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Pitt is 7-0 for the first time since 1982.
The Panthers just keep winning, improving upon their best start in decades with a Thursday night thrashing of Syracuse. The Orange entered the matchup with a 5-1 record and a reasonable amount of confidence given the way quarterback Kyle McCord had played through the first 6 games of the season. But behind 5 interceptions from McCord, Syracuse came unglued on the road and never threatened Pitt in a 41-13 game.
Interceptions ended each of Syracuse’s first 3 offensive possessions. The first was immediately returned 35 yards for a touchdown by Rasheem Biles. The second set up a 49-yard field goal. The third was returned 59 yards for a touchdown by Kyle Louis.
McCord also threw interceptions in the second and third quarters. He finished the game 35 for 64 through the air with 321 yards and 5 interceptions. He was also sacked 4 times.
“We’re gonna continue to stick with him,” coach Fran Brown said after the game. “Just one bad game. It’s part of football. It happens. I think you’ll be able to see the kind of fighter he is from here on out.”
Pitt’s offense did little in the game. Quarterback Eli Holstein threw for just 108 yards. Desmond Reid had only 47 yards rushing. Pitt gained 217 yards at just 4.9 per play. But that unit held the ball for less than 19 total minutes all game. It didn’t need to do much with a defense that directly scored 21 points of its own.
Holstein did have to leave the game in the fourth quarter after taking a hit at the end of a designed run play. He was replaced by Nate Yarnell. Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said after the game it was a case of the team taking “added precaution” in a game that was already in hand. They expect Holstein to be fine.
Brown said after the game he felt this was a major spot for Syracuse, a game the community behind him wanted desperately. “They came and they outplayed us,” he said. It was in stark contrast to the game that was played a year ago, when Syracuse handed Pitt a fourth consecutive loss in a 28-13 game.
Narduzzi said that day served as motivation for his defense this week.
“We weren’t happy with how we played,” Narduzzi said. “It was an offense we never saw. It was at Yankee Stadium and the press box was on first base. You might as well have been in a blimp way out of the stadium. Could have been in Staten Island or Long Island. We just couldn’t see anything. We made crappy adjustments. We weren’t happy with it.
“They came out, had to go prove (it). Our motto all year is to prove it. I think we proved a lot in a primetime game, national audience.”
Narduzzi led Pitt to a Coastal Division crown in 2018 and an ACC Championship in 2021. Picked to finish 13th in the preseason ACC poll, Pitt is in a strong position to make the ACC title game again. The ACC boasts 4 schools that are 3-0 or better in league play thus far. Pitt plays 2 of the other 3.
The Panthers hit the road next week to face a ranked SMU team on the road. Syracuse (5-2, 2-2 ACC) hosts Virginia Tech.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
