CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (EYT) — In what is becoming a reoccurring nightmare for Pitt followers, the Panthers blew a 13-point lead in the final six minutes and lost, 37-36, at North Carolina when Mitch Trubisky hit Bug Howard with a 2-yard touchdown pass with two seconds to play.

The scoring toss tied the game at 36, and Nick Weiler’s extra point gave the Tar Heels (3-1, 1-0) an improbable victory in the ACC Coastal Division opener for both teams.

Pitt (2-2, 0-1), losers of two straight since the win over Penn State, appeared in complete control of the game when Chris Blewitt hit a 40-yard field goal with 11:03 to play, and the Panthers defense forced a punt on North Carolina’s next possession giving Pitt the ball back with the two-score advantage and only 9:10 to play.

But Pitt went three-and-out, and a poor punt coupled with a decent return set North Carolina up at its own 45-yard line with 7:34 left.

The Tar Heels then marched right down the field to get within six on a 2-yard Trubisky to Howard scoring pass.

Pitt had North Carolina facing a third-and-15 at the Panthers 38, but Trubitsky hit Ryan Switzer with a 12-yard pass setting up a manageable fourth-and-3 that the Tar Heels then converted with a 3-yard pass to Switzer.

After the Howard score, there was still 5:24 to play and Pitt again went three and out giving North Carolina a final chance 3 yards from the end zone with 3:35 left.

Pitt again couldn’t stop North Carolina on fourth down, as the Tar Heels converted a pair of fourth-down passes to keep the drive alive including a fourth-and-9 from the Pitt 17 with under a minute to play when Trubisky hit Switzer for nine yards.

Trubisky then connected to Howard for 13 yards to the Pitt 4, but after an incomplete pass the Tar Heels, without a timeout, almost cost themselves the game when a run by Elijah Hood only netted two yards to the Pitt 2-yard line.

With the clock ticking under 10 seconds, North Carolina hurried back to the line, and Trubisky threw a jump ball to Howard who pulled it in despite such tight defense by Pitts’ Ryan Lewis that Lewis was called for holding on the ball, which was declined.

Prior to the meltdown, Pitt did everything it needed to do to win the game.

Watch Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi’s postgame media conference. Video courtesy of Pitt Athletics.

The Panthers again ran the ball well rushing for 281 yards led by Quadree Henderson (107 yards) and James Conners (66 yards, 1 TD).

Pitt’s defense also completely shut down North Carolina’s vaunted rushing attack limiting the Tar Heels to 18 yards on the day.

But the Panthers secondary was again a weak spot allowing Trubisky to throw for 453 yards and five touchdowns while completing 35 of 46 passes. Switzer hauled in 16 of those aerials for 208 yards and a touchdown, Austin Proehl had seven catches for 99 yards and a score and Howard six for 66 yards and the two late touchdowns.

Nathan Peterman again managed the game well for Pitt going 14 of 18 for 140 yards with Conner catching four passes for 64 yards.

Watch Peterman’s postgame remarks. Video courtesy of Pitt Athletics.

Pitt led 19-7 with just over six minutes to go in the first half on a safety, a Blewitt 50-yard field goal, a 1-yard Conners run and a 3-yard George Aston run.

But a lot like the Penn State game, the Panthers let North Carolina back in the game let in the half.

First, Trubisky hit Switzer with a 19-yard scoring toss to make it 19-13 after a failed conversion with 3:12 to play before halftime and then Weiler nailed a 34-yard field goal on the last play of the half to get the Tar Heels back within three, 19-16, at the break.

The Weiler field goal came at the end of a 5-play, 34-yard drive that came after a Henderson fumble gave North Carolina the ball at its own 49.

The teams then traded touchdowns at the start of the second half with Chawntez Moss scoring on a 2-yard run for Pitt and Proehl on a 1-yard pass from Trubitsky.

Pitt, though, seemed to take control of the game when Peterman scored from a yard out late in the third quarter to make it 33-23 and Blewitt hit the field goal to extend the lead to 13.