All things considered, the first season for Pat Narduzzi as the Pitt head football coach ended up a positive one.
Things are going to get a lot tougher though for Narduzzi and the Panthers the second time around.
Pitt’s 2016 schedule was released on Monday and needless to say it is very challenging.
The Panthers will face eight bowl teams, four that won at least 10 games and three that finished in the Top 20.
Perhaps the most challenging will be a trip to Death Valley to take on ACC Champion and 2015 national runner-up Clemson on Nov. 12. It will be the first regular season meeting between the Panthers and Tigers.
The ACC schedule won’t be easy for the Panthers, but neither will Pitt’s non-conference slate. After beginning the season with Villanova, one of the winningest FCS programs, the Panthers get ready for the long awaited renewal of the Penn State rivalry on September 10. The programs haven’t met since 2000, when Pitt shut out the Nittany Lions 12-0.
That is the easy portion of their non-conference schedule though as Pitt has tilts against teams that posted double-digit win totals last year: Oklahoma State on the road (Sept. 17) and Marshall (Oct. 1) at Heinz Field.
As for the conference slate, Pitt will face Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Duke and Syracuse at home, while traveling to North Carolina, Virginia, Miami, and Clemson. The game against Virginia Tech (Oct. 27), will be a Thursday night ESPN game.
All in all Pitt will play seven games at Heinz Field and five on the road.
“As a competitor, you want to be challenged by playing the best,” Narduzzi said. “Our 2016 opponents will certainly present us with that opportunity. Whether you are a Pitt player, coach or fan, you can’t help but be fired up when looking at this schedule. It definitely provides our team with a ton of focus and motivation as we prepare for the upcoming fall.”
The entire 2016 Pitt football schedule is as follows:
Sept. 3 Villanova
Sept. 10 Penn State
Sept. 17 at Oklahoma State
Sept. 24 at North Carolina*
Oct. 1 Marshall
Oct. 8 Georgia Tech*
Oct. 15 at Virginia*
Oct. 27 (Thurs.) Virginia Tech*
Nov. 5 at Miami*
Nov. 12 at Clemson*
Nov. 19 Duke*
Nov. 26 Syracuse*
*ACC game
Times will be announced at a later date.
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
