Pitt vs. North Carolina TV Channel Revealed

The Pitt Panthers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels television channel is revealed.
Pittsburgh Panthers Konata Mumpfield (9) hauls in a pass after separating himself from North Carolina Tar Heels Marcus Allen (29) during the first half at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on September 23, 2023.
Pittsburgh Panthers Konata Mumpfield (9) hauls in a pass after separating himself from North Carolina Tar Heels Marcus Allen (29) during the first half at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on September 23, 2023. / Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will face off against the North Carolina Tar Heels in their Week 5 matchup on Oct. 5 in Chapel Hill, N.C. with a noon kickoff.

The television channel for this game was either ESPN or ESPN2 when the ACC announced the noon kickoff, but ESPN.com lists ESPN2 as the channel for Pitt vs. UNC.

ESPN will instead broadcast No. 15 Lousiville hosting SMU on ESPN in the noon timeslot, the first road game as a member of the ACC for SMU.

This is the third noon kickoff for Pitt this season, doing so against Kent State in the season opener and on the road vs. Cincinnati in Week 2.

Pitt has also played on ESPN2 twice against Cincinnati and rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl in Week 3.

The Panthers also had a chance to play on ESPN for those games, but missed out. ESPN instead broadcasted the then ranked No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats defeat the Tulane Green Wave, 34-27 on the road in Week 2 and the Memphis Tigers beat the Florida State Seminoles, 20-12, on the road in Week 3.

Pitt Football vs. North Carolina History

North Carolina holds a 12-5 series lead over Pitt and has never lost at home in this matchup, 7-0.

The Tar Heels have won the past two games, with a 42-24 victory in Chapel Hill on Oct. 29, 2022, as quarterback Drake Maye threw for 388 yards and five touchdowns to no interceptions, including three in the fourth quarter to comeback from a halftime deficit.

They also won last season at a wet, dreary Acrisure Stadium on Sept. 23, 2023, as Maye threw for almsot 300 yards and a touchdown and the Pitt offense struggled to score points.

UNC won the first six matchups against Pitt from 2013-18 in ACC play, with all victories coming within a touchdown or less.

The most demoralizing defeat for Pitt came on Sept. 24, 2016 in Chapel Hill, when quarterback Mitch Trubisky converted three fourth down plays on the same drive, connecting with wide receiver Ryan Switzer on two of them and UNC eventually scored the game-winning touchdown with two seconds left.

Pitt has won twice in the ACC, both at home and in overtime, with a 34-27 win on Nov. 14, 2019 and a 30-23 victory on Nov. 11, 2021. North Carolina made big comebacks in both games, but quarterback Kenny Pickett made sure to get Pitt the victories in those overtime periods.

The Panthers are 4-0 for the first time since 2000 and finished their non-conference slate undefeated for the first time in program history.

They blewout Kent State 55-24 in the season opener at Acrisure Stadium on Aug. 31. They then made two comebacks, down 21 midway through the third quarter to take down Cincinnati, 28-27, on the road in the River City Rivalry on Sept. 7, and down 10 with five minutes remaining, with two late touchdown drives to defeat rival West Virginia at home on Sept. 14.

Pitt also dominated FCS opponent Youngstown State 73-17, the first game they scored more than 70 points since they defeated another FCS opponent, New Hampshire, 77-7 on Sept. 25, 2021 at home.

North Carolina started the season 3-0, with a 19-17 win on the road vs. Minnesota and home wins vs. Charlotte, 38-20, and against FCS opponent NC Central, 45-10.

The Tar Heels had no answer for the James Madison Dukes on defense, as they lost in a 70-50 embarrasment at home this past weekend for their first loss of the season.

UNC would take a 20-0 lead over rival Duke in the third quarter in their most recent game, but Duke would score three touchdowns unanswered to win 21-20.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Follow Dominic Campbell on Twitter.