PITTSBURGH - North Carolina defeated the Pittsburgh Panthers by a score of 41-24 on Saturday night in Acrisure Stadium.

The No. 17-ranked Tar Heels were led by quarterback Drake Maye, who completed 22 of 30 passes for 296 yards with a touchdown, and he also ran for two scores. J.J. Jones caught six passes for 117 yards.

Defensively, the Tar Heels were led by Alijah Huzzie, who had two interceptions and also returned a punt for a score.

UNC moved to 1-0 in the ACC and 4-0 overall, while the Panthers fall to 0-1 in the ACC and 1-3 overall:

UNC and Pitt were tied at 7-7 in the quarter. The last play of the quarter, however, saw Pitt connect on a pass that put them on the Tar Heel 1-yard line.

Carolina’s defense took the field first to start the game. In the first defensive series the Tar Heels' defense allowed a 13 play, 78-yard touchdown drive. UNC allowed 62 rushing yards on 10 carries.

On UNC's very first offensive snap, what was initially ruled a fumble on the field was later overturned and declared an incomplete pass. Then, during their first third-down attempt of the game, a Pitt pass interference call kept the Tar Heel drive alive. This Panther mistake ignited UNC's momentum for the drive, and in response to Pitt's opening score, they orchestrated a 10-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a three-yard touchdown run by Omarion Hampton.

Overall, UNC allowed 151 total yards, including 96 rushing. Pitt possessed the ball 11:42 seconds in the quarter holding the Heels to one drive

As the second quarter commenced, Pitt capitalized on a drive that began in the closing moments of the first quarter. They clinched a touchdown, surging ahead with a 14-7 lead. This scoring play unfolded over a seven-play, 75-yard drive.

Following the touchdown, Pitt's defense maintained their momentum by forcing UNC into a quick three-and-out, demonstrating their ability to pressure UNC's quarterback, Maye, who was sacked for the second time in the game.

Despite Pitt's early success, UNC's defense rallied and secured their first three-and-out of the game. On the ensuing punt, Alijah Huzzie had an impressive 29-yard return that positioned Maye and the UNC offense at midfield. On the first play of the drive, offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey called a double reverse flea flicker that got UNC down to the three-yard line. Maye eventually capped a 5 play 50-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14.

Carolina’s defense continued its good play with another three- and-out, a series that saw Kaimon Rucker get his third sack of the year. On the punt return, Huzzie broke out another long return, but this time taking it all the way to give UNC a 21-14 lead.

On UNC’s next defensive series, Carolina allowed a seven- play, 49-yard drive before forcing a 44-yard Pitt field goal that made the score 21-17.

On Carolina’s next drive Maye orchestrated a key seven play, 91-yard drive, capped off with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Kobe Paysour, a pass that was made left handed while being tackled. The score gave the Tar Heels a 28-17 lead, which was taken into the half.

Notes: UNC outscored Pitt 21-10 in the quarter. Maye ended the half seven-of-10 passing, with 139 yards and a touchdown. Pitt possessed the ball for 20:27 to only 9:39 for the Heels.

In the opening drive of the second half for Carolina, the Tar Heels executed a solid eight-play, 75-yard march down the field, culminating in a quarterback sneak by Maye for a touchdown. During this impressive drive, Maye connected with JJ Jones for a remarkable 52-yard completion, positioning the Tar Heels in prime scoring territory.

UNC's defense continued to shine, forcing yet another three-and-out from Pitt, prompting the Panthers to bring in backup quarterback Christian Veilleux.

With possession once more, Carolina orchestrated a seven-play, 55-yard advance but ultimately settled for a 47-yard field goal by Noah Burnette, extending UNC's lead to 38-17.

Pitt, however, responded swiftly during the ensuing kickoff, returning it a remarkable 99 yards for a touchdown, narrowing the score to 38-24.

During UNC's next offensive series, the team methodically moved the ball downfield with a 10-play, 45-yard drive, but the Pitt defense held firm, forcing a 48-yard field goal by Burnette. This successful kick pushed Carolina's lead to 41-17.

In a subsequent defensive series for Carolina, pressure from defensive lineman Beau Atkinson disrupted Pitt's offense, leading to an errant throw and an interception by Huzzie.

Overall, in the third quarter, UNC outscored Pitt 13-7. The Tar Heels gained an impressive 195 yards while limiting the Panthers to just 33 yards. Carolina maintained possession of the ball for 11 minutes and 37 seconds of the 15-minute quarter, establishing firm control of the game.

To start the final period, Pitt blocked a Tar Heel punt, but facing a sudden change situation, Carolina defense recovers a Pitt fumble to give UNC the ball back.

The fourth quarter was a defensive battle with neither team scoring. In this quarter, Rucker got his second sack while Huzzie got his second interception.

Carolina used the opportunity with a big lead to get a lot of younger players in the game as they escaped Pitt with a comfortable victory.

FINAL SCORE: UNC 41. PITT 24