North Carolina 21, Pittsburgh 17: Easter's 75-yard answer comes 11 seconds later

North Carolina needed 11 seconds to undo Pittsburgh's go-ahead score, and then it needed nothing else. La'Vell Wright's 1-yard run put No. 25 Pittsburgh in front 17-14 with 12:47 left. On the next snap that mattered, Billy Edwards Jr. found Shamar Easter for 75 yards, and the Tar Heels led 21-17 at 12:36.

Neither team scored again. North Carolina left Acrisure Stadium on Saturday with its first win over a ranked opponent this season, and Pittsburgh took its first loss.

The Panthers had the ball for 36:32, ran 23 first downs to 13 and outgained the Tar Heels 369-269. The difference was one play, and a defense that kept Pittsburgh out of the end zone across the final 12 minutes.

How it was won

Pittsburgh opened with the game's first 10 points. Wright scored from 2 yards at 9:49 of the first quarter, and Antonio Chadha added a 41-yard field goal at 7:46 of the second.

North Carolina answered before the half. Edwards hit Jelani Thurman for a 7-yard touchdown at 5:32 of the second quarter, with Rece Verhoff converting, to make it 10-7.

The Tar Heels took their first lead late in the third. Demon June went in from a yard with 22 seconds left in the quarter, and North Carolina carried a 14-10 lead into the fourth.

Pittsburgh went back in front on Wright's second short touchdown run, then gave it up on the Easter catch. It was Easter's only reception of the day.

Edwards finished 18 of 26 for 249 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Jordan Shipp was his steadiest target, with six catches for 93 yards. The run game gave him little: North Carolina rushed for 20 yards, with Benjamin Hall at 25 yards on 12 carries and June at 15 on six. The Tar Heels converted 3 of 11 third downs.

Pittsburgh moved the ball more consistently. Holden Geriner completed 27 of 44 passes for 219 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Damon Ferguson Jr. ran 15 times for 49 yards, and Wright added 45 yards and both scores on nine carries. The Panthers ran for 150 yards as a team and went 7 of 16 on third down. Malik Knight caught three passes for 62 yards and Carson Kent had seven for 61.

Each side turned it over twice, so the volume edge was Pittsburgh's to convert. It produced 17 points.

Against the number

Pittsburgh closed as a 3.5-point favorite, and North Carolina covered by winning outright. The Tar Heels closed at +145 on the moneyline, with Pittsburgh at -175.

The total closed at 47.5. The teams combined for 38 points, so the under came in comfortably, helped by a scoreless final 12:36. Full closing prices are on the game page.

What's next

North Carolina is 3-2. It beat TCU 15-10 and East Tennessee State 35-3 before losing at Clemson 28-20 and to No. 3 Notre Dame 37-26. The Tar Heels go to Duke on Saturday, October 17, on ESPN2.

Pittsburgh is 5-1. Its wins came over Miami (OH), UCF, Syracuse, Bucknell and, most recently, Virginia Tech, 35-33 on the road. The Panthers travel to Boston College on Saturday, October 17, also on ESPN2.