UNC will make the trip up north to face No. 25 Pittsburgh Saturday. The Panthers are making their debut in the AP Top 25 this week after beginning the season 5-0. Pitt is coming off a thrilling 35-33 win at Virginia Tech which saw the Hokies miss a potential game-winning field goal as time expired.
The Panthers are led by head coach Pat Narduzzi, who has been in charge of the program since 2015. That makes him the second-longest tenured head football coach in the conference, trailing only NC State’s Dave Doeren. Narduzzi has been as steady as they come during his time with the Panthers, only posting two losing records in his 11 completed seasons. His 12th is already off to a strong start, as Pitt is 5-0 for the second time in three years.
Pat Narduzzi is the second-longest tenured head football coach in the ACC. (Image via Pitt Athletics)
What’s the history?
Though Pitt’s history in football is far more decorated than Carolina’s, the Tar Heels have a 12-6 edge in the all-time series. The series is even more lopsided since the Panthers joined the ACC in 2013, with UNC going 8-3 in that time span. Pitt has won three of the last five meetings, however.
Backup plans
The Pitt offense suffered a devastating blow during Friday’s win at Virginia Tech, as starting quarterback Mason Heintschel tore the ACL in his right knee and will miss the remainder of the season. The sophomore had been outstanding to begin 2026, totaling 1,191 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and just one interception through the Panthers’ first four-plus games. In his stead, Pitt turned to backup Holden Geriner, who joined the program after stints at both Auburn and Texas State. Geriner played sparingly at both stops, only appearing in eight games across three years with Auburn and only three games in 2025 at Texas State. He had just 14 pass attempts across two appearances with Pitt prior to Friday night’s game, but he got the job done after replacing Heintschel; Geriner finished 8-for-12 for 78 yards and a touchdown. If Geriner’s number is called again Saturday against UNC, it would be his first collegiate start.
“I doubt that they’ll change their offense much,” UNC head coach Bill Belichick said of the Panthers and Geriner. “But we’ll see.”
Holden Geriner runs with the ball in Pitt’s 59-0 win vs. Bucknell in September. (Image via Pitt Athletics)
In addition to Geriner, Pitt also rosters sophomore quarterback Beau Jackson – a walk-on who did not see any action his freshman year – and three true freshmen: Corey Dailey, Angelo Renda and Davin Friedman. Dailey and Renda both put up dazzling statlines during their high school careers in Texas, and 247 Sports ranked Dailey as the No. 13 quarterback in his recruiting class.
A reflection of the head coach
Narduzzi came to Pitt from a defensive background, and his 2026 Panthers are a reflection of that. Pitt ranks in the top five in the ACC in total defense, allowing fewer than 300 yards of total offense per game. The Panthers are particularly adept at stopping the run, allowing opponents just 55.6 yards per game on the ground. That trails only Miami in the conference. A ball-hawking secondary is ready to make plays as well, as Pitt’s five interceptions rank fourth in the league. Watch out for senior defensive back and Pittsburgh native Raion Strader, who has one of those five interceptions and is tied for the team lead with three passes defended. Elsewhere, fellow DBs Cruce Brookins (another Pittsburgh native) and Josh Guerrier rank first and second on the team in total tackles.
Barn burners
Though UNC has gotten the better of Pitt more often than not in recent years, many of the games have been very competitive. In fact, of the 10 meetings between 2000 and 2021, none were decided by more than a touchdown. Between 2016 and 2018, the Tar Heels beat the Panthers three straight times by a combined seven points, including a 37-36 comeback win in Kenan Stadium which saw quarterback Mitch Trubisky throw a game-winning touchdown in the final seconds.
The last three meetings between the Tar Heels and Panthers haven’t been as close. Carolina won 42-24 in 2022 and 41-24 in 2023, and Pitt won 34-24 in 2024.
What are the odds?
At the time of publication, Pitt is a 4.5-point favorite in the game.
Featured image via Pitt Athletics
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2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Pittsburgh Chapelboro.com.
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