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Hurricanes rally past Tar Heels to remain unbeaten

Oct 18, 2013 - 4:52 AM Chapel Hill, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Duke Johnson exited early and Stephen Morris threw four interceptions.

Thrust into the top ten for the first time in four years, Miami-Florida somehow remained unbeaten.

Dallas Crawford's go-ahead 3-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds remaining lifted the 10th-ranked Hurricanes past struggling North Carolina, 27-23, on Thursday.

"We have four interceptions, we lose pivotal players and everybody just rallies," Miami head coach Al Golden said. "It just says a lot about the guys."

The Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0 ACC) tallied the final 14 points to overcome a 23-13 fourth-quarter deficit. They're 6-0 for the first time since 2004.

Trailing 23-20 with 4:11 left, Miami regained possession at its own 9-yard line following a UNC punt.

The Hurricanes ran the ball five straight times to move the ball to the UNC 49. Crawford picked up five yards on a 3rd-and-2 before Morris hit Herb Waters for a 17-yard gain to put the ball at the Tar Heels' 11-yard line.

Crawford, who ran for 137 yards and two scores on 33 carries, scampered in from three yards out on a 3rd-and-2 to put Miami in front.

"The defense was making plays throughout the game. I really thought we would stop them...I really did and we came up short," UNC head coach Larry Fedora said.

Johnson, fourth in the FBS coming with 190.8 all-purpose yards per game coming in, had eight rushes for 83 yards, including a 59-yard gallop. He exited after taking a knee to the back of the head while pass blocking in the opening quarter.

Morris was 19-of-35 for 322 yards for Miami, which hadn't been ranked in the top 10 since Oct. 18, 2009. Morris tossed just four picks all year heading into the game.

Allen Hurns caught six passes for 98 yards in the triumph.

Eric Ebron hauled in eight receptions for 199 yards and a touchdown for the Tar Heels (1-5, 0-3), who have dropped four consecutive contests. Bryn Renner completed 28-of-36 passes for 297 yards with a touchdown and interception in defeat.

Ebron's 71-yard score, sandwiched around a pair of Matt Goudis field goals, in the first stanza helped stake UNC a 7-6 advantage following a quarter of play, but Ladarius Gunter returned a blocked field goal 76 yards early in the second to put the Hurricanes in front.

The Tar Heels answered with the final 10 points of the half.

Renner led them down the field on their ensuing trek before completing the 7- play, 71-yard sequence with a 20-yard TD toss to Quinshad Davis.

Morris drove the Hurricanes into UNC territory on their next touch, but Tre Boston picked him off at the 11. His interception led to a Thomas Moore 25- yard field goal to give the hosts a 17-13 advantage heading into the break.

Moore's 35-yard field goal accounted for the only scoring in the third and his 21-yard boot early in the fourth put UNC up by 10.

Crawford ran for 36 yards on six totes on Miami's ensuing march, including the 3-yard TD run to cap it and pull the Hurricanes within 23-20.

Miami's defense forced a three-and-out, but Morris was intercepted by Dominique Green three plays into the next Miami drive. UNC took over and moved the ball to the Miami 30 on two plays, but Tracy Howard picked off Renner at the 11-yard line to give the ball back to the Hurricanes.

Game Notes

Miami was 8-of-18 on third down, while UNC was 5-of-15 in those situations ... The Hurricanes outgained the Tar Heels, 556-500 ... Davis had eight receptions for 81 yards ... Miami wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, who had two catches for 68 yards, exited with a knee injury.