Miami Survives UNC Scare 38-35 After Fourth-Down Score And Late Fumble

No. 1 Miami needed a fourth-down touchdown run and a late fumble recovery to escape Chapel Hill with a 38-35 win over North Carolina on Saturday night. The Hurricanes are 8-0, 6-0 in the ACC.

Mark Fletcher Jr. scored on a 2-yard run on fourth down with 7:49 left to put Miami ahead. On the next UNC possession, Marquise Lightfoot stripped quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. from behind as he threw, and Justin Scott recovered the fumble with 5:33 left. The turnover set up Darian Mensah's 9-yard pass to Malachi Toney with 2:33 left that made it 38-28. A catch by Elija Lofton, who jumped over a would-be tackler, moved the chains on that drive.

Miami coach Mario Cristobal said the game turned on that fumble. "In games like that, really important, like we tell our players, you just keep playing," Cristobal said. "Because you don't know what play is going to turn the whole thing around. And certainly the fumble was a massive turnaround that swung the momentum in the game."

Edwards threw for a season-high 341 yards and four touchdowns for the Tar Heels (4-4, 2-3), with two scores going to tight end Jelani Thurman. Miami's defense gave up its highest total in regulation this season. Mensah finished with 274 passing yards and three touchdowns, two to Toney and one to Fletcher.

UNC's offense kept the game close all night. The Tar Heels put together a 16-play touchdown drive that lasted nearly 8 1/2 minutes. North Carolina also recovered two onside kicks, both negated by penalties. Miami had to recover an onside kick of its own in the final minute before it could kneel out the clock. "Obviously with a team like Miami, it's going to come down to critical plays, critical moments," Edwards said.

The loss left North Carolina 0-12 against No. 1-ranked teams. The Tar Heels had won two straight at then-No. 25 Pitt and Duke before losing at home in overtime last week to a Syracuse team that was 0-4 in the ACC. Miami entered the game off a double-overtime win over Florida State and a win over Pittsburgh.

Miami travels to No. 5 Notre Dame next Saturday. Last year's game between the two went to the Hurricanes and helped swing a College Football Playoff bid away from the Irish. North Carolina visits UConn on Saturday, stepping out of ACC play.

Mensah's touchdown pass to Toney with 2:33 left made it 38-28. Edwards and the Tar Heels scored again before the final onside kick attempt.