Tag: UNC vs. Pitt

UNC football’s top 2026 recruiting target poses with fellow program legend

Kendre Harrison, UNC’s top 2026 football recruiting target, got his picture taken alongside a North Carolina football legend during UNC-Pitt.

The North Carolina Tar Heels can recruit all the high-end football talent they want, but unless there’s drastic changes within the program, we’ll experience the same, disappointing results year-after-year.

Landing commitments from big-time recruits has to pay off eventually though, right?

UNC already has 14 commitments in the Class of 2025, including in-state 4-star quarterback Bryce Baker, who’ll compete with Conner Harrell for the starting gig in 2025.

North Carolina is already looking ahead to its 2026 recruiting class, too, with its highest priority 5-star tight end Kendre Harrison. According to 247Sports, Harrison’s the top-ranked tight end, third-ranked player in North Carolina and 17th-ranked player nationally.

The Tar Heels are throwing every recruiting trick they have at Harrison, with hopes his commitment can spurn a chain reaction.

UNC’s latest recruiting effort involved bringing in Harrison for Saturday’s UNC-Pitt game. Not only was Harrison in attendance at Kenan Stadium, but he was pictured alongside an all-time program great in Julius Peppers.

Peppers was going to be in Chapel Hill Saturday regardless, as he was being honored for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Peppers is second-all time in North Carolina history with 30.5 sacks, plus fourth all-time in NFL history with 159.5 sacks.

Harrison, also an in-state standout, is in his third season at Reidsville High School. Harrison broke out last year, catching 62 passes for 940 yards and 16 touchdowns, while also helping the Rams’ basketball team to a state championship.

While the Tar Heels’ third-consecutive loss probably wasn’t appealing to Harrison, getting his picture taken alongside an all-time UNC athlete made his trip to Chapel Hill worthwhile.

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PHOTOS: UNC continues descent into darkness with home loss to Pitt

Check out a few highlights from UNC’s loss to Pitt earlier today, its third-consecutive of the current football season.

Just when you thought the North Carolina Tar Heels couldn’t get any worse, they did on Saturday afternoon.

UNC welcomed an undefeated Pitt team to Kenan Stadium for homecoming, a game which home teams typically win. North Carolina’s offense looked solid early, scoring 17 first-half points and entering halftime deadlocked in a 17-all tie.

The Tar Heels’ offense – and defense – then disappeared in the second half of a 34-24 loss that dropped them to .500. Today’s game was very reminiscent of last weekend at Duke, with the lone difference being Pitt (5-0, 1-0 ACC) scoring in the first half.

What frustrates me most about today’s loss is what likely frustrates the entire UNC (3-3, 0-2 ACC) fan base: another poor defensive performance. Today gave me reason to believe early, though, as Kaleb Cost provided the game’s most electric play on an 84-yard, first quarter pick-6.

Both teams played a pretty even game, with tons of offense and little defense, but the Panthers won Saturday largely based on decision-making and converting late downs.

North Carolina made several questionable calls to go for it on fourth down, only converting on two of its six tries. If the Tar Heels played it safe and chose to kick field goals, they would’ve only trailed by a possession late and had an easier chance trying to crawl back in.

Pitt’s offense was moving at will, recording 520 yards. The still-undefeated Panthers converted 9-of-16 third down tries and their lone fourth down try. UNC, on the contrary, converted just 5-of-15 third downs.

While we continue debating how North Carolina might actually be the ACC’s worst football program this year, let’s take a look at some photos:

Kickoff time for UNC-Pitt homecoming football game announced

The North Carolina Tar Heels will welcome the Pittsburgh Panthers to Kenan Stadium on October 5. When will the two programs kickoff?

After a close road win against a quality opponent, followed by two closer-than-expected wins against lesser opponents, the North Carolina Tar Heels finally got exposed at home against James Madison in last weekend’s football matchup.

This coming weekend doesn’t get any easier for UNC, which travels to play archrival Duke at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday. The Blue Devils are undefeated and have lost five consecutive Victory Bell battles, so if they want to steal it back, 2024 is the year.

In two weekends, North Carolina returns to Kenan Stadium for Homecoming against Pitt, which is 4-0 and led by Alabama transfer Eli Holstein.

We finally know the kickoff time for the Tar Heels-Panthers matchup, as the two squads will face off at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 5.

UNC has dominated Pitt since the latter joined the ACC in 2011, winning eight of 10 matchups. Given North Carolina’s showing in the JMU game, though, the Panthers should dominate in two weekends.

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The Tar Heels play an unusually home-heavy schedule this season, with Pitt being their fourth home matchup in six games this season.

Playing at 12 p.m. has its advantages – and disadvantages. Advantages allow fans to start their day in Kenan, then have the whole late afternoon/evening to explore Franklin Street.

Disadvantages, though, include not having as much student support. This is a college football game on a Saturday and, given Chapel Hill is one of the nation’s top college towns, students may opt to sleep in.

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How to watch North Carolina-Pitt clash in ACC Baseball Championship

Will the UNC baseball team sustain its recent hot stretch in Thursday’s ACC Baseball Championship opener against Pitt?

The North Carolina Tar Heels begin their quest for a ninth ACC Baseball Championship on Thursday, May 23 at 3 p.m. ET against Pitt.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are facing elimination after getting dominated by Wake Forest on Wednesday.

If this matchup seems familiar, it’s because UNC swept Pitt during the regular season – but didn’t dominate in that series. The Diamond Heels won the first and third matchups of each program’s ACC-opening series by one run, including a walk-off on Sunday, March 10 in the 10th inning, two victories that sandwiched a 3-run win that Saturday.

The Panthers began with a ton of promise this season, blasting out to an 8-1 start that included notable wins over Oklahoma and Washington, but finished the regular season at 26-26. They’re 10th in the 14-team ACC (Syracuse does not field varsity baseball) in team batting average (.282) and team earned run average (6.05),

North Carolina is a significantly better hitting team, with its .310 team average ranking 24th nationally. Even with an inconsistent pitching rotation, UNC actually leads the ACC with a 4.19 ERA.

I’ve said this many times before and I’ll say it again – regular season numbers don’t mean anything in the postseason. Pitt could easily start a hitting tear and lockdown the Diamond Heels’ hitters.

How can you watch these two ACC Coastal Division rivals face off tomorrow?

UNC-PITT TV, RADIO, AND STREAMING INFORMATION

WHAT: North Carolina (41-12, 22-8 ACC) vs. Pitt (26-27, 10-20)

WHEN: Thursday, May 23 at 3 p.m. ET

LOCATION: Truist Field in Charlotte, NC

TV: ACC Network (Watch and stream the game live on ESPN)

ANNOUNCERS: Chris Cotter, Mike Ferrin, Dani Wexelman (play-by-play), Devon Travis, Gaby Sanchez (color analysts)

SATELLITE RADIO: SiriusXM (Channel 193)

WEBSITE: WatchESPN

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Tar Heel women snap 4-game skid behind Alyssa Ustby’s big night

There was a huge sigh of relief and celebratory cheer inside Carmichael Arena tonight, as the UNC women’s basketball team finally won again.

After beating Miami on Thursday, Jan. 25 to move into a tie for first place in the ACC, the UNC women’s basketball team was easily playing its best basketball of the season.

No one could’ve foreseen what came next, as the Tar Heels lost consecutive games to Virginia, NC State, Virginia Tech and Duke to fall out of the rankings and all the way down to seventh place in the ACC.

That cold stretch came to a joyous end on Thursday night, as UNC beat Pitt, 75-62, behind star forward Alyssa Ustby’s 14-point, 10-assist double-double.

The win, which was North Carolina’s (16-9, 8-5) first in February, moved it into a tie for fifth place with Notre Dame and Duke. Before they lost four in a row, the Tar Heels beat UVA, Georgia Tech, Louisville and Miami for a 4-game winning streak.

Alyssa Ustby continued to be a dominating force on the court for UNC, recording her 12th double-double of the year and third in UNC’s past four games. She also added seven rebounds, three steals and blocks apiece – not too shabby.

Graduate transfer Lexi Donarski led all scorers with 20 points, her highest output since New Years’ Eve against Clemson (23). Star guard Deja Kelly dropped 17 points, with nine of those coming from free throws.

The Tar Heels have an extremely winnable game on Sunday, as they travel to Winston-Salem, N.C. to face the ACC-worst Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Wake (4-21, 0-13) hasn’t won since Dec. 21 last year, while a win could move UNC into a tie for fourth with Florida State.

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UNC hoops standout Justin Jackson talks about how hard it is to win road ACC games

Winning a game on the road is tough, no matter the sport. If you’re talking about college hoops, the ACC is as tough as it gets.

It’s the first Friday of 2024, with the UNC men’s basketball team just one night away from playing its third ACC matchup.

Carolina started slow in its first two conference clashes, but rebounded to down Florida State and Pitt. The Tar Heels are now winners of their past three, sit eighth in the latest AP Poll and look significantly more like an ACC contender.

UNC gets its toughest, early-season conference test on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 12 p.m. ET, as it’ll be battling Clemson inside Littlejohn Coliseum. The Tigers have started 2024 hot and hope to stay hot, after collapsing during ACC play last year.

If you know anything about Clemson sports, particularly football, they have one of the best home-field advantages. Case in point – I went to the Tigers-Georgia Tech football game in early November. It was cool, cloudy and slightly rainy, but Memorial Stadium was PACKED in purple and orange.

In a broader sphere, winning on the road in any ACC sport is tough. Just ask Justin Jackson, a 2017 NCAA Champion with our very own Tar Heels.

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“I’ll never forget my freshman year, we went into Pittsburgh and it was really loud,” Jackson told InsideCarolina on his Shooting it Straight podcast. “They had some really good players on the team at the time. Pitt got the jump ball, tipped it ahead and the guy dunked it. The way that the crowd roaded at that moment, at the time it was hard to think.”

UNC had struggled with the Panthers until Tuesday, when it won for just the second time in seven matchups.

Later in his podcast, Jackson continued offering his advice about tough road environments in the ACC.

“ACC road wins are extremely hard to get and when you win them, no matter how it might look or no matter how it turns out, you gotta clap and celebrate for those wins,” Jackson said.

With Clemson and N.C. State up next, Carolina has a golden chance to show it’s the ACC’s team to beat.

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Rucker, Huzzie pick up ACC Player of the Week nods

UNC football players Kaimon Rucker (two sacks) and Alijah Huzzie (punt return for TD, two INTs) picked up ACC Player of the Week honors.

Life is sittin’ pretty right now for members of the UNC football program.

Along with Florida State, Miami, Louisville, Syracuse and Duke, the Tar Heels are 4-0, one of six undefeated ACC teams through four weeks. Their record is sweetened by the fact that three of their first four victories came against Power 5 opponents (South Carolina, Minnesota, Pitt).

After a slow start on Saturday night against Pitt, UNC started rolling offensively in the second quarter and tightened up defensively, allowing no second-half points (Pitt’s kick return TD was a defensive score). The Heels ended up winning, 41-24, grabbing the college football world’s attention with a Drake Maye left-handed throw and an Alijah Huzzie punt return for a touchdown.

UNC performed so well in its ACC-opening victory that not one, but TWO Tar Heels picked up ACC Player of the Week honors: Huzzie (specialist) and Kaimon Rucker (defensive lineman).

It’s easy to see why Huzzie was chosen – his second-quarter punt return for six points gave UNC the lead for good, plus he picked off Pitt quarterback Christian Veilleux twice.

Rucker was an intergral part of the defense as well, tying with teammates Power Echols and Cedric Gray for a team-high seven tackles. Rucker also sacked Veilleux twice, the only Tar Heel with a sack.

This is Rucker’s second ACC Player of the Week award, as he also earned honors after the season opener against South Carolina. Rucker was also named National Player of the Week after the opener.

With a unit that had so many question marks heading into the campaign, it’s looking like an area of strength for the Tar Heels.

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UNC Football: Helmet stickers for win over Pitt

UNC delivered a second-consecutive well-rounded performance in its ACC-opening football victory over Pitt. Let’s check out who shined.

With a thorough, 41-24 victory over Pitt in its ACC football opener, the UNC football team is 4-0 for the first time since 1997.

Who was the head coach back then? The same guy leading Carolina right now – Mack Brown.

UNC’s defense looked like swiss cheese in the opening quarter, as it allowed Pitt to march right down the field and cap off its opening drive with a 7-yard, Rodney Hammond Jr. touchdown run. The Panthers tacked on ten more first-half points, then returned a kick 100 yards for a score.

For the third time in four games, Carolina suffocated its opponent defensively. The Heels’ defense pitched a second-half shutout Saturday night – Pitt’s kick return is considered a defensive score. UNC allowed only six combined second-half points between the South Carolina and Minnesota games.

Alijah Huzzie headlined a strong special teams unit, taking a second-quarter punt 52 yards to the house and giving the Tar Heels a lead they’d never relinquish.

Drake Maye shined with 296 passing yards and three total touchdowns, but he stole the spotlight with his late first-half, left-handed touchdown pass to Kobe Paysour.

With such a well-rounded victory, it’s tough to single in on specific players for helmet stickers. Let’s take a look at who we think deserve them:[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”dW5kZWZpbmVk”][/anyclip-media]

What Mack Brown said after UNC’s ACC-opening win over Pitt

Check out what UNC football head coach Mack Brown had to say after his team moved to 4-0 by beating Pitt, 41-23, on Saturday night.

From watching UNC football games since Mack Brown retained his post as head coach, we know that a happy Mack means postgame dance parties in the locker room.

After tonight’s 41-24 victory over Pitt in the ACC opener for both teams, there’s no doubt Brown is going to be happy.

Outside of a mainly lackluster first quarter, the Heels truly looked like a team capable of contending for the ACC crown. They enjoyed a balanced offensive attack, led by three Drake Maye touchdowns, received a special teams boost when Alijah Huzzie returned a second-quarter punt for a touchdown, then only allowed seven second-half points to the host Panthers.

To make things even more exciting in Chapel Hill, the boys in baby blue are 4-0 for the first time since 1997, when – you guessed it – Brown was also head coach.

There’s not yet any videos on social media of Brown dancing after the triumph over Pitt. In the meantime, let’s hear what he had to say after the huge victory:

Social media reactions to UNC’s roller-coaster win over Pitt

From the good to the bad, we look at how social media reacted to UNC declawing the Panthers.

The North Carolina Tar Heels move to 4-0 for the first time since 1997 after delivering a roller-coaster win over Pitt.

It was not the best start for UNC, deflating fan’s confidence after the defense let Pitt walk them down to the end-zone on the first drive of the game, but that did not last long. UNC made a quick pit stop on the sideline, and the rest was history, with the Tar Heels storm trooping past the sluggish start to a lopsided 41-24 victory.

Drake Maye thrilled fans with a Mahome-style, left-handed touchdown pass while the defense forced Pitt’s offense into three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble). The game felt like a roller coaster with many highs and lows.

In real-time, fans were tweeting their displeasure with the start and the inability to contain Pitt quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who was having a great game before unfortunately getting injured. At the same time, others could not hold their excitement about what they were watching, with UNC pulling out the classic flea flicker and defensive back transfer Alijah Huzzie putting the conference on notice.

From the good to the bad, we look at how social media reacted to UNC declawing the Panthers.