurricanes secure the final College Football Playoff spot over the Irish.
Lightfoot admitted he had not checked the schedule to see who Miami would face next. He described his mindset as focused solely on the immediate game. When informed that Notre Dame was up next, he reacted with mild surprise but did not express concern.
Miami enters this matchup with recent close calls. Two weeks ago, the Hurricanes narrowly escaped Florida State after two potential Hail Mary completions by the Seminoles were waved off in overtime. Against North Carolina, the Tar Heels came close to recovering a late onside kick twice, but both attempts were overturned due to penalties.
Cristobal emphasized the difficulty of conference play, noting that many top-ranked teams have fallen to opponents in their respective leagues. He stated that conference football operates like playoff football, requiring teams to find a path to a win even when their performance is not perfect.
