Miami Football: 3 Takeaways from Hurricanes narrow win over North Carolina
By Shawn Ekwall
2. North Carolina continues to invent ways to lose
The nightmarish season continues in Chapel Hill. No one envisioned Larry Fedora’s team being this poor. North Carolina has lost every way imaginable. They’ve been routed, outscored, and against Miami, they handed opportunity after opportunity away.
This game should not have been close at half. Had the Tar Heels cashed in on their opportunities, they could have been up 20-0. Yet, they found themselves leading only 6-0 before Miami struck late, and inexplicable went to the locker room down 7-6.
An early series in the Miami red zone provided proof of the kind of year it’s been. Facing 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line, quarterback Chazz Surratt was waltzing toward the sideline thinking UNC would be attempting a field goal. Fedorda waved him back onto the field and the fourth down play was rushed and executed poorly. It led to Surratt being sacked at the 10-yard line and North Carolina coming away empty handed.
If North Carolina had any competence in the red zone it would be leading Miami 20-0 right now. Instead: 6-0.
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) October 28, 2017
Bad luck has factored in as well. Surratt left with an injury in the first quarter and in entered sophomore Nathan Elliott. Elliott struggled on the day throwing three picks and giving away scoring opportunities.
On a day when the Tar Heels’ defense showed some moxie, the offense couldn’t come through with enough plays to pull the upset. A long season continues for the beleaguered Tar Heels.