Tar Heel Takes: What Stood Out in UNC's Win Over Pittsburgh

Here are the positives and negatives from the Tar Heels' Week 6 win.

Oct 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; *North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Ade Willie (3) talks with North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick (right) during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Saturday was a significant win for the North Carolina Tar Heels, ending a two-game skid with a 21-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers.

It was Bill Belichick's first win over a top-25 team since he took over as the Tar Heels' head coach in 2025. Here are the good and not-so-good takeaways from North Carolina's third win of the season.

The Good

North Carolina Returns to Winning Ways

Oct 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels tight end Jelani Thurman (45) and running back Demon June (0) celebrate a touchdown by June during the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the performance was far from perfect and mostly underwhelming, the only thing that matters is stacking wins. The Tar Heels did that in Week 6, ending a two-game skid. If North Carolina's losing streak extended to three games, its season could begin to unravel.

Defense Made Plays When It Mattered Most

Oct 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Gregory Smith III (1) returns an interception against Pittsburgh Panthers running back La'vell Wright (11) during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was an ugly first half all around, but North Carolina's inability to stop the run fueled the team's slow start. Pittsburgh ran 31 more offensive plays and dominated time of possession in the first two quarters.

That said, the Tar Heels' defense came to life in the second half once Pittsburgh quarterback Holden Geriner was forced to throw the ball. Defensive backs Greg Smith and Tre Miller recorded interceptions in the second half. The defense also made multiple stops in the final minutes to clinch the win.

Multiple Explosive Plays

Oct 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels tight end Shamar Easter (84) and quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) celebrate a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The deep passing game still isn't consistent enough and leaves much to be desired, but Billy Edwards Jr. did connect with Jordan Shipp for a 49-yard gain and Shamar Easter for a 75-yard touchdown. Again, it's nothing worth writing home about, but the Tar Heels need to be much more explosive moving forward.

Not So Good

Edwards Jr.'s Turnover Frenzy

Oct 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker DeMarco Ward (7) sacks North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the second straight game, the sixth-year quarterback threw two interceptions. Those ultimately didn't cost North Carolina on Saturday, but Edwards Jr. is extremely fortunate that the defense held down the fort on multiple occasions.

Edwards Jr.'s first interception was an example of him being completely tricked, as Pittsburgh's defense dropped into a completely different look post-snap. On the second interception, Edwards Jr. threw up a prayer to Jordan Shipp on third-and-short. That’s not what you would expect from a veteran quarterback.

Inability To Stop the Run

Oct 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back La'vell Wright (11) carries the ball against North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Tre Miller (6) and defensive back Kaleb Cost (2) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At this point, this defense’s inability to contain rushing lanes must be baked into the equation. For the fourth time this season, the Tar Heels have allowed at least 100 rushing yards. In the last three games, North Carolina has allowed 186, 241, and 150 yards on the ground.

This trend didn't cost the Tar Heels on Saturday, but it very well could have. Against a starting-caliber quarterback, Belichick would most likely be answering questions about his team's mindset with a three-game losing streak. This problem has to be figured out sooner rather than later.