Bill Belichick Gets First Ranked UNC Win Over Pitt 21-17

Caption: Billy Edwards Jr. during his Maryland tenure in 2024. Credit: Joe Andrucyk / Maryland GovPics / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Bill Belichick earned his first victory over a ranked opponent as North Carolina’s head coach Saturday when the Tar Heels beat No. 25 Pittsburgh 21-17. A 75-yard touchdown pass from Billy Edwards Jr. to Shamar Easter supplied the decisive response after Pitt had taken the lead.

The outcome gave the former New England Patriots coach a specific college-football milestone. His team still needed to defend its narrow advantage through Pittsburgh’s final opportunities.

The Play That Put Carolina Ahead

Pittsburgh had moved in front before Edwards found Easter for the long scoring play. The touchdown put North Carolina ahead for good and changed the game from a chase into a late defensive test.

A single long gain could not finish the contest by itself. Pittsburgh continued to press for a comeback, forcing North Carolina to protect its four-point margin rather than run out the clock comfortably.

Pitt Had a Final Chance

Late in the fourth quarter, the Panthers failed to convert a fourth-down opportunity after an incomplete pass, giving Carolina a crucial stop. The failed conversion ended that possession; it was not a separate subsequent turnover.

North Carolina finished with the 21-17 victory. For Belichick, the defining result was his first ranked-opponent win in Chapel Hill rather than a routine addition to his much longer NFL coaching record.

References: Billy Edwards Jr. helps UNC beat No. 25 Pitt 21-17, gives Belichick first win against a ranked foe