Is North Carolina a "trap" game for the Miami Hurricanes? It fits the bill because the Miami Hurricanes are heading on the road to play a somewhat talented-but-flawed Tar Heels who have nothing to lose. Adding to the intrigue is that the game comes the week before a showdown against Notre Dame, and there's nothing more cliché than an upset a week before a highly anticipated showdown.
But Mario Cristobal isn't having it. He's well aware of what a Bill Belichick-coached team is capable of. Most of us that follow football have seen it at least a few times in our lives. Having Tom Brady helps a lot, but Belichick also led a defensive effort to win a Super Bowl with Jeff Hostetler at quarterback.
But none of that has anything to do with the challenge that faces Miami on Saturday. It's a physical test against a team that will likely bring some fight and a mental test against a program that has had as much success against the Hurricanes as any team in the ACC.
"It's going to take every ounce of preparation to make sure we get our 1-0"
— Kacy Hintz (@KacyHintz) October 27, 2026
Is there ever a day Mario Cristobal isn't locked in?! Don't worry, I took one for the team today. Someone had to ask.. is UNC a trap game?? --> Let's just say, we know he's not looking ahead 😂 pic.twitter.com/O4PMEWktHA
"We just watched them, North Carolina, at the line of scrimmage. They're beating up everybody they play. It's easy to see, and if anyone that doesn't recognize that chooses to be blind," Cristobal said on Monday.
As for a "trap" game, it's only a trap if Miami loses. Otherwise, it's a game and, as Cristobal points out, it's a chance to go 1-0 for the week.
For Miami, the ACC is a 'trap' conference in 2026
When the expectations are what they are for the Hurricanes and the ACC is struggling to remain relevant and extend their CFP possibilities beyond one or two teams, every week is a trap game. Last week's win over Pitt was a "trap" game. The road win at Clemson, despite the Tigers' past success, was a "trap" game. That's what happens when Miami is expected to win the ACC going away.
North Carolina shouldn't be viewed as a trap game, but a real problem. History and trends always play a part in college football, and the trend in this series has not been one for the Hurricanes to brag about. The Tar Heels handed Miami its first loss as a full-time member of the ACC, a 31-28 loss at Kenan Stadium in 2004 behind the legs of Chad Scott.
When you add up the numbers, North Carolina has won five straight in the series, and a few of them were pretty embarrassing. In 2020, the Tar Heels rushed for over 500 yards and hung 62 points on the Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Cristobal-coached teams are 0-2 against North Carolina.
The bigger concern is that three of the five losses during this slump were by a single field goal, which meant that the games were lost in the fourth quarter. Miami has only played one close game this season, a double-overtime win over FSU. The Hurricanes did some good things in the fourth quarter of that game, but also gave up a 75-yard touchdown pass. No one can truly be confident in how Miami will handle late-game situations until it proves that it can without giving up big plays.
There's no reason to call North Carolina a "trap" game; it's another game that the Hurricanes need to win and show how much they've matured as a program.
Add us as a preferred source on Google