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Chapel Hill, Orange County

Chapel Hill: UNC beats UConn 38-21 in East Hartford

Billy Edwards Jr. threw three touchdown passes Saturday. Benjamin Hall ran for a 39-yard score. North Carolina is 5-4.

ConfirmedThe main facts are confirmed by official or first-hand sources.

By Alexandru Stanciu · Published

What we know

Confirmed

  • North Carolina beat UConn 38-21 on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut. Kickoff was 12:03 p.m. The game ended at 3:13 p.m. Attendance was 36,901.Confirmed by UNC Athletics box score; UConn Athletics box score
  • By quarter, North Carolina scored 7, 21, 3 and 7. UConn scored 0, 14, 7 and 0. UNC is 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC. UConn is 4-5.Confirmed by UNC Athletics box score; UConn Athletics box score
  • Timir Hickman-Collins returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown at 5:29 of the first. The play-by-play marks the catch at the UNC 38.Confirmed by UNC Athletics box score; UConn Athletics box score
  • Ryder Treadway caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Kalieb Osborne at 13:42 of the second. Benjamin Hall ran 39 yards for a touchdown at 10:05, ending a seven-play, 86-yard drive. Jordan Shipp caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Billy Edwards Jr. at 7:41.Confirmed by UNC Athletics box score; UConn Athletics box score
  • The play-by-play says Hickman-Collins forced and recovered an Osborne fumble at the UConn 22 before the Shipp score.Confirmed by UNC Athletics box score play-by-play; UConn Athletics box score play-by-play
  • Cam Abshire caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Osborne at 6:33 of the second. Jelani Thurman caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Edwards at 0:24, ending a 16-play, 75-yard drive. Halftime was North Carolina 28, UConn 14.Confirmed by UNC Athletics box score; UConn Athletics box score
  • Cyncir Bowers ran 13 yards for a touchdown at 10:02 of the third, ending a seven-play, 93-yard drive. Rece Verhoff kicked a 27-yard field goal at 6:05. Thurman caught another 3-yard touchdown pass from Edwards at 3:38 of the fourth. The drive chart says that last possession began after an interception.Confirmed by UNC Athletics box score; UConn Athletics box score
  • Edwards completed 29 of 38 passes for 255 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Hall carried nine times for 81 yards. Thurman caught seven passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns.Confirmed by UNC Athletics box score; UConn Athletics box score
  • Osborne completed 17 of 35 passes for 245 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Team totals were 419 yards on 74 plays for North Carolina and 368 yards on 66 plays for UConn. Time of possession was 36:23 to 23:37. Third downs were 9 of 16 and 7 of 16. Fourth downs were 2 of 2 and 1 of 4.Confirmed by UNC Athletics box score; UConn Athletics box score
  • UNC's recap and the Associated Press, in a story WRAL published, both say the win snapped a two-game losing streak. The AP account called the afternoon Bill Belichick's first game coaching in New England since his time with the Patriots ended.Confirmed by UNC Athletics recap, Nov. 7, 2026; Associated Press via WRAL, posted Nov. 7, 2026, 8:38 p.m.
  • The AP story carried by WRAL said the interception return covered 70 yards. Both box scores and the play-by-play list 62 yards. This story uses 62.Confirmed by Associated Press via WRAL; UNC Athletics box score; UConn Athletics box score
  • UNC's recap says the Tar Heels host Louisville on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at Kenan Stadium on ESPN2.Confirmed by UNC Athletics recap, Nov. 7, 2026

Still unknown

  • Whether the Nov. 14 kickoff time or television slot changes. The 7 p.m. ESPN2 line is from UNC's recap

What happened

In Chapel Hill, readers following the Tar Heels got a road result on Saturday. North Carolina beat UConn 38-21 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.

UNC's box score and UConn's box score both list that final. The quarters went 7, 21, 3 and 7 for the Tar Heels, and 0, 14, 7 and 0 for the Huskies. Kickoff was 12:03 p.m. The clock stopped at 3:13 p.m. The listed crowd was 36,901. UNC is 5-4 and 2-3 in the ACC. UConn is 4-5.

This site covered last week's 38-35 loss to Miami at Kenan Stadium. The school's recap, and the Associated Press in a story WRAL posted, both say Saturday ended a two-game losing streak.

How the scoring went

Timir Hickman-Collins returned an interception 62 yards for the first points, at 5:29 of the opening quarter. The play-by-play marks that catch at the UNC 38. Rece Verhoff kicked the extra point.

UConn tied the game at 13:42 of the second quarter on an 18-yard throw from Kalieb Osborne to Ryder Treadway. Benjamin Hall's 39-yard run made it 14-7 at 10:05. That drive was seven plays and 86 yards. Billy Edwards Jr. found Jordan Shipp from 6 yards out at 7:41. On the possession before that pass, the play-by-play says Hickman-Collins forced a fumble by Osborne and recovered it at the UConn 22.

Osborne answered with a 24-yard scoring throw to Cam Abshire at 6:33. Edwards hit Jelani Thurman for 3 yards and a touchdown with 24 seconds left before the break, after 16 plays covering 75 yards. The half ended 28-14.

Cyncir Bowers scored on a 13-yard rush with 10:02 left in the third quarter. The drive covered 93 yards in seven snaps. Verhoff added a 27-yard field goal at 6:05, and the score was 31-21. Thurman caught a second 3-yard touchdown with 3:38 left in the fourth. The drive chart says that possession started with an interception.

The numbers

Edwards completed 29 of 38 passes for 255 yards, with three scores and one interception. Hall had nine carries for 81 yards, including the 39-yard run. Thurman had seven receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Those lines are on both statistical sheets.

Osborne was 17 of 35 for 245 yards, two scores and two interceptions. North Carolina finished with 419 yards on 74 plays. UConn finished with 368 on 66. The Tar Heels held the ball for 36 minutes and 23 seconds. The Huskies had it for 23:37. Third-down conversions were 9 of 16 against 7 of 16. Fourth downs were 2 for 2 against 1 for 4.

The Associated Press described the day as coach Bill Belichick's first game coaching in New England since his Patriots tenure ended. That WRAL posting also said the interception return covered 70 yards. Both schools' sheets, and the play-by-play, list 62. This account uses 62.

What's next

The UNC recap says the team hosts Louisville on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. in Kenan Stadium, on ESPN2.

More Triangle sports is on this site. Orange County stories are collected on the county page.

Triangle Local is not UNC or UConn.

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Photos

Text-only. No athletics or wire photographs are used here.

Why it matters

UNC is Chapel Hill's ACC football team. Saturday's road win moves the Tar Heels to 5-4 before they return to Kenan Stadium.

Sources

  1. Football vs UConn on 11/07/2026, box score (Final 38-21; quarters UNC 7-21-3-7, UConn 0-14-7-0; Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, East Hartford; kickoff 12:03 p.m.; end 3:13 p.m.; attendance 36,901; UNC 5-4, 2-3 ACC; UConn 4-5; Hickman-Collins 62-yard interception return at 5:29; Hall 39-yard run at 10:05; Shipp 6-yard pass from Edwards at 7:41; Thurman 3-yard passes at 0:24 and 3:38; Treadway 18-yard pass and Abshire 24-yard pass from Osborne; Bowers 13-yard run at 10:02; Verhoff 27-yard field goal at 6:05; Edwards 29 of 38 for 255, 3 TD, 1 INT; Hall 9 carries for 81; Thurman 7 catches for 64 and 2 TD; Osborne 17 of 35 for 245, 2 TD, 2 INT; 419 and 368 total yards; possession 36:23 and 23:37)

    Official sourcePublished by UNC Athletics · Checked Nov 8, 2026, 8:05 AM

  2. Football vs North Carolina on 11/07/2026, box score (same final 38-21, same quarter scores, same attendance, kickoff and ending time, same scoring plays, same Edwards, Hall, Thurman and Osborne lines, same team totals and possession)

    Official sourcePublished by UConn Athletics · Checked Nov 8, 2026, 8:05 AM

  3. Defense & Thurman Star As Tar Heels Win At UConn, 38-21 (UNC Athletics recap, Nov. 7, 2026: 38-21 at Rentschler Field; two-game losing streak snapped; UNC 5-4; next home game Louisville, Saturday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m., Kenan Stadium, ESPN2. Play distances in this article come from the box scores where the recap's 'How it happened' notes disagree, including a 3-yard Thurman score the notes once call six yards.)

    Official sourcePublished by UNC Athletics · Checked Nov 8, 2026, 8:05 AM

  4. Three Billy Edwards TD passes lift UNC to 38-21 win over UConn in Belichick's return to New England (Associated Press / Jim Fuller, posted by WRAL Nov. 7, 2026, 8:38 p.m.: 38-21; three Edwards touchdown passes; two-game losing streak; Belichick's first game coaching in New England since the Patriots tenure ended. The 70-yard interception figure in that story is not used. Both box scores say 62.)

    Third-party sourcePublished by Associated Press, via WRAL · Checked Nov 8, 2026, 8:05 AM

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