UNC fans spent the last week remembering Halloween 2004, wondering if UNC could pull off the seemingly impossible against Miami. It almost happened. The Tar Heels fell one play short – twice.
For Halloween, Billy Edwards came as Tom Brady, and Bobby Petrino came as a wizard
Yes, Edwards’ fumble with 5:33 left in the fourth quarter was the turning point in the game. Yes, Edwards needs to be more aware of pocket pressure. Still, UNC was in the game at that point – and remained in it afterwards – because Billy played his best game as a college QB. Here were the results of UNC’s offense
under Edwards’ direction, not including the end-of-half kneel-down: Punt, Touchdown, Touchdown, Touchdown, Touchdown, Fumble, Touchdown. Seven possessions, five touchdowns. Billy went 28-34 for 341 yards and four touchdowns. He did it with a run game that gained all of 69 yards (removing sacks).
Petrino had Miami’s number all night. UNC went 8-11 on third downs, and it converted two fourth downs when it failed on third. Shipp, Thurman, and Kekahuna reliably caught passes in spaces Miami’s D left vacated, with the ball coming out fast most of the night. That speaks to an offensive coordinator one step ahead of the defensive coordinator all game, understanding where the coverage would be weak and having his QB and receivers attack those spaces relentlessly.
The display by the offense was a master-class in efficiency, with no play going longer than 28 yards. It’s fair to ask where a passing game this consistent over the course of a game has been up to now. It’s fair to wonder how this team could close out 2026 if the offense remains this potent against UConn, Louisville, Virginia, and NC State.
For a night, Bill Belichick’s vision for the program snapped into focus – with one key flaw
Belichick wants to shorten games, minimize chaos and risks taken, and win in the red zone on both sides of the ball. That requires a ball-control offense, and for this game Petrino’s crew delivered. UNC won time of possession and generated five points per possession. That’s a winning formula most of the time. Scoring five touchdowns on seven possessions, while limiting opponent opportunities, usually wins games.
The only time it won’t, the opposing team scores five touchdowns and a field goal on its seven possessions. UNC’s bend-don’t-break defense consistently broke in the red zone against Miami. Miami QB Darian Mensah was sacked once and pressured only four times. Miami gained 142 yards on 33 attempts, a methodical run game that kept Miami on schedule and let Mensah use short passes to make UNC tackle in space over and over again. While you’d expect the lightning quick Malachi Toney to be a problem there, it was running back Mark Fletcher and tight end Elijah Lofton that made UNC safety Greg Smith miss on two crucial plays.
Against the #1 team in the country (AP) and an offense as potent as Miami’s, it’s understandable. However, UNC’s defense came into the game 115th in the country in allowing third down conversions. In the games UNC’s lost, opponents scored in 16 of 17 red zone visits, with 11 of those being touchdowns. It’s not just Miami. That weak link tonight cost Bill Belichick a defining victory.
Bill Belichick is all-in
After the resignations of his son Steve and his best friend Michael Lombardi, it was fair to wonder how vested Belichick remained in digging his program out of the hole dug last season. After having his team prepared to go toe to toe with Miami and Notre Dame for 60 minutes, that question seems firmly answered.
Coaching is what Bill Belichick knows and loves. It’s been a constant for him for decades, and he knows UNC will be his last coaching stop. The passion he displayed after the pass interference flag on Jaiden Patterson in the end zone has flashed all season; Belichick seems more engaged on the sidelines and with his players each succeeding week. UNC likely returns Belichick for a season three, and that perhaps means UNC picks up the optional fourth and fifth years of Belichick’s contract. Whether that’s wise or not isn’t really the point here – the coach who’s at his best when football’s a consuming passion for him, with no distractions, had his team one play away from taking down the #1 team in the country – twice. If Belichick can maintain that sort of unwavering focus, this program can keep climbing.
Go Heels
