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CHAPEL HILL -- It wasn't just a big game to win. It was a big way to win a game.

North Carolina looked dominant in the first half, looked vulnerable in the third quarter and then looked like a team that has learned how to win in the final minutes of its 33-27 victory over Miami.

"It shows a lot about our team," said UNC quarterback T.J. Yates, "fighting through adversity, finishing off the game."

Each week coach Butch Davis has stressed that his team is making progress, improving from game to game. The Tar Heels' learning curve took a sharp turn upward right from the start Saturday against the Hurricanes (4-2, 1-1 ACC). After going three-and-out on its first possession, Carolina (2-4, 1-2) ripped off scores on its next five drives, vaulting to a 27-0 lead.

"I don't think you could have scripted, clearly, a better way to start," Davis said.

The best part of the script came with the Tar Heels leading 20-0 and the ball on their 46. For some reason during a stoppage in play, the Miami defense began to dance. UNC didn't appreciate the cocky display.

"You see them dancing?" offensive coordinator John Shoop told his unit. "Let's dance this on into the end zone."

Brandon Tate did just that on the next play. Carolina ran an end-around for the former Cummings standout, who raced 54 yards around the left side for the touchdown.

That made it 27-0, but the Tar Heels didn't spend their halftime patting each other on the back. Instead, the coaches kept warning the players to brace for a Miami comeback.

"We knew we were going to get a shot from them," Davis said.

They got three shots, in rapid succession. Miami scored on its first possession of the third quarter, forced a fumble and scored again. Then the Hurricanes landed their biggest blow, a 97-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Wright to Darnell Jenkins, the longest pass play in Kenan Stadium history and the longest pass play the Tar Heels have ever given up.

A little more than 10 minutes into the second half, and Miami had closed the gap to seven, 27-20. Most of the UNC players said they weren't concerned, but Tate might have given the most honest answer.

"When I saw those boys come out and keep scoring and scoring, I started to get nervous," Tate said.

But the Tar Heels made several big plays at crucial moments. The first came on Miami's next drive, with the Hurricanes near midfield and seemingly on their way to a tying score. Miami was stopped cold on third down, when defensive end Hilee Taylor dragged down Wright for a 13-yard sack.

The next big swing was actually taken by Tate, who caught a short pass, lost his left shoe while shaking free from a tackler and picked up 49 yards. The big gain set up Connor Barth's third field goal -- he ran his school-record streak of consecutive field goals to 19 with four in the game -- and gave UNC a 30-20 lead.

After another Barth field goal made it 33-20, Miami drove to the UNC 8. There, Wright tried to force a pass into triple coverage in the end zone, but nickel back Charles Brown stepped in front and made the interception. That turnover proved critical when Miami scored a touchdown in the final minute.

It was the kind of mistake you wouldn't expect an experienced quarterback like Wright to make. It was the kind of play that inexperienced defenders like Brown often don't make. Yet on this day, UNC's youth wasn't an issue. That's what made the outcome more important than just the score.

"We just matured as a team today," said defensive tackle Marvin Austin. "Hopefully this is a turning point for North Carolina football."

Contact Jim Young at 373-7016 or jyoung@news-record.com

Miami 0 0 20 7 -- 27

North Carolina 13 14 0 6 -- 33

NC--Elzy 39 run (Barth kick)

NC--FG Barth 33

NC--FG Barth 51

NC--Yates 1 run (Barth kick)

NC--Tate 54 run (Barth kick)

Mia--Wright 1 run (Zampogna kick)

Mia--Shields 4 pass from Wright (kick failed)

Mia--Jenkins 97 pass from Wright (Zampogna kick)

NC--FG Barth 35

NC--FG Barth 20

Mia--James 1 run (Zampogna kick)

A--59,000

Miami North Carolina

First downs 20 18

Rushes-yards 36-109 46-183

Passing 302 218

Comp-Att-Int 17-33-4 15-23-0

Return yards 63 44

Punts-Avg. 5-30.0 4-49.3

Fumbles-Lost 2-0 2-1

Penalties-Yards 4-35 8-56

Time of possession 27:19 32:41

Individual Statistics

RUSHING--Miami, G.Cooper 13-77, James 10-27, Wright 13-5. North Carolina, Elzy 25-95, Tate 2-64, J.White 3-19, Houston 4-13, Little 1-9, Team 2-(minus 7), Yates 9-(minus 10).

PASSING--Miami, Wright 17-33-4-302. North Carolina, Yates 15-23-0-218.

RECEIVING--Miami, Shields 5-80, Leggett 5-61, Jenkins 3-110, G.Cooper 3-24, Farr 1-27. North Carolina, Nicks 5-76, Elzy 4-39, Tate 3-54, Dailey 2-38, Quinn 1-11.