CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Dallas Crawford had plenty enough left by the end and his No. 10 Miami Hurricanes pulled out a 27-23 victory against North Carolina on Thursday night.
“No panic, just do what we were taught to do,” said Crawford, a backup tailback pressed into extra duty to help the Hurricanes overcome a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit.
Crawford ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 16 seconds remaining to cap the comeback in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Kenan Stadium.
“It was a great win because you’re on the road, you’re down 10 points,” Miami coach Al Golden said. “It says a lot about the guys. There’s no turning back.”
Crawford gained 113 of his 137 rushing yards in the second half. His last run capped a 90-yard drive that began with 4:11 to play. He carried the ball 33 times.
“What an unbelievable effort,” Golden aid. “That’s what he is. He’s a competitor. … He finishes every play. I’m real proud of him and his conditioning.”
Crawford filled in after running back Duke Johnson, who averaged 114.4 yards per game across the first five games, went out with a first-half injury.
“You can’t ever doubt yourself,” Crawford said. “I’m not tired or anything. I feel great.”
The Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0 ACC) won despite quarterback Stephen Morris throwing four interceptions.
“I expected us to stop them, I really did,” North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said of the last drive.
Thomas Moore kicked three field goals for the Tar Heels, who lost for the seventh consecutive time when facing a ranked team.
North Carolina (1-5, 0-3) took the game’s final snap at the Miami 28-yard line with three seconds left, but Bryn Renner threw an incompletion in the back of the end zone.
Miami, which entered the week rated ninth nationally with an average of 45.2 points per game, didn’t score a touchdown against North Carolina’s defense until the fourth quarter.
“There’s a bunch of guys hurting in that locker room,” Fedora said. “Give Miami credit, they made plays when they had to. This is a tough one to swallow.”
Crawford’s 3-yard touchdown run with 11:29 left brought the Hurricanes within 23-20.
Renner completed 15 consecutive passes during one stretch for a single-game school record. He finished 28-for-36 for 297 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Two of Morris’ interceptions were clutched by freshman Dominique Green. Morris finished 19-for-35 with 322 yards.
North Carolina didn’t convert after the final interception despite starting at Miami’s 49. Renner was picked off by Tracy Howard, who also had two interceptions.
Eric Ebron set a North Carolina record for most receiving yards in a game by a tight end, gaining 199 yards on eight catches.
Injuries battered Miami in the first half, with the Hurricanes losing Johnson (83 yards on eight first-quarter carries) and receiver Phillip Dorsett (68 yards on two catches).
The Tar Heels led 17-13 at the half.
Two red-zone stands by North Carolina defense defined the opening half until the momentum began to turn with 12:33 left in the second quarter.
Miami’s Artie Burns blocked Moore’s 47-yard field-goal attempt, and Ladarius Gunter caught the ball in the air and ran 67 yards for a touchdown.
The Tar Heels responded on their next possession, capped by Renner’s 20-yard touchdown strike to Quinshad Davis. North Carolina pushed its lead to 17-13 on Moore’s 25-yard field goal with 3:32 left in the half.
Miami struck first on Matt Goudis’ 22-yard field goal after the Hurricanes had first-and-goal at the 1 but were pushed back.
North Carolina backup quarterback Marquise Williams entered midway through the second series and threw an interception to Howard on his first play.
Williams’ next pass went for a 71-yard touchdown play to Ebron.
Miami entered the game having allowed only two passing touchdowns this season, tied with Florida for the fewest in the country.
NOTES: North Carolina last defeated a Top 10 team in 2004, edging then-No. 4 Miami 31-28 at home. … North Carolina wore black jersey tops and pants for the first time on what was billed as “Zero Dark Thursday.” … In North Carolina’s only previous Thursday night game on its campus, the Tar Heels lost to Florida State in 2009. … Miami freshman FB Walter Tucker, listed second on the depth chart, was out with a lower-body injury. … Both teams are home Oct. 26 for their next game. Miami welcomes Wake Forest, while North Carolina faces Boston College. … Miami, which is ranked in the Top 10 for the first time since 2009, played its first out-of-state game.