2010 Miami Hurricanes Football: Miami vs North Carolina

And then there were two.

The ACC Coastal Division’s list of title contenders has been whittled down to two teams as the end of October nears. While Georgia Tech flails about and the Duke-Virginia axis continues to crumble, the North Carolina Tar Heels and Miami Hurricanes needed to decide who was going to step up and contend with division-leading Virginia Tech for the Coastal crown in 2010. In a very important game on Saturday night in Miami, it was the Hurricanes who announced their presence to the Hokies, setting up a dramatic stretch run along the East Coast of the United States.

Miami’s win over North Carolina became quite easy in the second half, but it was anything but assured in the first half. If not for an early game-changing sequence, the contours of this contest could have been radically different.

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After Carolina grabbed an early 3-0 lead and then picked off Miami quarterback Jacory Harris, the visitors from Chapel Hill were on the verge of posting a quick 10-0 lead. A successful fourth-down sneak by quarterback T.J. Yates gave North Carolina a first down at the Miami 9. Yates connected on the next play with teammate Anthony Elzy, who seemed to be well on his way to scoring a touchdown. Elzy made a cut in open space and turned upfield at the Miami 2, with the goal line in sight. Everyone in the stands at Sun Life Stadium felt that the Tar Heels were about to take a two-possession lead, but at that precise moment, Miami defender Sean Spence knocked the ball free from the backside with a late swipe of the hand. Elzy didn’t wrap up the ball very tightly, and the pigskin flew out of his arms past the goal line, but before the odd-shaped ball broke the plane of the goal line (the same goal line that would be involved, a day later, in the controversial decision affecting the outcome of the Pittsburgh Steelers-Miami Dolphins NFL game). Miami’s Vaughn Telemaque caught the resulting carom in the end zone, and Miami escaped without additional damage. While it’s true that UNC still gained a 10-3 lead in this game, the Tar Heels never led by two scores and did not accumulate the same emotional boost they would have gained had they been able to rack up a 10-0 advantage.

As the game progressed, Miami was the only team that manufactured momentum for itself, and a snowball began to roll over a paralyzed Carolina crew.

Whereas Harris was the balky quarterback in the first quarter of this game, Yates became the shaky signal caller in the final three quarters, throwing two third-quarter interceptions that allowed Miami to extend a 13-10 halftime lead to 26-10 by the time the third quarter ended. Yates hit only 12-of-21 passes on the night for a meager 140 yards and those two picks. Harris, a Jekyll-and-Hyde performer under center, straightened up his game after his early wobbles. The talented but mercurial Miami quarterback threw three touchdown passes over the final three quarters, as the Hurricanes settled down and smothered the Tar Heels on both sides of the ball. After trailing 10-3, Miami scored the game’s final 30 points and pitched a 20-0 shutout in the second half of play.

Now it’s down to Miami and Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes have to be within one game of the Hokies by the time November 20 rolls around. That’s when Miami hosts Virginia Tech in what could be the ACC Coastal championship game. It’s up to the Canes to make sure that they don’t slip up before that point in time. Otherwise, the meaning and value of this win over North Carolina will evaporate in short order.

Miami Hurricanes vs North Carolina Tar Heels Football Recap