North Carolina came painfully close to delivering the biggest upset of the college football season Saturday night. Instead, the Tar Heels were left wondering what might have been after a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to No. 1 Miami at Kenan Stadium.

Facing an unbeaten Hurricanes team with national championship ambitions, UNC refused to back down, trading punches with one of the country’s most talented teams before ultimately coming up three points short.

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For a North Carolina program looking to establish itself as a legitimate ACC contender, it was an encouraging performance that nevertheless ended in another frustrating defeat.

Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. helped keep the Tar Heels competitive with a passing attack that repeatedly challenged Miami’s defense.

North Carolina fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter but responded with an impressive 84-yard touchdown drive early in the second.

Edwards connected with tight end Jelani Thurman for an 8-yard touchdown, tying the game at seven.

Miami answered when quarterback Darian Mensah found running back Mark Fletcher Jr. for a 31-yard touchdown, restoring the Hurricanes’ advantage.

But Edwards wasn’t finished.

He engineered another lengthy scoring possession, finding Thurman again for an 8-yard touchdown that tied the game at 14 late in the first half.

Miami managed a 25-yard Jake Weinberg field goal just before halftime, taking a narrow 17-14 lead into the locker room.

And the Tar Heels came out swinging after the break.

Edwards found Jordan Shipp for a 16-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, giving North Carolina a 21-17 advantage and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

The Hurricanes responded with a 2-yard touchdown run from Fletcher to reclaim the lead, continuing a back-and-forth contest that remained undecided deep into the fourth quarter.

North Carolina’s offense demonstrated considerable improvement against a Miami defense loaded with playmakers. Edwards attacked the middle of the field, delivered timely throws and showed the composure required to compete with the nation’s top-ranked team.

However, the Tar Heels’ inability to consistently contain Miami’s offensive weapons proved costly.

Mensah and Fletcher repeatedly found ways to keep drives alive, while the Hurricanes’ balance forced North Carolina to defend both the passing and rushing attacks.

For UNC, the disappointment extends beyond Saturday’s result.

The Tar Heels entered the night hoping to recover from their 31-30 overtime loss to Syracuse the previous week. Instead, they’ve now suffered consecutive narrow ACC defeats.

That leaves North Carolina at 4-4 overall and 2-3 in conference play, with its postseason outlook becoming increasingly complicated.

Still, Saturday offered evidence that the Tar Heels can compete against elite opposition.

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The next step is learning how to finish.

North Carolina didn’t get the upset it desperately wanted, but it gave No. 1 Miami considerably more trouble than most expected.

And for a team trying to build momentum entering November, that performance provides something to build on — even if the final score offers little consolation.