Miami Edges North Carolina 38-35

Fletcher's fourth-down touchdown run with 7:49 left lifts Miami past North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Football

Miami defeated North Carolina 38-35 after Mark Fletcher Jr. scored a 2-yard touchdown on fourth down with 7:49 remaining. In a separate game, Syracuse defeated SMU 30-27.

Why it matters

Syracuse's victory was its first over a ranked team since Nov. 30, 2024, a result that shifts the competitive picture in the ACC. The two results together underscore how close conference games have been this season.

Billy Edwards Jr. threw for a season-high 341 yards and four touchdowns for North Carolina, while Steve Angeli completed 21 of 34 passes for 200 yards for Syracuse. Syracuse, now 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the ACC, rallied from a 27-23 deficit with 3:36 left, and the impact on conference standings remains unclear.

The players

Miami

Miami is a university football program based in Coral Gables, Florida, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

North Carolina

North Carolina is a University of North Carolina football program based in Chapel Hill, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Syracuse

Syracuse is a university football program based in Syracuse, New York, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

SMU

SMU, or Southern Methodist University, is a football program based in Dallas, Texas, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The details

Miami's go-ahead score came on a 2-yard run by Mark Fletcher Jr. on fourth down, and Marquise Lightfoot later stripped North Carolina's Billy Edwards Jr. from behind for a takeaway. Syracuse's winning drive covered 11 plays and ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Steve Angeli to Noah Meyers with 17 seconds left.

Both games were played on October 31, 2026.

Season Trajectory

Syracuse's win over SMU was its first over a ranked team since Nov. 30, 2024, and it arrives while the Orange sit at 4-4 overall. The result adds a notable data point to a season in which several ACC games have been decided by narrow margins.

Syracuse's 4-4 record and 2-4 ACC mark mean the win moves the Orange closer to bowl eligibility conversations, while SMU's loss drops it from its conference position at 4-2. Fantasy managers tracking Billy Edwards Jr. and Steve Angeli should note the passing totals from this week.

The takeaway

Close games in conference play can reshape a season quickly, and Syracuse's ranked-team win gives the Orange a measurable boost heading into the rest of the schedule. Readers following the ACC race should watch how these results affect standings in the coming weeks.