Previewing UNC Football's Week 9 Matchup vs. Miami

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV Channel: ABC

Announcers: Sean McDonough (play-by-play); Greg McElroy (analyst); Katie George (sideline reporter)

Radio Info - Tar Heels Sports Network

Local Radio: 97.9 The Hill

Announcer: Jones Angell

Series History Between North Carolina and Miami

Surprisingly, the Tar Heels are 16-11 in this series. That includes winning the last five matchups against the Hurricanes. The last time these two programs faced each other was in 2023, and North Carolina prevailed 41-31. Now, Drake Maye was the Tar Heels' starting quarterback, who is leaps and bounds above what North Carolina will have behind center on Saturday night.

On the other hand, Miami's quarterback situation is in a much better spot than the last time these two teams squared off. Additionally, the Hurricanes are ranked No. 1 in the country entering Week 9. We can't take too much from the recent meetings into this season's matchup.

Storylines for Saturday's Game

North Carolina's loss to Syracuse last week is a potential season-altering result, as instead of entering this game at 5-2, it's 4-3 and likely to be sitting at .500 heading into the final four games. The Tar Heels were in a promising position to qualify for bowl eligibility. Now, those chances are in jeopardy, assuming North Carolina loses.

Speaking of the final stretch of the season, we could see a different starting quarterback for the Tar Heels next week. Another poor performance by Billy Edwards Jr. in what feels like an inevitable loss, and North Carolina could switch to Miles O'Neill. This game is similar to Week 3 when the Tar Heels faced Notre Dame. There were concerns about Edwards Jr.'s performances up to that point, but he was given a pass, as Notre Dame was a heavy favorite.

On the other hand, we're over the halfway point of the season, and the veteran quarterback has shown few signs of improvement. His weaknesses and tendencies remain the same. While head coach Bill Belichick stuck with Edwards Jr. after the 37-26 loss to the Fighting Irish, don't expect him to give the same leeway if the Wisconsin transfer is the culprit for the offense's struggles.