Miami Hurricanes vs North Carolina Tar Heels Preview & Odds — October 31, 2026
Rest & travelrest and travel
About these numbers
2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.
Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.
Margin of each of the last 7 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home arena; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
Matchup preview
Miami (6-0) visits North Carolina (3-3) on Saturday, October 31 at 7:30 PM ET.
Miami has the 4th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 45th-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, North Carolina has the 87th-ranked offense and the 53rd-ranked defense. When Miami has the ball, a 4th-ranked offense (+0.308 EPA per play) meets a 53rd-ranked defense (+0.017 allowed); when North Carolina has it, a 87th-ranked offense (+0.019) meets a 45th-ranked defense (−0.009 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Miami offense is at 56.3% (1st) and the North Carolina offense at 46.9% (70th). Miami scores 44.3 points per game (1st) and allows 16.7 (15th); North Carolina scores 22.7 (93rd) and allows 23.8 (49th).
Miami is 7-0 and 5-2 against the spread; its last game was a 52-23 win over Pittsburgh. North Carolina is 4-3; its last game was a 31-30 loss to Syracuse.
Miami is a 14.5-point road favorite, with North Carolina getting the points at home. The spread opened at Miami -16.5. The total is 52.5, up from 50.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the moneyline (Miami -700, North Carolina +500) prices Miami at 84% and North Carolina at 16%.
Built from public team and player data; ranks are league-wide and update daily until kickoff.
Market
Odds and line movement
Miami -16.5 (-110)
Miami -14.5 (-110)
North Carolina +550 15%
North Carolina +500 16%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. The Now column updates from our odds board. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Best available prices on Oct 28
- Miami -14.5+102ProphetX
- North Carolina +14.5-104Novig
- Over 52.5-105Hard Rock
- Under 52.5+104Novig
- Miami-567Kalshi
- North Carolina+525Novig
Members
G&W Line
G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics
Matchup
Players to watch
- Attempts204
- Completion %81.4%1st
- Passing yards2,15118th
- Yards per attempt10.53rd
- TD–INT22–1
- Rushing yards44483rd
- Season line59 carries, 444 yds, 7 TD
- Receiving yards9523rd
- Season line66 catches, 952 yds, 11 TD
- Tackles35404th
- Attempts201
- Completion %60.2%155th
- Passing yards1,53098th
- Yards per attempt7.6102nd
- TD–INT11–5
- Rushing yards283213th
- Season line57 carries, 283 yds
- Receiving yards54339th
- Season line41 catches, 543 yds, 2 TD
- Tackles7110th
Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 264 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured October 28, 5:34 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.
Success by situation
| Situation | Miami | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateMiami offense vs North Carolina defense | 48.9%9th | 46.2%113th |
| Early-down success rateNorth Carolina offense vs Miami defense | 42.9%66th | 44.9%46th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateMiami offense vs North Carolina defense | 57.1%2nd | 41.5%84th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateNorth Carolina offense vs Miami defense | 35.5%34th | 41.9%54th |
| Explosive play rateMiami offense vs North Carolina defense | 9.5%9th | 5.2%18th |
| Explosive play rateNorth Carolina offense vs Miami defense | 7.6%93rd | 4.5%129th |
| Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks | 52.4%53rd-highest | 54.1%35th-highest |
On 3rd down Miami converts 57.1% (2nd) against a North Carolina defense allowing 41.5% (84th).
On 3rd down North Carolina converts 41.9% (54th) against a Miami defense allowing 35.5% (34th).
2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.
Coaching staff
| Staff | Miami | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Mario Cristobal | Bill Belichick |
| Tenureat this school | 5th season | 2nd season |
| Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below | 42–19 | 8–11 |
| Career recordas an FBS head coach | 104–79 | 8–11 |
| Offensive coordinator | Shannon Dawson | Bobby Petrino |
| Defensive coordinator | Corey Hetherman | Stephen Belichick |
Staff list as of October 27, 6:50 a.m. ET.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 3 times since 2021: Miami won 0 and North Carolina 3.
| Date | Score | Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2023 | Miami 31, North Carolina 41 North Carolina won | ||
| Oct 8, 2022 | North Carolina 27, Miami 24 North Carolina won | ||
| Oct 16, 2021 | Miami 42, North Carolina 45 North Carolina won |
Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.
Result
After the final: score vs the closing line, Drive X-Ray and the graded official play, if there was one, appear here on this same page.
Teams
Miami Hurricanes
- Miami Hurricanes team stats
- Pittsburgh Panthers 23, Miami Hurricanes 52 (Oct 24)
- Florida State Seminoles 35, Miami Hurricanes 43 (Oct 17)
- Miami Hurricanes 41, Clemson Tigers 13 (Oct 3)
North Carolina Tar Heels
More NCAAF games on October 31, 2026
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- UAB Blazers at South Florida Bulls (Oct 31)
- SMU Mustangs at Syracuse Orange (Oct 31)
- Arizona Wildcats at Texas Tech Red Raiders (Oct 31)
- Bowling Green Falcons at Western Michigan Broncos (Oct 31)
- Michigan Wolverines at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Oct 31)
- Auburn Tigers at Ole Miss Rebels (Oct 31)
- Marshall Thundering Herd at Old Dominion Monarchs (Oct 31)
- Kansas State Wildcats at Colorado Buffaloes (Oct 31)
- Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Georgia State Panthers (Oct 31)
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