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NCAAF · October 31, 2026

Miami Hurricanes vs North Carolina Tar Heels Preview & Odds — October 31, 2026

Miami Hurricanes logo
6-0
Quarterback Darian Mensah
at
North Carolina Tar Heels logo
3-3
Quarterback Billy Edwards
Saturday, October 31 · 7:30 PM ET
MIAOffense2026 regular season to dateUNC
4th+0.308
EPA/play
+0.01987th
1st56.3%
Success %
46.9%70th
1st44.3
PPG
22.793rd
MIADefenseUNC
45th−0.009
EPA/play allowed
+0.01753rd
59th46.1%
Success % allowed
48.1%86th
15th16.7
Opp PPG
23.849th
MIARecent formUNC
W@ Wake Forest 33-20Wvs Central Michigan 52-3W@ Clemson 41-13Wvs Florida State 43-35Wvs Pittsburgh 52-23
Resultsoldest to newest
L@ Clemson 20-28Lvs Notre Dame 26-37W@ Pittsburgh 21-17W@ Duke 24-20Lvs Syracuse 30-31
7-0
Record
4-3
5-2
ATS
—
6-1
Over–under
—
MIAHome and roadseason to dateUNC
4-0
Home record
1-2
3-0
Road record
3-1
3-1
Home ATS
—
2-1
Road ATS
—
4-0
Home O/U
—
2-1
Road O/U
—
MIALast 10 gamesUNC
+39+70+13+49+28+8+29
Game by game
+5+32-8-11+4+4-1
7-0
Last 7
4-3
+236
Net points
+25
Top third of the leagueMiddle thirdBottom thirdBar = league rank (full = 1st)
Rest & travelrest and travel
MIARest & travelUNC
7 days
Days of rest
7 days
691 mi1,112 km
Travel to the game
Home
Venue
Kenan Stadium
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

Spreadmoved 2
OpenNorth Carolina +16.5 (-110)
Miami -16.5 (-110)
NowNorth Carolina +14.5 (-110)
Miami -14.5 (-110)
Totalup 2
Open50.5 (o -110 / u -110)
Now52.5 (o -110 / u -110)
Moneyline
OpenMiami -800 85%
North Carolina +550 15%
NowMiami -700 84%
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

Projected score
Spread
Total
Win %

Matchup

Players to watch

Miami Hurricanes logo
Miami
QB · Darian Mensah
  • Attempts204
  • Completion %81.4%1st
  • Passing yards2,15118th
  • Yards per attempt10.53rd
  • TD–INT22–1
Leading rusher (RB) · Javian Mallory
  • Rushing yards44483rd
  • Season line59 carries, 444 yds, 7 TD
Leading receiver (WR) · Malachi Toney
  • Receiving yards9523rd
  • Season line66 catches, 952 yds, 11 TD
Leading tackler (LB) · Mohamed Toure
  • Tackles35404th
North Carolina Tar Heels logo
North Carolina
QB · Billy Edwards
  • Attempts201
  • Completion %60.2%155th
  • Passing yards1,53098th
  • Yards per attempt7.6102nd
  • TD–INT11–5
Leading rusher (RB) · Benjamin Hall
  • Rushing yards283213th
  • Season line57 carries, 283 yds
Leading receiver (WR) · Jordan Shipp
  • Receiving yards54339th
  • Season line41 catches, 543 yds, 2 TD
Leading tackler (LB) · Derek McDonald
  • 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

SituationMiamiNorth Carolina
Early-down success rateMiami offense vs North Carolina defense48.9%9th46.2%113th
Early-down success rateNorth Carolina offense vs Miami defense42.9%66th44.9%46th
3rd-down conversion rateMiami offense vs North Carolina defense57.1%2nd41.5%84th
3rd-down conversion rateNorth Carolina offense vs Miami defense35.5%34th41.9%54th
Explosive play rateMiami offense vs North Carolina defense9.5%9th5.2%18th
Explosive play rateNorth Carolina offense vs Miami defense7.6%93rd4.5%129th
Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks52.4%53rd-highest54.1%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

StaffMiamiNorth Carolina
Head coachMario CristobalBill Belichick
Tenureat this school5th season2nd season
Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below42–198–11
Career recordas an FBS head coach104–798–11
Offensive coordinatorShannon DawsonBobby Petrino
Defensive coordinatorCorey HethermanStephen 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.

DateScoreLineTotal
Oct 14, 2023Miami 31, North Carolina 41
North Carolina won


Oct 8, 2022North Carolina 27, Miami 24
North Carolina won


Oct 16, 2021Miami 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

North Carolina Tar Heels

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