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.

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.

Up Next
Louisville: Hosts Pittsburgh on Saturday.

North Carolina: At Virginia on Saturday.