North Carolina beat No. 25 Pittsburgh 21-17 on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, giving Bill Belichick his first win over a ranked opponent as the Tar Heels’ head coach. Billy Edwards Jr. threw two touchdown passes, including a 75-yard strike to Shamar Easter with 12:36 left in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference.
Pittsburgh took a 17-14 lead on La’Vell Wright’s second rushing touchdown of the game 11 seconds before Edwards and Easter connected on the go-ahead score. The Panthers never answered, and their night ended with a costly 0-for-4 mark on fourth-down conversions. North Carolina’s defense forced two interceptions and recorded two sacks to stop Pittsburgh on the final possession.
Takeaways From North Carolina’s Win Over Pittsburgh
Belichick breaks through against a ranked team
The win marked Belichick’s first over a ranked opponent since taking over at North Carolina. It comes a week after North Carolina lost to No. 3 Notre Dame 37-26.
Pittsburgh’s fourth-down failures opened the door
The Panthers moved the ball effectively for much of the afternoon but could not finish drives when it mattered most. Pittsburgh’s 0-for-4 showing on fourth down left points on the field in a game decided by four.
Edwards delivers under pressure despite the turnovers
Edwards completed 18 of 26 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions. He threw touchdown passes to Jelani Thurman in the second quarter and Easter in the fourth.
Player Of The Game: Billy Edwards Jr.
Edwards finished 18-of-26 passing for 249 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. His 75-yard touchdown pass to Easter in the fourth quarter gave North Carolina the lead.
North Carolina Vs Pittsburgh By The Numbers
Jordan Shipp led all receivers with six catches for 93 yards. Pittsburgh’s Holden Geriner threw for 219 yards on 27-of-44 passing with two interceptions. Pittsburgh outgained North Carolina 369 yards to 269. Pittsburgh held the clock for 36:32 compared to North Carolina’s 23:28.
What’s Next
North Carolina faces a rivalry game next weekend. North Carolina improved to 3-2. Pittsburgh fell to 5-1.
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