Bill Belichick earns first win against ranked opponent as UNC upsets No 25 Pitt on road

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Bill Belichick earned the biggest win of his college coaching career Saturday.

North Carolina defeated No. 25 Pitt 21-17 on the road Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, marking Belichick’s first win over a ranked opponent as UNC’s head coach. It was UNC’s first win over a ranked opponent since beating No. 25 Miami in 2023 and its first road win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 9 Miami in 2020.

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“Gutsy performance. Kept battling against a good football team,” Belichick said during ESPN’s postgame broadcast. “We just kept hanging in there. We made a couple big plays, and they made a couple too. They’re a good football team.”

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Bill Belichick stands on the sideline during an NCAA college football game.

Belichick’s squad fell behind 10-0 before beginning its comeback in the second quarter, when quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. connected with tight end Jelani Thurman on a 7-yard touchdown pass to make it 10-7.

Late in the third quarter, UNC took its first lead of the game on Demon June’s 1-yard touchdown run, taking a 14-10 lead. On the ensuing drive, Pitt marched down the field, as running back La’Vell Wright capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 2 1/2 minutes with a 1-yard touchdown run, putting Pitt back ahead 17-14.

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Jelani Thurman celebrates after a touchdown reception during a college football game.

Edwards responded even faster than Pitt, finding tight end Shamar Easter for a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the ensuing possession to give UNC a 21-17 lead that held for the remainder of the game.

With the win, North Carolina improved to 3-2 and moved within one victory of matching its win total from last season, when the Tar Heels finished 4-8. UNC will look to win its second straight game against archrival Duke next week.

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