Billy Edwards Jr. completed 29 of 38 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns, and North Carolina earned a 38-21 nonconference victory over UConn on Saturday in East Hartford, Conn.
Timir Hickman-Collins had a pick-six and a fumble recovery for the Tar Heels (5-4), who ended a two-game losing streak. Benjamin Hall rushed nine times for 81 yards and a touchdown, and star tight end Jelani Thurman had seven receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns
Kalieb Osborne was 17-for-35 passing for 245 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Huskies (4-5). Ryder Treadway had a game-high 82 receiving yards and a TD on four catches.
UConn had the ball trailing by 10 with less than eight minutes to play, but Osborne threw an easy interception to Jalon Thompson on third-and-20.
The Tar Heels iced the game with Edwards’ play-action rollout and 3-yard touchdown pass to Thurman, who tied a UNC single-season record for tight ends with his eighth TD reception. Mike Chatham caught eight TD passes in 1979.
Edwards was intercepted by Hayden Pegg on UNC’s first drive, but UConn’s Jack O’Connor proceeded to miss a 45-yard field goal attempt.
The Tar Heels’ defense got UNC on the board first. Osborne threw to the left flat behind Kenji Christian. He reached for the ball but batted it toward Hickman-Collins, who corralled the interception and barreled 62 yards the other way.
UConn drew even early in the second quarter on Treadway’s 18-yard touchdown catch on a crossing pattern.
North Carolina countered with an 86-yard touchdown drive. Hall took a handoff on third-and-9, made four tacklers miss as he changed direction and sped down the left sideline for a 39-yard score.
On the next drive, Osborne tried a keeper on third-and-3 and Hickman-Collins came away from the ensuing pile with the ball. Officials reviewed and upheld their controversial fumble call, and four plays later Edwards hit Jordan Shipp for a 6-yard score for a 21-7 lead with 7:41 left in the half.
UConn forged a quick drive that Treadway kept afloat with a one-handed catch while falling down. Two plays later, Osborne found Cam Abshire in the middle of the end zone on a 24-yard strike.
The Tar Heels ate up the rest of the half, using 16 plays to go 75 yards. Thurman’s 3-yard touchdown grab in the final minute gave his side a 28-14 halftime lead.
Cyncir Bowers rushed in from 13 yards out to bring UConn behind by seven early in the third. Rece Verhoff made a 27-yard field goal for UNC on the next possession.
Peyton Seelmann added nine tackles, two sacks and three pass breakups to UNC’s defensive effort.