Switzer, who returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown against Virginia last week, broke off a 65-yard return in the second quarter to give North Carolina (5-5, 4-3 ACC) a 24-3 halftime lead, and then went sideline to sideline in the fourth quarter en route to the end zone after the Panthers had rallied to tie. Marquise Williams totaled 252 yards of offense for North Carolina, going 15-of-27 for 173 yards passing and rushing for 79 more.

Tom Savage was 23-of-38 for 313 yards and two second-half touchdown for Pittsburgh (5-5, 2-4), but he was sacked seven times for minus-86 yards. James Conner finished with 102 yards rushing, including 71 in the second half, for the Panthers.

The Tar Heels scored 24 unanswered points in the first half for a 24-3 halftime lead on Williams' scoring runs of 16 and 10 yards, along with a Thomas Moore 26-yard field goal and Switzer's dash down the right sideline with 1:03 left. The Tar Heels defense dominated before the Panthers came back to pull within 27-17 on Savage scoring strikes of 33 yards to Devin Street in the third quarter and 8 yards to Isaac Bennett early in the fourth quarter.

Pittsburgh made it a one-possession game on Chris Blewitt's 42-yard field goal with 9:49 remaining following a Ray Vinopal fumble recovery at the North Carolina 28, and three plays after T.J. Logan fumbled the ensuing kickoff, the Panthers tied it on Conner's 2-yard touchdown run. The two teams traded punts before Switzer's school-record-tying second TD punt return of the game, and North Carolina's defense forced Pittsburgh to turn the ball over on downs with 1:15 left to seal it.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Williams became the first Tar Heels quarterback to rush for two touchdowns since Darian Durant in 2001. ... DE Kareem Martin had 3.5 sacks for North Carolina, a half-sack shy of tying Julius Peppers' 2001 school record. ... The three punt returns for TDs this season by Switzer, who also has a passing touchdown and receiving touchdown, is a North Carolina school record.