North Carolina Visits Pittsburgh After Open Date Looking To Snap Their Six -Game Losing Streak

North Carolina has had a week to regroup as they were off last week.

Now they head to Pennsylvania to take on Pittsburgh where they hope to snap their six -game losing streak.

Carolina returns to the field after an open week and heads to Pittsburgh for a Thursday night matchup with the Panthers at Heinz Field.The Tar Heels are looking to snap a six-game losing streak, while Pitt has won two straight. In its last game action, UNC dropped a tight 24-19 decision at home to No. 8 Miami. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/8/football-tar-heels-visit-pitt-for-primetime-tilt.aspx

Carolina leads the series with Pittsburgh, 8-3, and the Tar Heels have won four straight against the Panthers. Nine of the 11 meetings have been decided by 10 points or fewer, including the six most recent games – last year's 37-36 win in Chapel Hill, a 26-19 UNC win at Pitt in 2015, a 40-35 UNC win in 2014, a 34-27 UNC victory in 2013, a 19-17 Pitt victory in the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl and a 20-17 UNC win in 2000. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/8/football-tar-heels-visit-pitt-for-primetime-tilt.aspx
• Last year's game went down to the final moments, with Mitch Trubisky hitting Bug Howard for a pair of 2-yard touchdowns in the fourth quarter to lift the Tar Heels to a 37-36 win at Kenan Stadium. Carolina trailed 36-23 with less than six minutes to play before Trubisky led UNC to a rousing comeback win. Howard's first score cut the deficit to six with 5:24 to go, and the duo hooked up again with two seconds left to tie the game. Nick Weiler's PAT gave Carolina the lead for the only time on the day. Trubisky finished with 453 passing yards and five touchdowns, while Ryan Switzer matched a school record with 16 catches for 208 yards and a score. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/8/football-tar-heels-visit-pitt-for-primetime-tilt.aspx
• In one of the most memorable games in Carolina history, No. 5 UNC lost at No. 1 Pittsburgh, 7-6, in 1982. The game was played at Three Rivers Stadium in primetime on CBS. It was the network's first regular-season college football game in 19 years. Future Hall of Famer Dan Marino threw a 4-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to give the Panthers a 7-3 lead. Marino was 15 of 28 for 125 yards and four interceptions against the Tar Heel defense. Kelvin Bryant led the Tar Heels with 58 yards rushing and five receptions for 22 yards.
• Pittsburgh running backs coach and special teams coordinator Andre Powell spent six seasons at UNC from 2001-06 under head coach John Bunting as the team's running backs and special teams coach. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/8/football-tar-heels-visit-pitt-for-primetime-tilt.aspx

As for North Carolina's last game, they lost to Miami.

North Carolina lost their fifth straight Saturday as they got beat by Miami at Kenan Memorial Stadium.

Malik Rosier threw for a career-high 356 yards with three touchdowns to help eighth-ranked Miami hold off North Carolina 24-19 on Saturday. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/10/28/football-no-8-miami-tops-north-carolina-24-19.aspx?path=football

Rosier had a 51-yard touchdown throw to Christopher Herndon IV late in the first half and a 78-yarder to Jeff Thomas to open the third quarter. His 5-yarder to Braxton Berrios gave the Hurricanes (7-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) a 24-13 fourth-quarter lead. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/10/28/football-no-8-miami-tops-north-carolina-24-19.aspx?path=football

Still, Miami had to come up with a couple late plays after UNC made it a one-score game. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/10/28/football-no-8-miami-tops-north-carolina-24-19.aspx?path=football

First the Hurricanes recovered a fumble by Jordon Brown after the Tar Heels had pushed near the Miami 35 with 2:11 left. Then Rosier ran for a chains-moving keeper near the 2-minute mark, allowing Miami to run out the clock. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/10/28/football-no-8-miami-tops-north-carolina-24-19.aspx?path=football

Nathan Elliott  threw for one touchdown and three interceptions for the Tar Heels (1-8, 0-6) after starter Chazz Surratt  was knocked from the game in the opening quarter. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/10/28/football-no-8-miami-tops-north-carolina-24-19.aspx?path=football

THE TAKEAWAY
Miami: The Hurricanes went from squeaking by in their last three wins by a combined 13 points to struggling much of the day against a 1-7 team relying on a third-string quarterback. Not the best way to go into the November stretch run, even as they remain unbeaten. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/10/28/football-no-8-miami-tops-north-carolina-24-19.aspx?path=football

UNC: The Tar Heels responded to last week's blowout loss at Virginia Tech with a better showing. Still, UNC's offense struggled in the red zone by getting just three points on three first-half trips. And the defense repeated its habit of surrendering a couple huge plays to wipe out long stretches of solid execution. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/10/28/football-no-8-miami-tops-north-carolina-24-19.aspx?path=football

As for Pittsburgh they're also coming off a bye but unlike North Carolina Pittsburgh has won two straight. Their most recent win coming against Virginia at Heinz Field on October 28th.

) Darrin Hall ran for 111 yards and a touchdown, Quadree Henderson returned a punt for a score and Pittsburgh's defense kept Virginia in check in a 31-14 victory over the Cavaliers on Saturday. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

Ben DiNucci threw for 134 yards and 19-yard touchdown to Jester Weah as the Panthers (4-5, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) kept their flickering bowl hopes alive by winning their second straight. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

Pitt's defense stopped the Cavaliers (5-3, 2-2) on downs three times, the last coming with a spirited fourth-down stop at the goal line with 4:35 remaining that ended any chance of a late Virginia rally. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

Kurt Benkert completed 22 of 42 for 212 yards with two touchdowns and an interception as the Cavaliers missed a chance to qualify for a bowl game for the second weekend in a row. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

A week ago, Virginia was blown out at home by Boston College. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall praised his team's response, calling it a sign of a maturity for a program trying to reach the postseason for the first time since 2011. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

Maybe, but the Cavaliers looked sluggish early at soggy Heinz Field as Pitt sprinted to a three-touchdown lead. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

Hall put the Panthers in front with a 14-yard touchdown run up the middle midway through the first quarter. Weah made it 14-0 when he caught a short pass from DiNucci and broke two tackles on his way to the end zone. Henderson, an All-American as a returner last year, broke out of a funk with a swerving 75-yard sprint down the sideline. Henderson eluded several tackles in the process and barely stayed in bounds before lunging across the goal line. The senior now has eight career combined kick returns for a score, one off the NCAA record. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

Benkert tried to keep the Cavaliers in it. He found Hasise Dubois for a 19-yard score late in the half. Qadree Ollison ripped off a 25-yard touchdown sprint with 7:15 left in the third quarter to restore a 21-point Pitt's 21-point and the Panthers were never really threatened the rest of the way. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

THE TAKEAWAY
Virginia: The Cavaliers might want to rethink their approach to short-yardage situations if they want to end their bowl drought. The Cavaliers went a combined 7 of 22 on third and fourth down, most of the conversions coming during garbage time. The failures included getting stuffed on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 at the Pitt 28 in the first quarter and two failures from the Pitt 1 in the fourth. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

Pitt: The defense really is improving. The Panthers shut down Duke in the second half last week and dominated the line of scrimmage most of the afternoon against the Cavaliers. A chance at keeping its bowl streak alive remains in play, hard to imagine three weeks ago when Pitt was at 2-5. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2017/10/28/football-panthers-use-clutch-plays-to-crush-cavaliers-31-14.aspx?path=football

Kick-off is set for 7:30pm. The game will be televised on ESPN. "according to http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/schedule.aspx?path=football