North Carolina will know full well what is coming on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Kenan Stadium when the Tar Heels play No. 24 Connecticut.

The question is simply whether the Tar Heels (3-1) can stop it.

The undefeated Huskies (5-0) have the nation's leading rusher in 5-foot-10, 210-pound redshirt junior Donald Brown. He averages 181 yards per game, and is coming off a 190-yard effort in a victory against Louisville.

In all likelihood, Connecticut's reliance on Brown will actually increase. The Huskies lost starting quarterback Tyler Lorenzen to a broken foot early in the game against Louisville.

Carolina had fits at times in trying to slow Miami running back Craig Cooper. Fortunately, for the Tar Heels, they improved their run defense as the game progressed. They were able to use the defensive effort against Cooper, two interceptions from senior Trimane Goddard and an outstanding performance from redshirt junior QB Cam Sexton to overcome a first-quarter 14-0 deficit and defeat the Hurricanes, 28-24.

Just a week before, the Tar Heels had lost a 17-3 lead to Virginia Tech and lost the game, 20-17.

"Not turning the ball over and getting two turnovers was the most significant statistic that came out of the ball game," UNC coach Butch Davis said. "We did some things decent at times in the second, third and fourth quarters defensively to get a grip on some of the things they had had success with."

The most significant of the two turnovers came on the final play of the game. Goddard took the ball away from a Miami receiver in the end zone, stopping what would have been the winning score.

"Our secondary played outstanding," Davis said. "Trimane Goddard made just some humongous plays."

The fact that UNC could defeat Miami in a comeback, after such a gut-wrenching loss to the Hokies, should help this youthful Carolina team build.

"We talk about scenarios all the time, about dealing with adversity, about dealing with crowd noise, about dealing with going on the road," Davis said. "We talk about how you know that in the first quarter you are going to get the other team's best shot.

"It's like a heavyweight prize fight: If you can sometimes withstand the first round or two of barrages you get from the other fighter and just stay in there and hang in there, things settle down. Fortunately, we didn't get knocked out in the first quarter."

Sexton's performance proved vital to the Tar Heels, and to Sexton, for that matter. He has played very little since a tough freshman season. But Sexton stuck around and kept working. He could have transferred somewhere and found playing time, but he did not want to quit on Carolina.

Now the Tar Heels have turned to him again because of a fracture to the left ankle of starting quarterback T.J. Yates.

Redshirt freshman Mike Paulus started the game against Miami and played two series. But, just as he showed against Virginia Tech when he came on in relief of Yates, Paulus lacks the experience to match his skills. He is in a similar position to where Sexton was in his redshirt freshman season.

When Sexton entered last weekend's game, his growth and maturity became evident immediately. He did not force throws. He got the ball in the hands of his talented skill players, never panicked and kept his eyes downfield for receivers, even when he had to move to avoid the rush.

Sexton finished the day 11-of-19 for 243 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. The last time he played at Miami, life could not have been more different. He went 9-of-28 for 136 yards, no touchdowns and threw two interceptions.

Davis said Sexton has handled himself beautifully as he waited for another opportunity.

"He comes out; he throws; he pays attention," Davis said. "He's into it mentally. That is something that has impressed me. ... Everybody is hurt by criticism, but it didn't just totally destroy his confidence.

"I know [offensive coordinator John Shoop] talks a lot to the quarterbacks about being mentally tough and mentally strong. I think that is one of the biggest areas Cam has made some real growth."

Now that Sexton has proven he can do the job, it should remain his, at least until Yates returns.

"We did this together," Sexton said. "And what I mean by that is when people said, 'You need to transfer; you need to get out of here,' I said, 'No, I love these guys; I love my teammates.'

"They have been there for me. My parents have been there for me. And I love this university. I love the University of North Carolina. I knew if I stayed the course and kept playing, this was going to happen. And it did."