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Miami traveled to Chapel Hill to face North Carolina, a team that has historically given the Hurricanes trouble. On Halloween night, Miami escaped with another narrow victory to keep its perfect season alive.
Several Heisman contenders delivered when it mattered most, but one unit struggled and left fans worried. Here is the stock report following the Week 9 win for the Hurricanes.
Stock Up
Mark Fletcher Jr. The senior running back found the end zone three times (two rushing, one receiving) and carried the ball 13 times for 43 yards. His 2-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 with 7:49 left in the fourth quarter gave Miami the lead for good. Earlier, he caught a 31-yard touchdown pass that set the program's career record for total touchdowns. He later tied the school mark for career rushing touchdowns.
Malachi Toney continued his dominant season with seven receptions for 75 yards and two scores. He connected with Darian Mensah early for a 2-yard touchdown and again late for a 9-yard score that extended the lead to 38-28. That late score tied Miami's single-season record for receiving touchdowns (13). Even against a defense focused on stopping him, Toney remained the Hurricanes' most consistent passing weapon and bolstered his Heisman resume.
Darian Mensah completed 22 of 29 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He managed the game efficiently in a hostile environment, added 36 rushing yards on four carries, and delivered the crucial late touchdown to Toney. The performance further strengthened his Heisman case as he continues to produce high-efficiency outings while protecting the football for an undefeated team. No game will be more important for Mensah's stock than next week's matchup against Notre Dame.
Marquise Lightfoot provided the defining play in a game where Miami's defense struggled for most of the night. His strip-sack of Billy Edwards Jr. (recovered by Justin Scott) with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter flipped momentum and set up the insurance score Miami needed. Lightfoot's disruption was the difference between a potential upset and an undefeated season, and he has been the most consistent player on the defense this year.
Stock Down
Miami's Defense allowed 35 points and over 400 yards of offense to a 4-4 team. Edwards Jr. carved them up for 341 yards and four touchdowns on 28-of-34 passing. The secondary and linebackers had trouble matching up with UNC's tight ends and receivers for most of the night, and the defense struggled to get off the field on third down. While the unit came up with a critical late turnover, the overall performance was concerning for a team with national championship aspirations.
Corey Hetherman Since becoming Miami's defensive coordinator, his unit had not allowed more than 26 points in a game. However, the Hurricanes have now given up 35 points in two of their last three games. Hetherman's popular nickel blitz has become somewhat repetitive, and opposing teams are starting to exploit it. Injuries have also impacted the unit, especially in the secondary, but it should not look this bad as of late. Hetherman is a great defensive mind and will need to right the ship quickly as Miami plays its biggest game of the year next week at Notre Dame.