Game Week: Pitt Hosts No. 17 North Carolina in ACC Opener

PITT (1-2, 0-0 ACC) vs. #17 NORTH CAROLINA (3-0, 0-0 ACC)
September 23, 2023 • 8 p.m. (ET)
Acrisure Stadium (68,400/Natural Grass) • Pittsburgh, Pa.
ACC Network • 93.7 The Fan • Pitt Radio Network

Pitt UNC 23 Game Week

Game Storylines

• Pitt opens Atlantic Coast Conference play against nationally ranked North Carolina before an ACC Network primetime television audience.

• The Panthers are looking to avenge last season's 42-24 loss in Chapel Hill, a game Pitt led heading into the final quarter.

• The 2022 setback snapped a two-game series winning streak for Pitt. Both of those victories occurred in Pittsburgh and were overtime affairs (2019 and 2021).

• Narrow margins have largely ruled this series. Twelve of the 16 games have been decided by single digits. The average margin of victory over the past 11 contests is a mere 5.7 points.

• Since 2015, Pat Narduzzi has directed Pitt to 41 victories in ACC play, the second-highest win total during that span. Pitt trails only Clemson (60).

• The Panthers and Tar Heels were annual foes as members of the ACC's Coastal Division from 2013-22 (the lone exception being the 2020 COVID-impacted season). The ACC moved to a non-divisional format this year.

• Pitt has defeated at least one Top 25 team in each of the past seven seasons under Coach Pat Narduzzi.

• The Panthers rank fifth nationally and lead the ACC in total defense at 236.0 yards per game. Pitt yielded only 211 yards at West Virginia.

• North Carolina is producing 494.3 yards per contest, which ranks 19th nationally and fifth in the ACC.

• Pitt is one of just six teams that will play 11 "Power Conference" opponents in 2023, joining Colorado, Louisville, Purdue, Utah and West Virginia.

Series in Brief

Series Began: 1974
Series Overall: UNC leads 11-5
ACC Series: UNC leads 7-2
At Pittsburgh: Series tied 4-4
At UNC: UNC leads 7-0
At Neutral Sites: Pitt leads 1-0
Last Meeting (at UNC): Oct. 29, 2022 (UNC 42, Pitt 24)
Last Meeting at Pitt: Nov. 11, 2021 (Pitt 30, UNC 23 in OT)
Current Series Streak: UNC has won 1 (2022)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 2 games (2019, 2021)
Longest UNC Series Win Streak: 6 games (2013-18)
Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 7 points (twice)
Largest UNC Victory Margin: 19 points (29-10, 1998)

Coaching Matchup

Pitt's Chris Bickell '97 Head Football Coach Pat Narduzzi
Overall (season): 63-43 (ninth)
At Pitt (season): same
Alma Mater: Rhode Island, 1990
Record vs. North Carolina: 2-5

North Carolina Coach Mack Brown
Overall (season): 277-144-1 (35th)
At UNC (season): 102-68-1 (15th)
Alma Mater: Florida State, 1974
Record vs. Pitt: 1-2

Broadcast Information

Television • ACC Network
Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tim Hasselbeck (analyst), Taylor Tannebaum (reporter)

93.7 The Fan & Pitt Radio Network (937thefan.radio.com)
Jeff Hathhorn (play-by-play), Pat Bostick (analyst), Larry Richert and Dorin Dickerson (reporters)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio
SiriusXM channels 134 or 193 and on the SiriusXM App

WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM

Game Week Media Sessions

Head Coach Pat Narduzzi - Monday, September 18

Special Team Coordinator/Running Backs Coach Andre Powell - Tuesday, September 19

Safeties Coach Cory Sanders - Tuesday, September 19

Punter #91 Caleb Junko - Tuesday, September 19

DB #7 Javon McIntyre - Tuesday, September 19

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