Cal beat North Carolina 21-18 in first ACC meeting, with fumble recovery sealing win.

Cal defeated North Carolina 21-18 in their first-ever ACC matchup, improving to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play while keeping the Tar Heels winless in ACC play and extending their losing streak to four against Power Four teams. The game-winning moment came when Cal’s Brent Austin forced and recovered a fumble in the end zone with 3:48 left, halting North Carolina’s final drive. Cal’s true freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele passed for 209 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another, while Jacob De Jesus caught a career-high 13 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. UNC’s Gio Lopez, returning from injury, completed 19 of 35 passes for 167 yards, and Benjamin Hall rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown. North Carolina scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull within three, but Austin’s defensive stop secured the win.