Syracuse Nips Tar Heels, 31-30, In OT - University of North Carolina Athletics

Saturday, October 24

Chapel Hill

7:30 P.M.

North Carolina

4-3 , 2-2

Syracuse

3-4 , 1-4

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	OT	Final F
Syracuse	0	10	0	13	8	31
North Carolina	10	3	7	3	7	30

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Photo by: DALTON WAINSCOTT

October 24, 2026 | Football

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By: Matt Bowers

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.— Syracuse's Steve Angeli connected with Calvin Russell III for a four-yard touchdown in overtime, and the Orange converted the ensuing two-point play to defeat North Carolina, 31-30, in a wild game before a sold-out crowd on Saturday night at Kenan Stadium.

Carolina scored a touchdown on its first OT possession to take the lead, but Syracuse improved to 3-4 overall and 1-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference with the victory, snapping its 11-game ACC losing streak. UNC's two-game winning streak came to an end as it fell to 4-3, 2-2.

After playing their first three Atlantic Coast Conference games on the road in 2026, the Tar Heels hosted their first conference home game and started strong, taking a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Carolina led, 13-10, at halftime and increased its lead to 20-10 midway through the third quarter.

The Orange outscored UNC, 21-10, in the final 11:01 of the fourth quarter and overtime. Ahmad Miller's three-yard rushing touchdown with 1:54 left in the fourth forced overtime, and Russell's overtime catch and the subsequent two-point conversion clinched the win for Syracuse.

"A hard-fought game, proud of the way our guys competed," Tar Heel head coach Bill Belichick said. "They made a couple more plays than we did today, and that was the difference in the game. Hard-fought game, just like all of the other ones we've seen Syracuse play, and we just came up a little short."

Tar Heel QB Billy Edwards Jr. threw for 271 yards and a pair of touchdowns, completing 27 of 44 passing attempts. He spread the ball around effectively and completed passes to eight different receivers while compiling a passer rating of 128.1.

Edwards' strong effort wasn't enough to offset the performance of Angeli, who connected on 20 of 34 attempts for 256 yards, two scores and a passer rating of 141.5.

The Orange has played five different quarterbacks in its first seven games this season and was unsure who would take snaps under center until game time. Syracuse started Angeli, who was listed as questionable to play late in the week but led the Orange to the victory.

Both teams were able to throw the ball effectively, but Syracuse's rushing advantage of 199-101 proved to be crucial as the game progressed. The Orange also converted four of seven fourth-down attempts, extending several drives on the way to the win.

Miller ran 30 times for 125 yards and two scores for the Orange, while Russell caught eight passes for 86 yards and Umari Hatcher snared four for 103 yards and a score.

For the Tar Heels, Jordan Shipp caught eight passes for 102 yards and a TD. Tight end Jelani Thurman grabbed seven Edwards passes for 77 yards. Jaylen McGill ran it 12 times for a team-high 62 yards, while Demon June toted it nine times for 53 yards and touchdown.

"Very thankful for the opportunity that we had to go out there and compete against North Carolina, really good football team," Syracuse head coach Fran Brown said. "It's good to coach against the best coach of all-time, just thankful for the opportunity today. Our players fought on both sides of the ball. I thought this was a really good football game…Great game, great atmosphere, I appreciate all the fans that showed up and came here today…It was a great win for us."

How It Happened
First Quarter
• Carolina established itself offensively immediately, taking the opening kickoff 83 yards and grabbing a 7-0 lead on a play-action pass from Edwards to Shipp with 11:40 left in the opening quarter. McGill ran for 37 yards on three carries, and Edwards connected with Thurman for a key, 28-yard completion on the opening drive, just the second opening-drive TD the Orange have allowed this season.
• After forcing a Syracuse punt, the Tar Heels took a 10-0 lead with a Rece Verhoff 27-yard field goal on their second drive, a 13-play, 60-yard march in 6:43.
• UNC outgained the Orange, 143-50, in the first quarter.

Second Quarter
• Syracuse replied with its first score with 9:38 left in the second quarter when Miller dove in from two yards out up the middle. That touchdown capped an impressive, 88-yard drive in 7:17 that included a pair of fourth-down conversions. The 16 plays marked the Orange's longest drive of the season.
• Carolina used a methodical, 11-play drive capped by a 39-yard Verhoff field goal for a 13-7 UNC advantage with 2:40 left in the half.
• The Orange responded with a short field goal as time expired to make the score 13-10 at intermission, using a 10-play drive to stay within a field goal entering the second half.

Third Quarter
• After UNC forced a Syracuse punt to start the second half, the Tar Heels mounted a 10-play, 70-yard drive capped by a June 25-yard TD on fourth-and-one to make the score 20-10 Carolina.

Fourth Quarter
• Angeli connected with Umari Hatcher for a 76-yard touchdown on Syracuse's first fourth-quarter possession to cut the UNC lead down to 20-17 with
11:01 to play.
• The Tar Heels quickly responded and reclaimed momentum with a nine-play, 71-yard drive that resulted in a Verhoff 22-yard field goal to make the score 23-17 with 7:10 remaining.
• Syracuse tied it at 23-23 on a three-yard rushing TD by Miller with 1:54 on the clock, capping an 11-play, 75-yard march in 5:18. Shay Barker's extra point attempt missed wide left, leaving the score tied in the final two minutes.

Overtime
• Edwards hit June with a three-yard scoring toss on the first overtime possession. After the extra point, Carolina took a 30-23 lead.
• Syracuse responded with a four-yard TD pass from Angeli to Russell to make it 30-29. The Orange went for the two-point conversion, and converted. Replay officials upheld the on-field decision that ended the game with a 31-30 Syracuse victory.

Up Next
The Tar Heels will host the second of back-to-back, home ACC games next Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. against top-ranked Miami on either ABC or ESPN.

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