The North Carolina Tar Heels secured their first victory under Bill Belichick over a ranked opponent as they defeated the No. 25 Pittsburgh Panthers 21-17 on Sunday. The win improved North Carolina’s record to 3-2 in 2026 and 1-1 in ACC play, while Pittsburgh suffered its first loss of the season, falling to 5-1 overall.

Speaking after the game, Belichick had a simple message for his team. The 74-year-old head coach was more concerned about his team recovering in time for their matchup against the Duke Blue Devils, per a post on X by Pete Nakos.

“Just get ready for Duke,” he said.

The Tar Heels had defeated TCU in their opener, building a 17-3 lead against Clemson before losing 28-20, and remaining within one point of No. 3 Notre Dame early in the second half before eventually falling. Against Pittsburgh, North Carolina converted that progress into a victory against a ranked opponent.

North Carolina's defense recorded two interceptions and two sacks while stopping Pittsburgh on all four of their fourth-down attempts. Regardless, Billy Edwards finished 18-of-26 passing for 249 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while wide receiver Jordan Shipp recorded six receptions for 93 yards.

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Pittsburgh, meanwhile, were without quarterback Mason Heintschel, who reportedly suffered a season-ending ACL tear during the Panthers' previous game against Virginia Tech. His replacement, Holden Geriner, completed 27 of 44 passes for 219 yards and threw two interceptions.

Regardless, as the Tar Heels now turn their attention to Duke, Belichick appears intent on ensuring that his team does not slack off and continue to build from their 3-2 start to the season.