CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Jabari Mack picked off a fourth-down pass from Travis Burgess with 58 seconds left to help Louisville hold off North Carolina 16-14 on Saturday night in a game that ended in a brawl and each of the teams having to be separated.
Mack's interception by snatching a ball that ricocheted off UNC receiver Jordan Shipp secured the win, with Mack returning the ball 32 yards before sliding to end the play and allow the Cardinals (7-3, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) to kneel out a fifth straight win.
But after the final snap, players from both teams went from jawing at each other to shoving and ultimately locking up with apparent punches being thrown. That included at least one tussle that broke off from the main mass of players and ended up with a Louisville player throwing down a UNC player in the end zone before the teams were finally separated after the brief skirmish.
The win kept the Cardinals alive in the hunt for a trip to the ACC championship game as they entered kickoff as the only two-loss team in the league standings.
Lincoln Kienholz threw for the Cardinals' only touchdown on a night when both defenses were a step ahead, with Louisville finishing with just 302 yards and UNC with 293.
Benjamin Hall scored two rushing touchdowns for UNC (5-5, 2-4), including a 6-yarder with 3:43 left that brought the Tar Heels to within 16-14. Then, after forcing a punt, UNC got the ball back with 1:41 left for a chance to drive for a winning field goal.
Burgess, pressed into duty when starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. exited in the second half after taking a jarring hit on a sack, nearly connected with Shipp on the fourth-and-12 play. But Shipp couldn't control it and the ball popped to Mack for the clinching play.
Louisville: Hosts Pittsburgh on Saturday.
North Carolina: At Virginia on Saturday.
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Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (3) looks to pass the ball as he is pressured by North Carolina defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude (9) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov.14. 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck recovered from a shaky start to make 43 saves, remaining unbeaten in net with New Jersey as the surging Devils defeated the Washington Capitals 7-4 on Saturday night.
Evan Rodrigues scored twice for the Devils, who earned their second win against Washington in three days. Jesper Boqvist, Connor Brown and Lenni Hameenaho each had a goal and two assists.
Nico Hischier and Timo Meier also scored to help New Jersey improve to 11-2 since Oct. 20 with its seventh victory in eight games. Meier's power-play goal late in the second period gave the Devils their first lead, 4-3, and Hischier's short-handed goal made it 5-3 early in the third.
Rodrigues scored at 3:18 to make it 6-4 and added an empty-netter with 3:15 left.
Hellebuyck gave up three goals in the first period but only one after that. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner and 2025 NHL MVP has won all seven starts with the Devils after being traded by the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 23.
Ilya Protas, Anthony Beauvillier, Ryan Leonard and Pierre Luc-Dubois scored for the Capitals. Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 of 32 shots.
New Jersey's sixth goal came on a fluky play in front of Washington’s net, when Rodrigues' centering pass bounced off the skate of Capitals defenseman Timothy Liljegren and in without a New Jersey player anywhere near the crease.
Washington held a 3-2 lead after a frantic first period, but Boqvist tied it at 10:33 of the second.
The Capitals killed a four-minute high-sticking penalty to Leonard midway through the second to preserve their one-goal lead, but couldn’t capitalize on the momentum that provided.
Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.
Capitals: Visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) tracks the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Aliaksei Protas (21) skates with the puck against New Jersey Devils right wing Timo Meier (28) and center Nico Hischier (13) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
New Jersey Devils right wing Lenni Hameenaho (29) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37), center Cody Glass (12) and defenseman Anton Silaev (52) celebrate after an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) stops the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
