Tar Heels Football: North Carolina Defeats Pittsburgh 37-36

UNC rallies to stun Pittsburgh at home, getting first ACC win of 2016

As I watched this game, I felt like LL Cool J did when he released “Mama Said Knock You Out.” I felt invincible like Muhammad Ali. I was superior like Anakin Skywalker once he realized that he had the power of the Sith.

As a fan, the game was incredible.

I’m quite sure that the North Carolina Tar Heels rekindled their inner strength on Saturday. Carolina defeated Pittsburgh for the fourth consecutive year in amazing fashion.

The North Carolina Tar Heels football team overcame a great deal of adversity on Saturday. In the fourth quarter, North Carolina was losing 36-23 with 11:03 left in the game.

North Carolina owned Pittsburgh for the last 11 minutes of the game. At this point (literally), Pittsburgh did not get anymore first downs. This is when North Carolina’s defense stepped their game up.

Mitch Trubisky solidified himself as a part of the elite set of quarterbacks ever to don the Carolina blue argyle uniforms at UNC.

Trubisky was cool, calm and collected throughout the game, but particularly, during the fourth quarter.

North Carolina faced several do-or-die situations where they had four fourth downs.

Trubisky connected with star wideout Ryan Switzer on three of those first downs. Austin Proehl was the recipient of a Trubisky pass for another first down on fourth down.

Trubisky led the Tar Heels down the field on a 17-play game-winning drive that took three minutes and 33 seconds.

With two seconds left in the game, Trubisky hit wide receiver Bug Howard in the corner of the endzone for game-tying touchdown. Next, placekicker Nick Weiler sealed the victory with the extra point kick.

The ending to this came was picture-perfect. However, the beginning of the game was the direct opposite.

For the third-consecutive game, the Tar Heels gave up a safety, marking three times in four games the have done so, putting themselves in an early whole.

Although North Carolina found themselves down 12-0 in the first half, they battled back to end the first half down by three to Pittsburgh at the score of 19-16. Carolina’s wide receiver corps picked up the slack since Pittsburgh shut down the running game.

Mitch Trubisky completed 35-of-46 passes for 453 yards and five touchdowns. Ryan Switzer caught 16 passes for 208 yards and one touchdown. Austin Proehl caught seven passes for 99 yards and one touchdown.

Bug Howard finished the game with the six catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns. Howard’s touchdowns won the game for the Tar Heels. Mack Hollins caught one pass for 39 yards, which happened to be a touchdown.

This win was instrumental for North Carolina because remain undefeated in the Coastal Division of the ACC with a 2-0 record. Pittsburgh resides in the Coastal Division, also. North Carolina has a good chance to play in the ACC Championship game in December, if they win out their division.

Next week, the Tar Heels face the Florida State Seminoles. For now, North Carolina can savor this come-from-behind win against a good Pittsburgh Panther squad.