The Miami Hurricanes and North Carolina Tar Heels are hours from teeing off at Kenan Stadium for this evening’s nationally-televised ESPN showdown. Latest weather reports show rain in Chapel Hill with temperatures in the mid-to-high 60s.
Miami enters the contest ranked tenth, sitting at 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while North Carolina is 1-4 overall and 0-2 in conference. It’s lone win came against Middle Tennessee and the Tar Heels gave up 55 points in a loss to East Carolina.
As UM and UNC prepare to throwdown at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight, some pre-game thoughts:
As Miami continues to rebuild, the stakes on every opportunity is raised. In this case North Carolina is a 1-4 team, but knows that a win can save their season. Beat the Hurricanes and the Tar Heels can go on a run. Lose, and the season is over, for all intents and purposes.
Packed home crowd. “Zero Dark Thursday” all-black uniform theme. North Carolina will have momentum early and it will be on Miami to weather the storm.
To that point, this is precisely where the Hurricanes are facing a “biggest game of the year” type moment. Does Miami step up to the challenge? How does this team deal with prosperity? The spotlight is on “The U” as an undefeated, top ten team. The Canes have to shine.
This is another no-win situation for Miami. Come out and throttle North Carolina and folks will point to the Tar Heels’ record and say a rout was expected. Win a close one and the Hurricanes will be viewed as overrated. Lose and things will get very ugly.
Weathering the storm, literally and figuratively, is the key for Miami. North Carolina will come in hot. If the Tar Heels score first or get some early stops, the crowd will feed on it, which will fire up the home team.
This is a sixty-minute game and Miami simply has to temper emotions. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. As seen two weeks ago, Georgia Tech brought some new looks and amassed an early 17-7 lead. The Hurricanes chipped away, tied it at the half and pulled out the 45-30 victory.
A year ago, Miami wasn’t emotionally sound enough to handle a 17-7 deficit, or a big time Thursday night road environment. This team appears to have the mettle. Hopefully that proves true.
North Carolina quarterback Bryn Renner can throw the ball and the Tar Heels are going to get some yards through the air. That’s a gimmie.
Passing game is not this team’s deficiency and with tight end Eric Ebron, the Hurricanes’ secondary will have its hands full. Miami may have beaten Florida, but the Gators and the inept Jeff Driskel still passed for 291 yards and a touchdown, as well as two interceptions and a sack-for-fumble.
The Tar Heels struggle on defense—big time—and have been inefficient running the ball. Knowing that, the Miami offense has to get theirs, while the defense shuts down the run and works to get after Renner, as well as back-up Marquise Williams.
Williams started in a recent loss to Virginia Tech and the sophomore will certainly be worked into a few packages tonight. Miami must remain disciplined no matter who is under center.
Miami is due for a breakout game offensively. Will this finally be it? Nationally televised audience and 12 days of rest both work in the Hurricanes’ favor.
Quarterback Stephen Morris is finally healthy ankle-wise and running back Duke Johnson is rested and ready. Allen Hurns and Herb Waters have worked their magic at receiver while Stacy Coley has broken in nicely as a freshman, in the return game, as well.
The Hurricanes have it up some lesser talent early this season, held tough against the Gators and came on late against the Yellow Jackets. That said, there’s been some inconsistency.
An inability to pick up third downs, as well turnovers the past two games. Johnson has coughed it up three times and Morris had two key picks against Georgia Tech.
If anything is going to keep North Carolina in this game, it’s Miami’s offense turning it over. The Canes need to capitalize early, build a lead and take control. This is not a game to let the enemy hang around.
One has to wonder how much of a history lesson head coach Al Golden has given his kids this week regarding the Miami / North Carolina budding rivalry, which has seen three different phases since Atlantic Coast Conference play began for these two.
The inaugural conference match up in 2004 was as disastrous as any UM-enthusiast could’ve dreamt up. Down early. Tied up. Down again at half. Tied third quarter. Down again. Tied again. Game-winning field goal give up as time expired. The Hurricanes gave up 545 total yards and couldn’t stop the Tar Heels all night.
Years later, the teacher vs. pupil hex as Butch Davis owned Randy Shannon. The almost-comeback in 2007, down 27-0 at the half, falling 33-27. The blown lead late in a 28-24 loss at Sun Life Stadium in 2008. The turnover-marred affair in Chapel Hill a year later in a 33-24 takedown.
Golden is 1-1 against North Carolina, winning on the road in 2011, but falling 18-14 at home last October. The Tar Heels had a better squad last season, especially with Gio Bernard at running back, while the Hurricanes were green on defense.
Point being, good or bad as the squad may be, North Carolina has proven to be a thorn in Miami’s side, so toss that 1-4 record out the window and respect the rivalry.
Lastly, Miami’s bye couldn’t have come at a better week based on last Saturday’s upsets and a common theme—higher-ranked teams losing on the road to conference foes.
Texas topped Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. Missouri upset Georgia at home. Penn State outlasted undefeated Michigan in Happy Valley. Late night, it was a quirky Pac-12 throwdown where host Utah upset a Top 5 team in undefeated Stanford.
Most weekends those games take place with Miami on the field and more focused on self. Instead, four big time upsets where Hurricanes players were in front of TVs and witnessing the action.
Well-rested, lessons learned and a coaching staff teaching these Hurricanes to treat every opponent with the same respect and urgency. Miami and North Carolina soon to kick if off and would be absolutely shocked if the Hurricanes don’t show up prepared this evening.