By Doc Kennedy

You can understand if UNC fan was feeling a little angst about Saturday night’s game vs. Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium. On the road, where Carolina had lost two straight heartbreaking overtime games. Poor weather. A team struggling to find its offensive groove. Looking to go 4–0 for only the third time in the past 40 years. Stormtrooper uniforms, which never seem to work. All the elements were there for an Admiral Ackbar special — it’s a trap.

And for a quarter, at least, it seemed the Tar Heels’ nightmares might come true. Pitt bullied the UNC defense, and Panthers QB Phil Jurkovec looked like he was having a get-right game as Pitt jumped to an early 14–7 lead. Carolina was fortunate on offense to keep their opening drive alive as a potential Drake Maye fumble was ruled an incomplete pass. And while UNC scored, the Panthers’ two opening drives were just too easy. Pitt only had 220 total yards last week against West Virginia, but gashed the Heels for over 150 on the first two possessions.

But the game turned on a key sequence in the second quarter. After finally getting a stop, Maye got his bell rung on a roughing the passer call and had to leave the game, but returned and ran in a touchdown on fourth down. After another stop, Alijah Huzzie returned the Pitt punt for a 52-yard touchdown, giving the Heels a 21–14 lead that they would not surrender. The Panther touchdown five seconds into the second quarter was the last touchdown the defense would give up, and Carolina would outscore Pitt 34-10 from that point. The fourth quarter turned into a rock fight of ugliness but UNC cruised to a 41-24 win.

Let’s pretend most of the fourth quarter didn’t exist and take a look at this week’s edition of the Good, Bad, and Ugly Report:

Good

Alijah Huzzie

The East Tennessee State transfer has raised his game week after week and was rewarded with a pair of interceptions tonight. Plus, he had the go-ahead touchdown on the 52-yard punt return in the second quarter.

Drake Maye

In just another day at the office, Maye went 22 of 30 for 296 yards and a passing TD that was downright Patrick Mahomes-like. Maye rolled to his left and was about to be taken down for a loss when he made a toss with his left hand to a wide-open Kobe Paysour for the score. Oh, and he also rushed for a pair of 1-yard TDs. No big deal.

Bad

Offensive line

It’s hard to find too much to criticize when the offense scored 41 points, but the O-line was bullied early and was unable to exert its will in the fourth quarter and help get first downs when Carolina was trying to run out the clock. They surrendered five sacks on Maye, and the Tar Heel offense only managed 77 yards on the ground for a 2.0 yards per carry average. While Pitt has one of the best defensive fronts UNC will face this year, you still want to see this unit getting better every week.

Ugly

Special teams (not punt returns or place-kicking)

Huzzie’s TD return and Noah Burnette’s two field goals notwithstanding, the UNC special teams surrendered a 99-yard kickoff return and allowed a blocked Ben Kiernan punt. It’s miscues like this that keep UNC fans from ever being able to relax.

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So, at one-third of the way through the season, it is hard to argue with 4–0, 1–0 in the ACC. There is still plenty of room to grow, and everyone hopes the defensive front from the South Carolina game makes another appearance. Carolina heads into the open week with time to rest, heal, and make adjustments. UNC returns to Kenan Stadium for three straight after the open week, against surprising (and currently unbeaten) Syracuse, unbeaten Miami, and woeful Virginia before heading to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech (yet another place that is a house of horrors for UNC football). These next four games are crucial for any push Carolina will make for its second straight appearance in Charlotte. For now, UNC and its fans have a week to enjoy an unbeaten start to the season.

Doc Kennedy is an alum and longtime UNC fan, and a former high school and college basketball coach who wrote this report for years on Tar Heel Blog.

Photo via @UNCFootball