Miami Hurricanes Look Lost In 41-31 Loss To North Carolina Tar Heels
After suffering a heartbreaking and somewhat controversial loss to Georgia Tech last Saturday, the Miami Hurricanes came into Week 7 looking to bounce back forcefully. That did not happen. On the road against North Carolina, the Hurricanes were beaten all over the field and the Tar Heels walked away with a 41-31 win.
It was a tough night in all aspects for Miami, but they did come out relatively strong in the first two quarters, holding a three-point lead going into halftime. That was before the Tar Heels ripped off 24 points unanswered after the break, leading by a score of 38-17 at one point.
Much like Miami's season, the Hurricanes started strong, but began to lose steam quickly around the midway point. Once North Carolina took a 21-17 lead early in the third quarter, the 'Canes looked deflated for most of the second half. The Hurricanes did surge back a bit in the fourth, but it was too little too late. Hopefully their 2023 campaign doesn't suffer the same fate.
Turnovers
It seems that turnovers, specifically fumbles, just won't leave this Hurricanes team alone. After losing their matchup with the Yellowjackets by way of fumble in Week 6, Miami gave away two more mishandled carries on Saturday.
To make matters worse, one of those fumbles came on a first-and-goal at the UNC one-yard line. Running back Henry Parrish Jr. coughed that one up and it may not have seemed like much at the time, considering Miami scored twice afterwards while the Tar Heels punted twice, but the Hurricanes needed those points badly by the end.
Tyler Van Dyke added two interceptions to bring Miami's turnover total to four, although one of those was an inconsequential last-second heave to end the game. In any case, the 'Canes need to clean up their ball security issues going forward or they'll be leaving points on the field all season.
Defensive Woes
Miami's defense got beat up all game long and the Tar Heels did pretty much whatever they wanted, especially in the second half. UNC quarterback Drake Maye went off for 273 yards and four touchdowns while Tar Heel ball carrier Omarion Hampton torched the Hurricanes for 197 yards and a touchdown.
Not only did Miami allow big plays, it was unable to take away a single turnover. Other than being forced into some first half punts, North Carolina was able to control the ball and the clock in the win.
Up Next
Next Saturday, Miami will take on the Clemson Tigers in another conference clash. If head coach Mario Cristobal wants to maintain a respectable season, his squad will have to start somewhere. Clemson is averaging over 36 points per game and holding them down while winning the game would be a big boost to the defense's confidence. It's not a must win, but it's pretty close.
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