The Tar Heels overcame a 17 point first half deficit – forcing 21st ranked Pitt into overtime – but would ultimately fall to the Panthers 30-23.
Postgame Noteables
- Carolina is 4-8 all-time in overtime games. The Tar Heels have lost their last five games that have gone to overtime, including back-to-back meetings with Pittsburgh in 2019 and 2021.
- Mack Brown falls to 264-137-1 overall, including an 89-61-1 record in 13 seasons as head coach of the Tar Heels. Brown is 0-2 all-time against Pittsburgh, both losses coming in overtime.
- Carolina has lost back-to-back games to Pitt for the first time, but still lead the all-time series with the Panthers, 10-5. UNC lost on the road in overtime, 34-27, in the previous meeting in 2019.
- Since Pitt joined the ACC in 2013, all eight games between these Coastal Division rivals have been decided by seven points or less.
- 13 of the 15 all-time meetings have been decided by 10 points or less.
- Tonight’s game is the 20th Thursday night ESPN football game in school history. All but two have been on the road. The Tar Heels are 9-11 in the 20 Thursday games.
- Tonight was the Tar Heels third consecutive game against a top-25 ranked opponents. Carolina faced No. 11 Notre Dame, No. 10 Wake Forest and now 25th ranked Pitt in a span of 12 days. UNC last played three-straight ranked opponents back in 2016 against No. 12 Florida State, No. 25 Virginia Tech and No. 16 Miami.
- Sam Howell was 22 of 33 for 296 passing yards and two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 28 yards and a rushing touchdown.
- Sam Howell has thrown a touchdown pass in all 35 of his games as a Tar Heel, the longest active streak in the country.
- He extended his streak with a 76-yard touchdown to Antoine Green in the second quarter. It marked Howell’s longest TD pass since throwing an 87-yarder to Dyami Brown on Dec. 12, 2020.
- Howell’s two TD passes tonight tied him with Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence for third in ACC history with 90 career touchdown passes.
1. Tajh Boyd (107)
2. Philip Rivers (95)
3. Sam Howell (90)<<
3. Trevor Lawrence (90)<<
3. Deshaun Watson (90)<< - In 3 seasons, Howell has thrown multiple touchdown passes in 28 of 35 career games.
- Howell notched his ninth rushing score of the season with a 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter. It was his first rushing TD this year less than 10 yards.
- Josh Downs had eight catches for 95 yards, including a key 46-yarder that setup the game-tying field goal in the fourth quarter. He continues to climb up the single-season receiving charts.
Carolina Single-Season Receiving Yard Leaders
1. Hakeem Nicks, 2008 – 1,222
2. Dwight Jones, 2011 – 1,196
3. Ryan Switzer, 2016 – 1,112
4. Josh Downs, 2021 – 1,109
5. Dyami Brown, 2020 – 1,099
6. Dyami Brown, 2019 – 1,034
7. Dazz Newsome, 2019 – 1,018
Carolina Single-Season Reception Leaders
1. Ryan Switzer, 2016 – 96
2. Dwight Jones, 2011 – 85
3. Josh Downs, 2021 – 82
4. Hakeem Nicks, 2007 – 74
- Antoine Green had three catches for 108 yards and registered the first two-touchdown game of his career and had a TD for the third game in a row, the longest streak of his career.
- Green’s 76-yard TD in the second quarter was the longest play of the season for the Tar Heels, and he added a 23-yard TD in the third quarter.
- Jahlil Taylor blocked a field goal with 26 seconds remaining in the first half. The Tar Heels have four blocked kicks/punts this season, tied for the most among Power 5 programs this season.
- Tomon Fox recorded his 26th career sack, the third most in program history.
- Jeremiah Gemmel came up with a critical interception late in the fourth quarter. Carolina is now tied for the ACC lead alongside NC State with 10 interceptions this season.
- Gemmel finished with a season-high 10 tackles to lead the Tar Heel defense. He also added one sack, one tackle for loss, one interception and one pass breakup.