Bill Belichick’s UNC Tar Heels nearly upset top-ranked Miami before costly strip-sack
North Carolina came close to upsetting top-ranked Miami, but a late strip-sack helped the Hurricanes secure a 38-35 win in Chapel Hill. The result kept Miami unbeaten and left UNC with a 4-4 record, after the Tar Heels had matched the visitors for much of a high-scoring game.
UNC quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns, while Miami’s Darian Mensah passed for 274 yards and three scores, as well as running for 36 yards. With Miami leading by three late in the fourth quarter, Marquise Lightfoot strip-sacked Edwards and Miami recovered at the UNC 37; the Hurricanes then extended their lead, while two UNC onside-kick recoveries were ruled out by penalties.
In short
- Miami beat UNC 38-35 to remain unbeaten.
- A late strip-sack turned the game in Miami’s favour.
- Billy Edwards Jr. threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns.
Explained simply
North Carolina’s Tar Heels are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s American football team, and Bill Belichick is their head coach. College football is played by university teams, with players competing under rules and schedules separate from the professional NFL.
Miami’s Hurricanes are another university team and were ranked first nationally before the game. A win or loss can affect a team’s position in the rankings and its chances of reaching the end-of-season play-offs, while each result also shapes its record for the season.
A strip-sack happens when a defender tackles the quarterback while forcing the ball loose; the defending team can gain possession if it recovers the ball. An onside kick is a short kick intended to let the kicking team regain possession, but rules govern when it can be recovered.