CHARLOTTE -- North Carolina made a lot of mistakes Saturday, but coach Butch Davis didn't hesitate to identify the worst one.
On the biggest play of Pittsburgh's winning drive at the Meineke Car Care Bowl, North Carolina jumped offside with Dan Hutchins lined up to attempt a 47-yard field goal.
The penalty allowed Pittsburgh to bleed more time off the clock and put Hutchins into position to kick from 33 yards instead. Despite a high snap, Hutchins booted the ball through the uprights to give the Panthers a 19-17 win at Bank of America Stadium.
"That's the most grievous [error] of all of them," North Carolina coach Butch Davis said of the offside penalty. "We emphasize it every day for 365 days, 'Watch the football.' ... We talk about it in practice. We talk about it in timeouts. We talk about it in team meetings."
Cam Thomas was the player cited for being offside on the play but wasn't the only player who jumped. Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt said the Panthers were hoping to draw North Carolina offside, but were prepared to kick it if the Tar Heels held their ground.
UNC defensive tackle Marvin Austin said the Tar Heels jumped in part because the center lifted his head, but didn't suggest that Pittsburgh got away with a penalty.
"It just got us riled up and allowed them to make a play," Austin said.
The winning kick culminated a huge final drive for Pittsburgh freshman running back Dion Lewis. Pittsburgh went 79 yards in 17 plays and ran 8:47 off the clock.
Lewis, the bowl's most valuable player, rushed for 159 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries for the game, and almost half his carries came on the final drive.
He ran 13 times for 58 yards to set up the field goal.
Quarterback Bill Stull converted on fourth-and-inches from Pittsburgh's 30-yard line with a 3-yard sneak early in the drive.
Austin mulls options: North Carolina junior defensive tackle Marvin Austin said he will go home to Washington, D.C., and discuss his options with his family before deciding whether to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.
He said he wants some time to think over his decision on his own, as well.
"I'm pretty sure I'll make the right decision," he said.
Heels change centers: North Carolina made a change to its starting lineup, moving Alan Pelc from right guard to center to replace Lowell Dyer.
Travis Bond started at right guard in Pelc's place. Davis said that gave the Heels a bigger offensive line as they hoped to pound Pittsburgh's defense with 245-pound running back Ryan Houston.
"I'll play wherever they want me to play," Pelc said of the move. "As long as I'm on the field, I'm happy."
Hutchins bounces back: Pittsburgh's Hutchins had a big day after a bobbled snap cost him the chance to kick an extra point in overtime in the season finale against Cincinnati with a BCS bowl bid on the line.
Hutchins set a Meineke Car Care Bowl record with four field goals, including the winner. He missed his first attempt from 40 yards, then hit from 31, 31, 42 and 33 yards.
