By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — As tempting as it might be to call it the Tez Walker Game, the spectacular effort by the recently “freed” wide receiver might just be a prelude to the explosiveness to come.
In his second game since the NCAA ruled the junior Kent State transfer eligible, he caught a career-high three touchdown passes, with 132 reception yards. His two third-quarter scores ignited No. 12 North Carolina as the Tar Heels rallied from their first halftime deficit of the season to beat No. 25 Miami 41–31 on Saturday night before a raucous Kenan Stadium crowd.
Walker even ran for 19 yards and recovered a late Miami onside kick to seal the victory.
“We have a chance to be a lot better with him in our lineup,” UNC coach Mack Brown said. “Everyone is going to key in on him and it’ll change the way people play defense against us. His presence is a game-changer.”
Walker said there were a lot of factors that allowed UNC to rally from the halftime deficit.
“Just being a player-led team, we all came together,” said Walker, who gave the Miami fans an upside-down U after his last score. “We’re just talking about what we could have done better and making our own little adjustments along with the coaches’ adjustments. We were talking over plays and making sure that we don’t let those bad plays happen again.”
Drake Maye said it didn’t take him long to realize Walker’s talent.
“One of the first few plays in spring practice, I hit him on a go route for a touchdown,” Maye said. “We instantly knew that he was going to be trouble for some people and now everyone saw it
tonight.”
The Tar Heels (6–0, 3–0 ACC) are one of three remaining teams undefeated in ACC play and could potentially be a top-10 team for the first time since the 2021 preseason poll.
“I think we have a good chance to be great, but it comes one week at a time,” said Maye, who has thrown for at least 200 yards in all 20 starts of his career and has tossed multiple TD passes in 15 of those starts. “We’ve got a great football team and we are excited for what’s to come.”
The Tar Heels have scored at least 30 points in the first six games for the first time since 1914, at least 40 in their first three ACC games, gaining over 200 yards rushing (235) and passing (273) for the fourth time this season.
“I am very proud of this team,” UNC coach Mack Brown said. “I give Miami a lot of credit that they came here with some question marks after last week’s disappointing loss and played hard. Tonight was as hard as I’ve seen them play. I said earlier this week that they could beat anybody in the country and that’s what I saw tonight. Miami fought and competed.”
Miami’s menacing rush and blitzes got Maye off to a tough start in the first half, when he was sacked four times and completed less than half his attempts. He came out slinging in the second half when he was only sacked once, finishing 17 of 33 for 273 yards, four touchdown passes and a 161 passer rating.
Omarion Hampton had another big game with 24 carries for 197 rushing yards and a touchdown, including a 60-yard fourth-quarter run.
“Probably the difference in the ballgame was forcing four turnovers and giving none,” Brown said. “We forced two interceptions and two fumbles. So we’re really proud of our defense that they are now starting to force more fumbles, and they kept a really good rushing team to under 100 yards.”
Helping Carolina’s second-half surge were turnovers from Miami (4–2, 0–2), which dropped its second straight game after winning its first four games.
J.J. Jones’ 47-yard reception ignited a 91-yard UNC drive for Walker’s first touchdown as a Tar Heel. Maye connected to Walker, who had sped by a Miami defender, in the end zone on an 18-yard scoring play.
Miami’s Henry Parrish was pushing into the end zone when UNC’s Jahvaree Ritzie forced a fumble, which Cedric Gray recovered. With the help of a pair of UNC penalties, the Hurricanes scored on their next drive, though. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke found a wide-open Zavier Restrepo on an 18-yard touchdown pass to tie it early in the second quarter.
Van Dyke gave Miami a brief lead on a 35-yard touchdown pass to George Jacolby, but took a big hit from Power Echols as he made the pass.
Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry’s unsportsman-like conduct penalty bailed UNC out of a fourth-and-1 at the Miami 20. Three plays later, Hampton tied it with a two-yard touchdown run with 2:05 left in the first half.
The Canes took a 17–14 lead on Andres Borregales’ 28-yard field goal on the last play of the first half.
Maye again connected with Walker, this time on a 56-yard touchdown pass, on the fourth play of the second half to retake the lead at 21–17. Walker sprinted by Jaden Davis and pulled down the catch over his shoulder.
Miami turned the ball over on its first two possessions after halftime. Myles Murphy recovered a Miami fumble on the first and Cedric Gray (who had a team-high seven tackles and three assists) snagged an interception (his first of the season and fifth of his career) on the second. The latter led to another Maye-to-Walker TD connection, this one for 33 yards with a pinpoint throw and a nice catch.
“He’s such a leader,” Brown said of Gray. “He’s got so much confidence. I love Cedric Gray. The fact that he turned down being a second-round draft choice and came back for all the right reasons is so unlike what’s happening in college football. I’m so proud of him.”
Maye’s season-high fourth touchdown pass, a 4-yard toss to Hampton after rolling out to the right late in the third quarter, and Noah Burnette’s 34-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter shoved the lead to 38–17.
Van Dyke and Retrepo connected again on a 13-yard TD pass with 7:14 left, but UNC countered with a 23-yard Burnette field goal.
Miami cut its deficit to 10 on 61-yard touchdown pass from Van Dyke to Brashard Smith with 2:17 remaining but Walker recovered Miami’s ensuing onside kick. Giovanni Biggers intercepted a Van Dyke pass on the game’s final play.
Van Dyke finished 31 of 48 for 391 yards, with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
NOTES — Carolina plays its third consecutive home game at 6:30 Saturday night (The CW) against Virginia (1–5, 0–2), which had this weekend off after beating William & Mary at home 27–23 on Oct. 7. … Punter Ben Kiernan, who took a big hit last week against Syracuse, is out for the season with a knee injury and was seen pregame getting around on crutches. His replacement, Tom Maginness, did well in his college debut until a late 27-yard kick, averaging 38.3 yards per punt, including a 50-yard second-quarter kick. … Wide receiver Kobe Paysour is out indefinitely with a foot injury suffered in practice on Tuesday. … Walker is the 16th Tar Heel to have three or more touchdown receptions in a game and the first to accomplish that against Miami. … UNC became the first opponent to top 100 yards this season against Miami (which entered the game as the nation’s top defense against the rush). … Carolina surpassed its previous penalty-yards high for a game of 60 yards against App State by halftime when it had 97 and finished with 147. … Carolina improved to 56-22 as a ranked team in 15 seasons under Brown. … Walker was the first UNC player with three touchdown receptions in a game since Josh Downs did it last season at Wake Forest. … Carolina extended its win streak over the Hurricanes to five. … UNC has won 16 of 27 meetings with Miami, although two wins were vacated.
No. 12 UNC 41, No. 25 Miami 31
ACC standings
| Team | ACC | All |
|---|---|---|
| X — No. 5 Florida State | 8–0 | 12–0 |
| X — No. 9 Louisville | 7–1 | 10–2 |
| N.C. State | 6–2 | 9–3 |
| Georgia Tech | 5–3 | 6–6 |
| Virginia Tech | 5–3 | 6–6 |
| Clemson | 4–4 | 8–4 |
| North Carolina | 4–4 | 8–4 |
| Duke | 4–4 | 7–5 |
| Miami | 3–5 | 7–5 |
| Boston College | 3–5 | 6–6 |
| Syracuse | 2–6 | 6–6 |
| Pittsburgh | 2–6 | 3–9 |
| Virginia | 2–6 | 3–9 |
| Wake Forest | 1–7 | 4–8 |
Friday’s result
Miami 45, Boston College 20
Saturday’s games
Kentucky 38, No. 9 Louisville 31
Duke 30, Pittsburgh 19
Syracuse 35, Wake Forest 31
No. 1 Georgia 31, Georgia Tech 23
Virginia Tech 55, Virginia 17
Clemson 16, South Carolina 7
No. 5 Florida State 24, Florida 15
N.C. State 39, North Carolina 20
Next Saturday’s ACC championship game in Charlotte
No. 9 Louisville vs. No. 5 Florida State, 8 p.m., ABC
UNC schedule
| Month/ date | Opponent/event | 2023 record | UNC record in series |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | |||
| 20 | Spring game, 3 p.m. | — | — |
| August | |||
| 29 (Thurs.) | at Minnesota | 6–7 | 1–0 |
| September | |||
| 7 | Charlotte | 3–9 | 0–0 |
| 14 | N.C. Central | 9–3 | 0–0 |
| 21 | James Madison | 11–2 | 3–0 |
| 28 | at Duke | 8–5 | 65–40–4 |
| October | |||
| 5 | Pittsburgh | 3–9 | 12–5 |
| 12 | Georgia Tech | 7–6 | 22–33–3 |
| 26 | at Virginia | 3–9 | 66–58–4 |
| November | |||
| 2 | at Florida State | 13–1 | 3–17–1 |
| 16 | Wake Forest | 4–8 | 72–36–2 |
| 23 | at Boston College | 7–6 | 6–2 |
| 30 | N.C. State | 9–4 | 68–39–6 |
Photo via @UNCFootball
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