UNC hoped to get some reinforcements back before facing the nation's No. 1 team on Halloween night, but unfortunately, they won't get all of them.
The ACC released its final game-day availability report ahead of UNC's showdown with No. 1-ranked Miami, and the major news is that defensive back Peyton Waters has officially been ruled out.
Linebacker Jonathan Agumadu has also been ruled out, while offensive linemen Jordan Hall and Andrew Threatt are considered game-time decisions.
That's a notable change from Friday night's report, when all four aforementioned players were listed as questionable.
UNC will once again be shorthanded against No. 1 Miami
Waters' absence is particularly significant considering what the Tar Heels are about to face.
The defensive back will miss his second consecutive game after suffering an injury during the Tar Heels' victory over Duke.
UNC was already set to play without Tre Miller, meaning Bill Belichick's secondary will once again have to operate without multiple key pieces. That's far from ideal against a Miami offense that has been one of the most explosive units in college football.
Darian Mensah has been outstanding for the Hurricanes, while Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney has developed into one of the country's most dangerous pass-catchers. Now, an already difficult assignment becomes even tougher for North Carolina's secondary.
Agumadu's absence also takes away another piece from the Tar Heels' defense. The linebacker entered the week listed as questionable but will not be available against the Hurricanes.
Even before game day, we learned that UNC would remain without defensive linemen Viliami Moala, Vodney Cleveland, and Jimmy-Phrisco Alo-Suliafu, as well as wide receiver Keeyun Chapman.
A major concern leading up to kickoff is still some uncertainty along the offensive line.
Hall and Threatt will both be game-time decisions, meaning the Tar Heels won't know until closer to kickoff whether they'll have two important pieces of their offensive front available.
Threatt suffered an injury during last weekend's loss to Syracuse, while Hall recently returned after previously missing three consecutive games. Against a Miami defensive front that can make life miserable for opposing offenses, having both available would be a major boost.
Miami enters Saturday night's matchup with six players ruled out, including starting offensive lineman Max Buchanan.
It's a big night in Chapel Hill for the UNC football program as they look to upset the nation's top-ranked team. They'll need to piece it together in order to do so, as some key players will be sidelined for UNC's biggest regular season game of the 2026 season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google