UNC outlasts Miami after late touchdown to improve to 2-0 under Mack Brown

YOU GUYS.

The North Carolina Tar Heels football team is 2-0 after an incredible victory against Miami in front of sold out Kenan Stadium. I have never felt more alive when it comes to football than I do in this moment.

The first quarter was all Tar Heels. UNC scored 17 points in the quarter behind a 62-yard touchdown from Sam Howell to Dyami Brown, a Noah Ruggles field goal, and a two-yard run by Javonte Williams.

Unfortunately, the second quarter completely belonged to Miami. They kept UNC off the scoreboard and seemed to completely disrupt the Heels’ rhythm offensively. All of the success the team had moving the ball in the first quarter dried up as they went to a more ground-centric approach.

The Hurricanes took a late lead with an 11-yard score put them up 25-20 with 4:08 left in the game. Understandably, the Heels’ defense was a bit gassed after being on the field for an inordinate amount of time. Another year, that might have been the end for a game that started out so promising.

UNC’s freshman quarterback, Howell, and running back Javonte Williams led the team on a drive down the field that ended in a 10-yard pass from Howell to Dazz Newsome. The Heels converted on the two-point attempt to go up three points with just over a minute remaining.

Miami had a chance to tie it or win the game late, but they had to settle for a 49-yard field goal attempt to try and send the game to overtime. Bubba Baxa nailed a 50-yarder earlier in the game, but his attempt sailed wide left and the Heels came away with the hard-fought victory.

This team has managed to match last year’s win total in just the first two games of 2019. Good things happen when Sam Howell is allowed to sling it, and that was instrumental in being able to come back after Miami took a late lead.

2-0. It’s a great day to be a Tar Heel!