UNC Football: History Runs Deep With The Miami Hurricanes

4 of 4

CHAPEL HILL, NC – OCTOBER 30: Connor Barth #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels is held up by teammates after kicking the game-winning 42-yard field goal to defeat the Miami Hurricanes 31-28 during their game at Kenan Stadium on October 30, 2004 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

2004: North Carolina 31, No. 4 Miami 28

In the span of two weeks, the 2004 UNC Football team provided us with two of the more notable instant classics in Kenan Stadium history. The second of which was the Miami-North Carolina game on Saturday, October 30th. It was Halloween Weekend in Chapel Hill, and a 7:00 ESPN Saturday night kickoff had the Tar Heel crowd hoping for an upset.

It was a back-and-forth game all evening, with the Tar Heels getting on the board first but then Miami responding with two touchdowns of its own to take a 14-7 lead. Carolina bounced back, though, and responded with two second-quarter touchdowns and took a 21-14 lead into the halftime break.

The Tar Heels rushed for 279 yards on the ground, led by senior Chad Scott, who had 25 carries for 175 yards and two touchdowns. North Carolina racked up 545 yards of total offense while holding Miami to only 415 yards and limiting Devin Hester in the return game.

The second half began with each team trading punts for the first four possessions before the Hurricanes were able to tie the game again, this time at 21-21 with 3:13 remaining in the third quarter. North Carolina wasn’t going away quietly, though, and answered the bell once again, putting together a 7-minute drive, and Chad Scott picked up his second touchdown of the night to give the Tar Heels a 28-21 lead with 10:57 remaining.

The No. 4 ranked Hurricanes eventually tied it up with 2:25 remaining on an 11-yard rush from Devin Hester. Senior Darian Durant marched the Tar Heel offense down the field and got to the Miami 25-yard line with 4 seconds remaining to set up a 42-yard field goal attempt by freshman Connor Barth.

The Hurricanes tried to ice him, but it didn’t work, and Barth drilled the attempt and sent Chapel Hill into a frenzy as the fans rushed the field and took down the goalposts on Halloween Eve. It is by far one of the most memorable moments in the history of Kenan Stadium and the matchup between the Hurricanes and Tar Heels.

Kenan Stadium will be electric once again come Saturday night in Chapel Hill, and you can expect a battle because regardless of record or ranking, more times than not when these two teams meet on the gridiron, it is a classic for the ages.

dark. Next. Drake Maye earns national recognition

Home/UNC Football