No. 25 Miami (4-1, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) at No. 12 North Carolina (5-0, 2-0), Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
Line: North Carolina by 3 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: UNC leads 15-11, though wins in 2008 and 209 were vacated by NCAA penalty.
The Tar Heels are rolling along with their best start since 1997, keeping them in the ACC title chase after probably their most complete performance of the season in a blowout win against Syracuse last week. The Hurricanes are reeling after an improbable loss to Georgia Tech, which included a coaching mistake with Miami not taking a knee on a play that led to a fumble as well as giving up a last-second touchdown.
KEY MATCHUP
UNC offense against Miami’s defense. The Hurricanes rank ninth in the Bowl Subdivision ranks in total defense (268.4 yards per game) and 12th in scoring defense (14.6). The Tar Heels are ninth in total offense (500.0) and 18th in scoring (36.6) while converting 56.6% of their third downs to rank second nationally. Additionally, UNC quarterback Drake Maye is third nationally in total offense (360.6) while ranking among the national leaders by completing 72.1% of his passes through five games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Miami: QB Tyler Van Dyke. He leads the ACC in passing efficiency (178.8 rating) after throwing for 12 touchdowns, though he threw three of his four interceptions this season in the Georgia Tech loss.
UNC: WR Devontez Walker. He had six catches for 43 yards in his UNC debut last week, which came after the NCAA reversed an earlier ruling and granted him immediate eligibility as a transfer. Walker was projected to be Maye’s top target and could have a larger role in this one.
FACTS & FIGURES
The Tar Heels have won all four meetings against the Hurricanes since coach Mack Brown returned for a second stint with the Tar Heels, with three of those games decided by three-point margins. … Miami receiver Xavier Restrepo is second in the conference by averaging 95.6 yards per game and has three games of at least 120 yards receiving. … The Hurricanes have lost six of nine ACC games under second-year coach Mario Cristobal. … This is only the second time UNC has reached 5-0 since 1983. … Miami’s 4-0 start was its first since 2017. … Miami’s offense averages 505.8 yards per game to lead the ACC and rank seventh in FBS. The Hurricanes are 13th in FBS in scoring offense (39.0). … Maye is one of four quarterbacks in FBS who have multiple 400-yard passing games this year with two. The others are Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. (three), Rice’s J.T. Daniels (three) and Washington State’s Cameron Ward (two).
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
