No. 17 North Carolina (3-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Convention) at Pittsburgh (1-2, 0-0), Saturday at 8 p.m. ET (ACC Community)
Line: North Carolina by 7 1/2, in line with FanDuel Sportsbook.
Sequence document: UNC leads 11-5.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
North Carolina is making an attempt for its first 4-0 begin since 1997, which was the ultimate season of Mack Brown’s first tenure in Chapel Hill. The Panthers are hoping to keep away from their first 1-3 begin since 2017, this system’s solely shedding season in Pat Narduzzi’s eight-plus-year tenure.
KEY MATCHUP
UNC QB Drake Maye vs. Pitt’s secondary. The Panthers like to blitz, one of many causes they’re yearly among the many nationwide leaders in sacks. That technique usually leaves the cornerbacks in one-on-one protection. If Might has time to throw, there could possibly be large performs made down the sphere.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
UNC: WR Nate McCollum. The Georgia Tech switch fell one catch shy of tying this system’s single-game document in opposition to Minnesota, ending with 15 catches for 165 yards and a 46-yard landing. Earlier than that, he had missed the season opener in opposition to South Carolina attributable to an damage, then noticed solely restricted snaps in working his means again in opposition to Appalachian State.
Pittsburgh: QB Phil Jurkovec. The redshirt senior’s homecoming season is off to a nightmarish begin. He’s finishing simply 46% (35 of 75) of his passes and threw three interceptions in final week’s loss to rival West Virginia, two of which the Mountaineers become factors. Narduzzi reiterated this week he nonetheless has religion in Jurkovec. That could possibly be examined if he will get off to a different sluggish begin in a stadium the place he was booed throughout a loss to Cincinnati on Sept. 9.
FACTS & FIGURES
UNC has reached 3-0 for the third time in 4 seasons. … Pitt has received the final two conferences at house, each in extra time ( 2019, 2021 ). … The Tar Heels are certainly one of 4 groups within the Bowl Subdivision ranks with a pair of nonconference wins in opposition to Energy 5 groups after beating South Carolina from the Southeastern Convention and Minnesota from the Huge Ten final week. … UNC is second in FBS in changing third downs at 65.1% (28 of 43) after going 12 of 17 in opposition to a Minnesota protection ranked within the high 10 nationally in whole and scoring protection. … The Tar Heels had 9 sacks within the South Carolina win however have had only one since. … The Panthers have overwhelmed no less than one ranked opponent in every of the final seven seasons. … Jurkovec entered this week because the 102nd-ranked passer within the FBS. His 81-yard passing whole in opposition to the Mountaineers was the fewest by a Pitt QB since Kenny Pickett managed simply 8 in a loss to Clemson within the 2018 ACC title recreation. … The Panthers lead the ACC in whole protection (236 yards per recreation) and are fifth nationally. … The sequence has been high-scoring, which might favor the Tar Heels given Pitt’s offensive struggles. The profitable staff has scored no less than 30 factors within the 9 conferences for the reason that Panthers joined the ACC in 2013. … Pitt continues to be ready for certainly one of its three “beginning” operating backs — Rodney Hammond, Vincent Davis and C’Bo Flemister — to emerge. None of them have managed greater than 65 yards in a recreation up to now this season.
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AP faculty soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
