CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Cal Murray rushed for 101 yards on 23 carries Saturday as Miami of Ohio posted a 27-21 victory over North Carolina.
Murray, a preseason candidate for the Doak Walker Award, scored on a two-yard run to give Miami a 20-7 lead with just over a minute left in the third quarter. The RedHawks held off a North Carolina comeback in the final period.
The Tar Heels (0-1) closed to within 20-14 on Darian Durant's nine-yard pass to Ben Blizzard with 11:03 to play, but Miami answered with a 67-yard drive and regained a 13-point cushion on Luke Clemens' 15-yard run with 8:13 remaining.
North Carolina got a meaningless score in the final minute on backup C.J. Stephens' 37-yard strike to Sam Aiken.
Ben Roethlisberg, who threw for more yards than any freshman in the country last year, completed 16 of 33 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown for the RedHawks.
His three-yard toss to freshman Michael Larkin put Miami ahead for good, 13-7, with 11:39 left in the first half.
Durant completed 24 of 37 passes for 279 yards for the Tar Heels but was intercepted three times. North Carolina rushed for just 94 yards.
Miami cut the Tar Heels' lead in the all-time series to 4-3 and improved to 7-7-1 all-time against schools from the Atlantic Coast Conference.
North Carolina has dropped five of its last six season openers.
