CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Mitch Trubisky threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game for a 2-yard score to receiver Bug Howard with two seconds remaining and North Carolina defeated Pittsburgh 37-36 in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

The third-down pass capped a 17-play, 63-yard drive and gave the Tar Heels (3-1) the lead for the first time. They trailed by 13 with under six minutes to play.

North Carolina's final possession including converting twice on fourth-and-6 and then on fourth-and-9 (after falling into a second-and-21 hole).

Trubisky, a redshirt junior, threw for a career-high 453 yards on 35-for-46 accuracy. His 2-yard touchdown pass to Howard with 5:24 to play cut the deficit to 36-30.

Running back Chawntez Moss and quarterback Nathan Peterman scored on third-quarter runs of 2 and 1 yards as the Panthers (2-2) built a 33-23 lead, keeping that margin when the Tar Heels missed a 35-yard field goal.

Receiver Quadree Henderson, taking a variety of handoffs, gained 107 rushing yards on nine carries for Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh led 12-0 by early in the second quarter by using a safety, Chris Blewitt's 50-yard field goal and James Conner's 1-yard touchdown run.

North Carolina, which had 33 seconds of time of possession in the first quarter, got on the board on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Trubisky to receiver Mack Hollins with 11:40 to play in the second period.

After the Panthers built their edge to 19-7, the Tar Heels responded on Trubisky's 19-yard touchdown pass to receiver Ryan Switzer, who finished with 16 catches for 208 yards. A two-point conversion failed.

A Pittsburgh turnover allowed the Tar Heels to close within 19-16 when Nick Weiler's 34-yard field goal on the last play of the half.

Trubisky, who completed his first 12 passes, set a school record for consecutive completed passes at 30.