College Football: Miami survives late UNC surge to win 38-35

Mark Fletcher Jr. carried the ball two yards for a touchdown on fourth down with 7:49 remaining. That score gave the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes a 28-25 lead. The team held onto that advantage to defeat North Carolina 38-35 on Saturday night in Chapel Hill.

The victory preserved Miami's perfect season. The Hurricanes now stand 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. North Carolina drops to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference.

The game decided on a defensive stop that followed the final touchdown. Marquise Lightfoot stripped the ball from Billy Edwards Jr. from behind. Justin Scott recovered the fumble with 5:33 left on the clock. That turnover cut off the Tar Heels' last offensive threat.

Miami capitalized on the stop immediately. Quarterback Darian Mensah threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Malachi Toney. The score extended the lead to 38-28 with 2:33 remaining. Elija Lofton made a leaping catch earlier in that drive to move the chains.

Coach Mario Cristobal credited the defense for the momentum shift. "The fumble was a massive turnaround that swung the momentum in the game," Cristobal said. He noted that players must keep playing in high-pressure situations because any single play can change the outcome.

The Tar Heels offense kept Miami close all night. Edwards threw for a season-high 341 yards and four touchdowns. Tight end Jelani Thurman caught two of those scores. UNC sustained long drives, including a 16-play sequence that lasted nearly 8.5 minutes.

North Carolina fell to 0-12 against No. 1-ranked opponents. The team had to rely on late-game penalties against Miami to stay within striking distance. Two North Carolina recoveries were negated by penalties before the final drive.

Mensah completed passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Two went to Toney and one to Fletcher. The Hurricanes allowed their highest point total in regulation this season. They previously beat Florida State in double overtime and defeated Pittsburgh last week.

The Hurricanes travel to Notre Dame next Saturday. That game is a rematch of last year's contest that decided a playoff spot. North Carolina leaves conference play to visit UConn next Saturday.