CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina left Kenan Stadium Saturday night with perhaps its most impressive win of the season, as the No. 12 Tar Heels defeated No. 25 Miami 41-31.

The Heels were led by running back Omarion Hampton, who carried the ball 24 times and earned 197 yards and a rushing touchdown, he also recorded a touchdown catch.

The win brings UNC to 6-0 on the season and 3-0 in the ACC, while Miami falls to 4-2 and 0-2 in the ACC, and this is how it happened:

Carolina’s opening defensive series of the game series saw Miami gain one first down before the UNC defense forced the Hurricanes to punt

Carolina’s first offensive possession, quarterback Drake Maye got the offense going with a key third down scramble to avoid a UNC three-and-out. The drive ultimately resulted in a punt. Miami brought pressure three different times that UNC failed to handle each, ending with incompletions.

After a kick-catch interference penalty on Tayon Holloway, gave the Hurricanes good field position, Carolina’s defense, which has excelled in sudden-change, forced a three-and-out.

With the momentum of the defensive stop pushing the Carolina offense, Maye hit wide receiver J.J. Jones for a 48-yard catch. The flip in field position eventually led to receiver Tez Walker’s first touchdown of his UNC career.

Maye was 0-for-4 on the first drive, but turned it around in the second possession going 3-for-4 for 70 yards.

On the next defensive series, a roughing the passer penalty and an infraction for hands to the face, allowed Miami to move the ball well into Tar Heel territory, before Jahvaree Ritzie forced a fumble in the end zone that was recovered by Cedric Gray and returned to the UNC 6-yard-line.

Following the fumble, Maye and company took over. After it looked like the Hurricane defense forced a three-and-out, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Miami gave UNC the ball back, and it marked the end of the quarter.

Score: UNC 7. Miami-0

In the second period, the Tar Heel defense allowed Miami to drive 52 yards in only three plays and gave the Hurricanes their first touchdown of the game to tie the contest at seven.

During UNC’s next drive, the Heels moved the ball from its own 25 to its 42 before the drive stalled and Carolina was forced to punt again.

In Carolina's following defensive series, the Heels allowed Miami to convert on a fourth-and-two. Two plays later, Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke threw his second touchdown of the game to give the Hurricanes a 14-7 lead. The score marked the second time UNC has trailed in the second quarter this season.

With the ball and trailing, UNC responded to Miami’s 14 unanswered points with a nine-play 75-yard touchdown drive. During the possession running back Omarion Hampton had multiple runs in which he moved a pile of Miami players to gain extra yards. The yards after contact appeared to be Carolina’s way of establishing physicality, an area Miami had previously been winning.

With the game tied at 14, the UNC defense forced a three-and-out, and it appeared Carolina was taking firm control of the momentum battle, but Miami defense responded with a stop of its own.

Miami then took the ball with 1:05 left in the half and drove seven plays for 57 yards and earned a field goal as the half expired.

Score: Miami 17, UNC 14.

UNC clearly made changes at halftime and came out intent on taking charge of the game, and did just that.

Maye connected with Walker for a 56-yard pass for Walker’s second score of the game to give Carolina a 21-17 lead.

In the following defensive series, Miami drove the ball to around the mid-field mark, before a bad snap led to a Myles Murphy recovery.

With the momentum of the turnover, UNC offense couldn’t capitalize on the good field position and was forced to punt, after a Miami sack forced a fourth-and-20.

As Miami took over, the first play of its drive, Van Dyke threw an interception to give UNC the ball at the Miami 23. UNC was able to capitalize on the good field position, as Walker came away with his third touchdown catch of the game to give Carolina a 28-17 lead.

At this point, UNC had all the momentum on its side, and edge rusher Kaimon Rucker got his fifth sack of the season to force Miami to punt the ball back to the Tar Heels. Maye and company kept momentum on Carolina’s side when Maye connected with Hampton on a four-yard touchdown score to extend the Tar Heel lead 35-17.

During the quarter, UNC gained 181 yards while holding the Hurricanes to 32 yards and outscored the Canes 21-0, completely taking control of the game.

Score: UNC 35, Miami 17

With a multi-score lead going into the fourth quarter, Carolina appeared focused on running the clock out, though the Tar Heels stalled inside the red zone twice, ending up with field goals. Miami scored two late touchdowns to cut into Carolina’s margin.

Final: UNC 41, Miami 31