Inside The Panthers

Pitt Defeats North Carolina in ACC Opener

The Pitt Panthers defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels in their ACC Opener.

Dominic Campbell

Oct 5, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide reciever Censere Lee (11) celebrates with tight end Gavin Bartholomew (86) after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide reciever Censere Lee (11) celebrates with tight end Gavin Bartholomew (86) after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Pitt Panthers faced off against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium and pulled off the victory in their ACC opener.

The win for the Panthers (5-0 overall, 1-0 ACC) is their first ever at Kenan Memorial Stadium, losing their previous seven matchups there to the Tar Heels (3-3 overall, 0-2 ACC). This is also the first 5-0 start for the Panthers since 1991, with five of the six final games ending in a loss.

Pitt moved the ball on their first drive with a big 43-yard play from redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein to senior wide receiver Konata Mumpfield to the seven-yard line. Pitt failed to get in the end zone and redshirt senior place kicker Ben Sauls would kick a 24-yard field goal to open the scoring.

The Panthers got good field position after a strong defensive showing on the first drive. They made it in the red zone, but Holstein would throw an interception that Tar Heels sophomore defensive back Kaleb Cost returned 84 yards for a touchdown to take a 7-3 lead.

UNC forced Pitt into a quick three-and-out and had a long offensive drive, which saw them convert two fourth down plays.

The Tar Heels chose to go for it a third time on fourth down and two yards to go at the nine-yard line, but graduate student quarterback Jacolby Criswell failed to complete his pass to senior tight ened Bryson Nesbit, turning it over on downs.

Pitt quickly took advantage of the defensive stop and Holstein completed a pass to junior running back Desmond Reid, which he took 72 yards to the seven-yard line. Holstein then finished the drive with a seven-yard score to Censere "C.J." Lee to give Pitt a 10-7 lead.

North Carolina had another long drive, but Pitt would stop them in the end zone and senior place kicker Noah Brunette would tie the game up with a 34-yard field goal.

Holstein continued to play well, finding Reid for a 23-yard gain into Tar Heels territory and then finding redshirt junior wide receiver Raphael "Poppi" Williams Jr. for a 30-yard touchdown to give the Panthers a 17-10 lead.

Pitt forced a three-and-out, but poor discipline and penalties on their side led to a three-and-out of their own.

Criswell looked like he fumbled the ball and the Panthers returned it for a touchdown, but the referees called it back, determining he was in the process of throwing the football.

He then completed a 23-yard pass to junior wide receiver Kobe Paysour into Panthers territory and junior running back Omario Hampton ran four times for 28-yards to get into the end zone, tying the game up at 17-17 heading into halftime.

UNC had some success on their opening drive, but would fail to convert on fourth down and six at the Pitt 42-yard line, as redshirt senior defensive back Tamon Lynum broke up a screen pass to give his team possesion.

Holstein, facing third down and 11, delivered a beauitful pass to Mumpfield for 46 yards to the one-yard line. He would finish the drive with a pass to Reid, who dove for the pylon and got it for the touchdown, putting the Panthers up 24-17.

Both teams had quick three-and-outs before North Carolina went on an 11 play, 61-yard drive, capped off with Criswell throwing an 11-yard touchdown to graduate student tight end John Copenhaver to tie it up at 24-24.

Holstein had two rushes of 24 yards and 20 yards to get Pitt into UNC territory. Pitt would then run five times, with Holstein scoring on a three-yard rush, his fourth touchdown of the game, and retaking the lead, 31-24.

Criswell delivered a 48-yard pass to senior wide receiver Nate McCollum and then another seven-yard pass to him, getting the Tar Heels into the red zone.

The Pitt defense forced a fourth down and 1 and both linebackers in redshirt sophomore Kyle Louis and sixth year Brandon George stopped Hampton before the first down marker, giving the offense the ball back.

Holstein led the Panthers on their longest drive of the game, 8 plays for 67 yards over nine minutes, with Sauls capping it off with a 37-yard field goal, making it 34-24.

The Pitt defense would hold on, stopping UNC on fourth down, and winning the game.

Pitt will host Cal next weekend, Oct. 12 at 3:30 p.m., for their first home ACC game of the 2024 season.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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