North Carolina Opens Conference Play With Pittsburgh
After not playing last weekend because of Hurricane Florence hitting the Carolina’s North Carolina will return to action Saturday when they host Pittsburgh who like North Carolina is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
North Carolina comes into their conference opener with a record of 0-2 and is coming off a loss on the road to East Carolina on September 8th 2017. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/9/8/football-ecu-downs-tar-heels-41-19.aspx?path=football
Freshman quarterback Holton Ahlers ran for two of East Carolina's four rushing touchdowns while Reid Herring threw for another score as the Pirates beat North Carolina 41-19 on Saturday. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/9/8/football-ecu-downs-tar-heels-41-19.aspx?path=football
Herring threw for 290 yards while directing a turnover-free performance for ECU (1-1), which was coming off a dispiriting home loss to Championship Subdivision opponent North Carolina A&T. That increased the pressure on third-year coach Scottie Montgomery to show progress after 19 losses in 25 games — enough so that Montgomery noted this week's game was "very critical for our coaching career." His team responded in an emotional in-state matchup, while the Tar Heels (0-2) offered another display of bad penalties and offensive struggles. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/9/8/football-ecu-downs-tar-heels-41-19.aspx?path=football
Jordon Brown ran for UNC's only touchdown, while Freeman Jones kicked four field goals. But the Tar Heels converted 5 of 16 third downs and managed 35 yards of third-quarter offense as the Pirates stretched a 21-19 halftime lead. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/9/8/football-ecu-downs-tar-heels-41-19.aspx?path=football
"We're 0-2, it's early in the season, our kids will keep fighting," UNC coach Larry Fedora said. "Our coaches will keep coaching and we'll get things going in the right direction." “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/9/8/football-ecu-downs-tar-heels-41-19.aspx?path=football
Pittsburgh meanwhile comes into the game against North Carolina with a record of 2-1 and is coming off a win at home over Georgia Tech their previous game.
Qadree Ollison ran for 91 yards and two touchdowns and Pittsburgh's defense kept Georgia Tech's triple-option in check during a 24-19 victory in the ACC opener for both teams on Saturday. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
Ollison scored on runs of 31 and 8 yards for the Panthers (2-1, 1-0), who bounced back from an ugly loss to rival Penn State by jumping on the Yellow Jackets (1-2, 0-1) early and then holding on late. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
Darrin Hall added a touchdown run for Pitt. Quarterback Kenny Pickett left briefly due with a left leg injury at the end of the first half but played the entire second half, completing 16 of 23 passes for a season-high 191 yards and an interception. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
And just like that, the bad taste of losing at home to the Nittany Lions was gone. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
''You've got to flush it out,'' Ollison said. ''You've got to forget about it and realize that all our goals are still intact. Nobody said you had to be undefeated to go to the ACC championship or national championship. If we win the rest of our games, nobody will remember what happened last week.'' “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
TaQuon Marshall scored on a pair of short touchdown runs in the second half for the Yellow Jackets and finished with a team-high 103 yards rushing. He struggled through the air, completing just one pass until Georgia Tech's final drive. Marshall ended up 6 of 15 for 66 yards and an interception on a heave to the end zone with just under 10 minutes remaining that was easily picked off by Pitt's Phillipie Motley to end any real threat the Yellow Jackets had of mounting a comeback. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
A week after rolling up 602 yards in a loss to South Florida, the Yellow Jackets managed just 386 against the Panthers, 99 of it coming on a last-gasp drive in the final minutes. Jordan Mason added 94 yards rushing and B-back Qua Searcy - starting in place of injured KirVonte Benson - added 38 in his first career start but the Yellow Jackets did little in the first half while falling behind 21-0. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
''We came out to start the game offensively and it looked like we had never played the game before,'' Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson said. ''We had a chance to get back in the game. But we never had a chance to get the lead. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
Some curious decision-making didn't help. Johnson called for a fake punt from the Georgia Tech 28 in the first quarter, and Antwan Owens was stuffed for a two-yard loss. Three plays later Hall burst across the goal line from five yards out to put Pitt up 14-0 with 5:20 left in the first quarter. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
Georgia Tech faced another fourth down at the Pitt 23 in the second quarter. Rather than attempt a field goal, the Yellow Jackets went for it. Needing five yards, Marshall dropped back to pass, which sailed high and out of the reach of Jalen Camp. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
''If we can't throw a pass that is eight yards and catch it, then that's a bad call,'' Johnson said. ''That was a bad call. It was on me.'' “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
Pitt took advantage immediately. Pickett turned a flea flicker into a 60-yard completion to Taysir Mack to flip the field and when Ollison darted in for his second touchdown, the Panthers were on their way to putting their humbling 51-6 setback at the hands of the Nittany Lions firmly in the rearview mirror. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/9/15/football-pitt-defense-shuts-down-georgia-tech-in-24-19-win.aspx?path=football
Kick-Off is set for 12:20pm from Kenan Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on RAYCOM Sports. “according to https://pittsburghpanthers.com/schedule.aspx?path=football