North Carolina defeated the Pittsburgh Panthers on Thursday night by a final margin of 27 to 19. It was the team’s seventh straight win, a remarkable feat for a team that came into the season with uncertainty and low expectations after underachieving a season ago.
Last season seems awfully far away now. Last year’s defense, prone to giving up long plays and scoring drives, is long gone. Gene Chizik’s defense that has replaced it is smarter, faster and more physical than last year’s group. The secondary, led by M.J. Steward, Donnie Miles Jr. and Des Lawrence, is playing superb defense.