Earlier this month, Bill Belichick and North Carolina got a signature win over previously-unbeaten Pitt. On Saturday night, Belichick and company nearly pulled off a far bigger victory.
The Tar Heels kept it very close against No. 1 Miami, ultimately losing the game 38-35.
North Carolina recovered two onside kicks in an effort to secure possession with less than two minutes to play, after cutting the margin to three points. The first one was wiped out by an offside penalty. The second was nullified by an illegal block.
UNC led the back-and-forth game in the fourth quarter, 28-24. A pair of touchdowns (the second of which was fueled by a UNC turnover) put Miami up by 10, forcing the Tar Heels to score seven and then to attempt to execute a successful onside kick.
After starting 4-2, North Carolina is now 4-4. In his second season in college football, Belichick has a record of 8-12.