North Carolina delivers statement win over Pitt in ACC showdown

The North Carolina Tar Heels extend their win streak to four straight with a 42-24 win over the Pittsburgh Panthers.

UNC vs. Pitt lived up to the hype with multiple questionable calls, player ejections, and spectacular touchdown catches. The game started in Pitts’s favor as they marched down the field 77-yards, capping it off with running back Israel Abanikanda’s 6-yard rushing touchdown. North Carolina’s offense started just as flat going three and out in under two minutes.

That lackluster start instantly changed with UNC’s defense forcing Pitt to a quick three and out, leading to a North Carolina points. Quarterback Drake Maye led the Heels to a 59-yard drive finishing it with a 16-yard one-handed touchdown catch by wide receiver Antoine Green.

Pitt retook the lead with Abanikanda finding the end-zone again on a 4-yard run. After forcing UNC to their third game punt, the Panthers followed up with a field goal, giving them the 17-7 lead. UNC answered the next drive with Maye finding red-shirt freshman wide receiver Kobe Paysour in the end-zone for an 8-yard touchdown.

After the touchdown, both teams got the ball twice, failing to muster up any points, giving Pitt the 17-14 lead at the half.

But it ended with UNC outscoring Pitt 28-0 and the Tar Heels’ defense holding the Panthers to just seven second-half points.

North Carolina got the ball to start the third quarter, but it was Pitt who got on the board first in the second half. North Carolina went three and out, and Pitt answered with Abanikanda finding the end-zone for a third time on a 22-yard rushing touchdown.

The game will only get more chippy as North Carolina begins jawing and matching the aggressive energy Pitt brought. UNC finally broke the goal line again, with Maye throwing his third touchdown pass, this time to Josh Downs.

North Carolina’s defense stepped up again, forcing Pitt into another punt. That led to more UNC points, with running back Elijah Green reaching the end-zone with a 2-yard rushing touchdown to give the Tar Heels a 28-24 lead. And they held that for good.

The party did not stop there, as UNC’s defense came up stout again, forcing Pitt Abanikanda to fumble. Once again, leading to more North Carolina points, with Maye completing his fourth touchdown pass and Downs’ second of the day to give UNC a 35-24 lead.

After another Pitt punt, Maye tosses his fifth touchdown pass, with wide receiver Green finding the end-zone for the second time on a 13-yard grab.

North Carolina, now 7-1, is in a great position to lock up the ACC Coastal for a spot in the ACC championship game. This sort of statement win should also boost their status in the AP polls.

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Story originally appeared on Tarheels Wire