Miami Hurricanes aim to move past shocking loss to Georgia Tech in matchup with UNC

North Carolina is rolling into Saturday night's game against Miami with confidence, with the 12th-ranked Tar Heels coming off their most complete performance of the season so far.

The 25th-ranked Hurricanes are ready to play, too, just to move past a jaw-dropping loss.

The game was nearly a matchup of unbeaten teams before Miami (4-1, 0-1 ACC) lost to Georgia Tech after an improbable sequence of events. There was the Hurricanes losing a fumble in the final minute on a running play instead of taking a knee to kill clock, then surrendering the go-ahead touchdown with 1 second left on a long pass play.

Coach Mario Cristobal has taken the blame for not calling a kneeldown. The Hurricanes have since tried to move forward.

“That's the only choice that we have in this program," Cristobal said. "That's something I think is important for us here at Miami, the ability to bounce back strong, to make that tradition again. That always used to be a very strong part of our tradition. This is a great opportunity to go forward ... and play our best football going forward."

That was the day-after focus for center Matt Lee, who was in a viral video showing his emotional disbelief on the sideline last weekend.

“You know you can't dwell on it at all,” Lee said. “That goes for the whole team. That goes for the whole coaching staff. ... And that's what we've done, I think we've done a great job of that this week.”

The Tar Heels (5-0, 2-0) are in a much different mindset coming in after blowing out Syracuse, which extended the program's best start in 26 years. UNC racked up 644 total yards while surrendering just 11 first downs, the fewest in a game for the Tar Heels' defense since 2012.

“Kids will respond, they'll all pull together,” UNC coach Mack Brown said of Miami. “Usually when there's more criticism, they pull together harder. Miami will come in here well coached and excited about playing the game.”

RECENT HISTORY

UNC has won all four meetings since Brown's return for a second coaching stint in Chapel Hill. Three of those wins came by three-point margins, including in 2019 with Brown's first home game of his second tenure.

SEASON STARTS

The Tar Heels are off to their best start since winning the first eight games in 1997, which was the final season of Brown's first tenure before going to Texas. Before the Georgia Tech game, Miami was off to its best start since going 10-0 in 2017.

TOP QBS

The game will pair two of the country's most productive quarterbacks in UNC star Drake Maye and Miami's Tyler Van Dyke.

Van Dyke is sixth in the Bowl Subdivision ranks with a 178.8 efficiency ranking, which is best in the ACC. Maye is 26th at 158.8. Van Dyke is 12th in completion percentage at 72.6%, while Maye is 14th at 72.1%.

And Maye is third in FBS in total offense at 360.6 yards per game.

KEY MATCHUP

Miami's defense will present a tough test for UNC's high-powered offense.

The Hurricanes rank ninth in FBS by allowing 268.4 yards and 12th by allowing 14.6 points per game. The Tar Heels rank ninth nationally by averaging 500 yards per game to go with 36.6 points (18th).

Notably, the Tar Heels are second nationally by converting 56.6% of their third downs.

TEZ'S PREP

UNC didn't have much time to get receiver Devontez Walker ready to play in the Syracuse win after the NCAA's unexpected reversal of its denial of his transfer-eligibility waiver. The Tar Heels have had more time to integrate him into the offense for Miami.

Walker was projected to be the top target for Maye when he transferred from Kent State. He had been working with the scout team in practices before getting limited work in the Syracuse game, finishing with six catches for 43 yards.

“We did get a ton of reps for him in the spring and fall camp,” offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said. “So I'm very familiar with the things he does well and maybe some of the things that other guys do. ... I just think from my standpoint, it's where does he fit in teh flow of the offense?”