Defeating the Pittsburgh Panthers this past weekend was a monumental win for the North Carolina Tar Heels in multiple ways.
Not only did the victory end a two-game skid, but it was also North Carolina's first win over a top-25 team since 2023, when it beat Miami. For the first time in nearly a month, the Tar Heels have some positive momentum heading into their next game. Overall, it wasn't the most inspiring outing for North Carolina, but a few individuals stood out. Here are North Carolina's top three players in Saturday's win over Pittsburgh.
1. Jordan Shipp
For the second straight game, Shipp led the team in receptions and receiving yards. "Mr. Carolina" was dominant at all three levels of the field, making multiple highlight-reel catches to extend or energize drives.
Shipp's 49-yard reception was a great example of his speed and route-running ability. Quite frankly, it should have been a much bigger gain, but Billy Edwards Jr. underthrew the ball, forcing Shipp to stop and contest for the catch. As mentioned, Shipp paced the pass catchers with six receptions for 93 yards. It was nearly his second consecutive 100-yard game. Because of Edwards Jr.'s limitations, this offense has relied on the tight ends underneath. Shipp needs to be utilized more.
2. Xavier Lewis
Lewis has emerged out of nowhere as a star defensive tackle and one of the best players at his position in the country. The six-foot, 260-pound defensive tackle recorded 12 total tackles (two solo), 0.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, and one pass deflection. The sophomore defensive tackle had his fingerprints all over this game and was a major factor in the defensive turnaround in the second half.
This season, Lewis has compiled 28 total tackles (14 solo), 6.5 sacks, and one pass deflection. For North Carolina to reach its goal of playing in a bowl game, the star defensive tackle needs to keep up this pace of production and impact.
3. Derek McDonald
McDonald's experience has shone through in his tenure in Chapel Hill so far. For the fourth time in five games, the Syracuse transfer linebacker recorded double-digit tackles. On Saturday, McDonald finished with 12 total tackles (six solo and one for loss).
Pairing McDonald with Peyton Seelmann has been one of the best moves the front office made this offseason. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound linebacker has produced 49 tackles, one forced fumble, and one pass defended through the first five games.
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