For most of the season, the North Carolina football team's defense was its biggest liability. But in Saturday’s nailbiter at Miami, when the high-scoring offense sputtered in the second half, big defensive plays sealed the Tar Heels’ 27-24 victory.
Up three with 1:14 left on the clock, UNC opted to punt on Miami’s 44-yard line rather than try to convert the fourth down. The decision was a show of faith in the defense that had showed promise at key points during the game.
It wasn’t an obvious call to make — the Tar Heels had forced several turnovers and were effective against the run, but Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke had sliced up the UNC secondary with over 450 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Starting on Miami’s 10-yard line, the Hurricanes began marching up the field with short gains. As the game clock ticked below 20 seconds, Van Dyke reached for the big play and launched the ball over the middle of the field, but the pass was softly tipped by junior defensive lineman Kaimon Rucker.
There to meet the foolhardy throw was UNC defensive back DeAndre Boykins, who came down with the pick to stifle the Miami comeback attempt. Boykins’ game-ending interception was the finale of several lead-preserving defensive stands on Saturday.
“We definitely gained confidence with those big plays we made on the defensive end,” Boykins said.
Miami struggled to get on the scoreboard early, punting on the opening drive after UNC junior linebacker Cedric Gray stuffed a run play on third and two. Several minutes later, junior cornerback Tony Grimes and graduate linebacker Noah Taylor wrapped up Van Dyke on third down, forcing the Hurricanes to attempt a 53-yard field goal that missed wide left.
The increased pressure from the front seven kept the Miami offense at bay, even as UNC’s cornerbacks gave up big plays through the air.
Early in the second quarter, a 41-yard pass to Jaylan Knighton and two costly penalties on junior edge rusher Desmond Evans put Miami in a first-and-goal situation. But even with the Hurricanes just two-yards away from tying the game at seven, the UNC defensive line held strong to hold the Hurricanes scoreless.