Chapel Hill: UNC visits unbeaten, No. 25 Pitt at noon Saturday after loss to Notre Dame

North Carolina goes on the road Saturday to face one of the ACC's hottest teams, a week after hanging with third-ranked Notre Dame for a half before losing at home.

The Tar Heels (2-2, 0-1 ACC) play at Pitt (5-0, 2-0 ACC) at noon at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The game is on ESPN.

What happened against Notre Dame

UNC scored first on Oct. 3 at Kenan Stadium, when quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. found Shamar Easter for a 7-yard touchdown, the junior's first career touchdown catch. Notre Dame then scored 21 straight points, helped by two interceptions, according to UNC's recap.

The Tar Heels fought back. Tight end Jelani Thurman caught a 14-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds left in the first half, and Jaden Jefferson returned the second-half kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. That was UNC's first kickoff-return touchdown in two seasons. A botched snap on the extra point left UNC behind 21-20.

Notre Dame controlled the rest of the game in the rain. The Irish scored the next 16 points and won 37-26. They outrushed UNC 241 yards to 77 and held the ball for 37:04, compared with UNC's 22:56.

Edwards threw three touchdown passes and two interceptions. Thurman caught two of the touchdowns, and receiver Jordan Shipp had seven catches for a career-high 109 yards.

"We just weren't able to make enough plays, really in any area," Belichick said after the game, in remarks published by UNC.

Saturday: UNC at Pitt

• Kickoff: Noon Saturday, Oct. 10, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh
• TV: ESPN
• Records: UNC 2-2 (0-1 ACC); Pitt 5-0 (2-0 ACC)

Pitt is ranked No. 25 on UNC's schedule and is off to a 5-0 start for the second time in three years. The Panthers came back from a 14-0 deficit to win 35-33 at Virginia Tech last week, forcing four turnovers, according to Pitt Athletics.

This will be the 19th meeting between the schools in a series that dates to 1974. Pitt won the last one, 34-24 in Chapel Hill on Oct. 5, 2024. Pitt is also using the game to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its 1976 national championship team.

UNC's season leaders are Edwards, with 820 passing yards, running back Benjamin Hall, with 251 rushing yards, and Shipp, with 273 receiving yards, according to the team.

What's next

UNC plays at Duke on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 3:30 p.m. at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, on ESPN2. The Tar Heels then return to Kenan Stadium to host Syracuse on Oct. 24.