UNC football vs. Pitt: Highlights, recap from Chapel Hill

Monica Holland, The Fayetteville Observer
·5 min read

North Carolina sits atop the ACC's Coastal Division with five games remaining on its schedule.

If No. 21 UNC (6-1, 3-0) can beat Pitt (4-3, 1-2) in Chapel Hill on Saturday (8 p.m., ACC Network), a trip to the ACC Championship will be firmly in its grasp.

The Panthers own a two-game winning streak in the series and the Tar Heels lead the overall matchup 10-5, with a 6-0 record at home.

Follow along here for live score updates and video highlights.

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ACC POWER RANKINGS:ACC football power rankings: Clemson cements spot at the top. UNC closing in on Coastal crown

UNC football vs. Pitt score: Live updates

First quarter

11:30 — TOUCHDOWN PANTHERS! Israel Abanikanda, the nation's fourth-leading rusher, scores his 14th TD of the season on a 6-yard run to cap an eight-play, 77-yard drive highlighted by a 40-yard pass from Kedon Slovis to Bub Means to keep the drive alive on third down. Pitt 7, UNC 0

9:49 — UNC goes three-and-out and Pitt's drive will start on its own 6-yard line.

8:53 — Pitt goes three-and-out and UNC gets the ball back on its own 41 after the punt.

4:46 — TOUCHDOWN TAR HEELS! Antoine Green pulls in a one-handed touchdown catch of 16 yards from Drake Maye (Maye's 25th of the season, ranking second nationally in passing TDs). Maye converted a fourth-and-1 on a sneak and threw for the touchdown after taking a sack for an 8-yard loss. UNC 7, Pitt 7

INJURY REPORT — UNC running back Caleb Hood goes out with an injury and will not return. Linebacker Noah Taylor also left the game with an injury and will not return.

UNC INJURIES:UNC football's Caleb Hood, Noah Taylor leave game with early injuries vs. Pitt

2:14 — UNC forces a punt and will start on its own 8-yard line. A pass deflection by Power Echols highlighted the Tar Heels' defense.

0:21 — SACK! Tyler Bentley gets to Drake Maye on third-and-10 for a 3-yard loss.

0:00 — MJ Devonshire returns UNC's punt 26 yards to the Tar Heels' 45.

Second quarter

13:20 — TOUCHDOWN PANTHERS! Abanikanda scores his second TD on a 4-yard run set up by a 41-yard pass from Slovis to Jared Wayne. Pitt 14, UNC 7

10:46 — Pitt will start on its own 8 after forcing a UNC punt and then getting penalized on the return for an illegal block in the back. Defensive back PJ O'Brien is disqualified for targeting on the play.

5:14 — FIELD GOAL PANTHERS! Ben Sauls hits a 47-yarder for Pitt. Pitt 17, UNC 7

3:33 — TOUCHDOWN TAR HEELS! Kobe Paysour scores on a 1-yard pass from Maye set up by Josh Downs' 6-yard reception. Antoine Green had catches of 18 and 50 yards on the drive. Pitt 17, UNC 14

Halftime

Pitt compiled 219 yards on offense to UNC's 177, with Slovis completing 8-of-18 passes for 157 yards and Abanikanda accounting for 48 of the Panthers' 62 rushing yards — and both TDs.

Maye completed 16-of-20 passes for 159 yards and two TDs, with Green gaining 109 yards and one of those touchdowns on six catches. Elijah Green was the Tar Heels' leading rusher in the first half with 12 of the team's 18 yards on the ground. He also had a 14-yard kick return.

Third quarter

10:07 — TOUCHDOWN PANTHERS! Abanikanda gets his third TD of the game on a 2-yard run set up by a 50-yard pass from Slovis to Jared Wayne, who has 149 yards on five receptions. Abanikanda also had a 22-yard run during the five-play, 83-yard drive. Pitt 24, UNC 14

6:05 — TOUCHDOWN TAR HEELS! Josh Downs catches a 13-yard pass from Maye to cap a 12-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 4:02. The drive included a 20-yard pass to Antoine Green on third-and-10, an 18-yard pass to Gavin Blackwell on third-and-7, and a 7-yard run by Maye on fourth-and-5. Pitt 24, UNC 21

3:39 — SACK! Kayman Rucker gets to Slovis and throws him down for a 10-yard loss on third down and after a 42-yard punt, UNC will get the ball on its own 16.

Third quarter

14:07 — TOUCHDOWN TAR HEELS! Elijah Green powers into the end zone on a 2-yard run to give UNC its first lead of the game. The 10-play, 84-yard drive started with back-to-back 24- and 14-yard passes to Antoine Greene. Josh Downs had a 16-yard catch and JJ Jones had a 12-yard reception on the drive. Maye also had an 11-yard run. UNC 28, Pitt 24

11:28 — FUMBLE! UNC's Cedric Gray punches the ball away from Abanikanda and recovers the fumble to give the Tar Heels the ball at Pitt's 49.

10:46 — TOUCHDOWN TAR HEELS! Downs makes his second straight TD catch on a 25-yard toss from Maye. UNC 35, Pitt 24

10:20 — Josh Downs' 23-yard punt return gives UNC the ball at Pitt's 35.

9:07 — TOUCHDOWN TAR HEELS! Antoine Green gets another TD on a 13-yard pass from Maye, his fifth TD pass of the game. UNC 42, Pitt 24

FINAL: UNC 42, PITT 24

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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC football score vs. Pitt: Highlights, recap, final score