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Miami Escapes UNC As Cristobal Demands Execution
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- Miami Escapes UNC As Cristobal Demands Execution
Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
No. 1 Miami survived a Halloween night scare in Chapel Hill to stay undefeated. The Hurricanes beat North Carolina 38-35 in a game that felt far too close for a top-ranked team. It was the first time Miami has won in Chapel Hill since 2017, ending a five-game losing streak against the Tar Heels. But the final score does not hide the ugly parts of the performance. The defense struggled to stop the run and could not get off the field on key downs. Head coach Mario Cristobal knows the team got lucky to leave with a win.
The offense had to carry the load in a game with very few possessions. Miami only had seven drives on offense but scored on six of them. That efficiency kept the team alive when the defense failed. Cristobal pointed to a critical turnover that swung the game. Marquise Lightfoot stripped the ball from UNC quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. with just over five minutes left. Justin Scott recovered the fumble, and the offense marched down the field to score a touchdown. That sequence gave Miami a six-point lead that the defense could protect.
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Record Breaking Night for Fletcher and Toney
The stars stepped up when the lights were brightest. Mark Fletcher Jr. etched his name in the record books with a historic performance. Edgerrin James and Stephen McGuire were surpassed for school history's most career touchdowns by the senior running back, who scored three total touchdowns. He finished with 38 total touchdowns, a mark that stood since 1992. Fletcher also broke the school record for career rushing touchdowns.
Malachi Toney also put up huge numbers that boost his Heisman Trophy case. He caught seven passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns. The Miami single-season record for receiving touchdowns was tied by Toney with his 13th score of the year. He and quarterback Darian Mensah connected for scores early and late. With no interceptions, Mensah threw three touchdowns for 274 yards, having completed 22 of his 29 passes. The duo was the only thing that worked consistently against a defense that tried to slow them down. According to Sports Illustrated , Toney remains one of the top three favorites to win the Heisman.
Defense Must Fix Its Third Down Woes
Despite the win, the defensive unit looks like a major problem for the rest of the season. Coverage linebacker play was not much better, while the secondary stands as the biggest weakness on the field. Cristobal admitted the unit could not stop the opposing offense when it mattered most. "We just couldn't get off the field on third down," Cristobal said. That inability to stop drives kept the game close and allowed UNC to stay in it until the final minutes. The coaching staff needs to find answers quickly before the team faces a tough Notre Dame squad.
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The offense is elite, but the defense is soft in the middle of the field. But the margin for error is now gone. The team needs to clean up its mistakes and stop giving up big plays. Cristobal noted that the team has "some things that need some work" before the next big game. If the defense does not improve, it could cost Miami a special season. The team has the talent to win a national title, but they must stop relying on lucky breaks to escape close games.
