Possessing a dynamic offense has rarely — if ever — been a problem for the Pitt Panthers (7-4) this season. And Saturday, Pitt rang up 56 points in a thorough 56-14 waxing of the Duke Blue Devils (4-7) in a game that, for once, didn’t come down to the wire. A week after a huge upset of the then-No. 2 Clemson Tigers, the Panthers' defense came out the chute with decidedly more bite than usual. On the second play from scrimmage, linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu punched the ball out of running ... Read More
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What does Pitt’s upset of Clemson mean for rest of season?
One snap. One final play. And the fate of the game between the Pitt Panthers and Clemson Tigers rested directly on the foot of Panthers kicker Chris Blewitt. Despite having an earlier kick blocked and missing an extra point, he wouldn't be deterred. Blewitt’s final try from 48 yards sailed just inside the left upright and through the posts into Pitt history. 43-42, Panthers. While this year’s Clemson squad hasn’t had quite the same overwhelming presence as last year’s final-4 team that ... Read More
Defense sinks Panthers again
A once-promising season for the Pitt Panthers has started to spiral out of control. The Panthers dropped their second game in a row, falling 51-28 to the Miami Hurricanes. And in an increasingly troubling trend, Pitt’s defense was torched all afternoon. The Panthers' porous defense has proven to be their undoing. Despite head coach Pat Narduzzi’s pedigree as a defensive coordinator at Michigan State before his hiring at Pitt, his defense has routinely been burned. If Pitt’s current 34.4 ... Read More
Panthers’ early deficit vs. Hokies sinks Pitt
Murphy’s Law was in full effect for about the first quarter and a half of Thursday night's game at Heinz Field for the Pitt Panthers. You name it; it went wrong — turnovers, penalties and straight-up bad luck. In one instance, a well-defended pass ping-ponged off both the Virginia Tech receiver and the Pitt defender, staying alive and off the ground long enough to be hauled in for a big gain for the Hokies. But the efforts of Pitt's determined defense weren't enough, and the Panthers (5-3, ... Read More
Game vs. Hokies marks start of make-or-break stretch for Pitt
Following a bye week, the Panthers will be back in business Thursday night when Pitt hosts the No. 25 Virginia Tech Hokies, who are coming into the game fresh off their 37-16 manhandling of the Miami Hurricanes. When Pitt welcomes the Hokies to Heinz Field, it'll be the start of a make-or-break stretch for the Panthers. For a second straight season, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi’s team has gotten off to a quick start. The Panthers opened last year at 6-1; this time around Pitt sits at 5-2 and ... Read More
Blewitt’s late field goal gives Panthers 37-34 win
It was another close game for the Pitt Panthers, another fourth-quarter lead blown, another opportunity potentially squandered. But thanks to a last-second 31-yard field goal from kicker Chris Blewitt, the Panthers held on to beat the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 37-34, and gave Pitt faithful something to celebrate on homecoming weekend. Pitt started strong on its first drive, torching Georgia Tech. Wide receiver Quadree Henderson tagged the defense for 20 yards on two carries, and the ... Read More
Panthers’ dynamic offense leading the way
There's nothing like some home cooking to cure what ails you. Last Saturday, back at Heinz Field for the first time in three week, the Pitt Panthers (3-2) got back to their winning ways, defeating Marshall 43-27. Now, several weeks in to the season, Pitt's offense seems to have found itself in a serious groove. The Panthers boast a surprisingly potent offense thus far, averaging 37.4 points a contest through five games. Three times already, Pitt has eclipsed the 40-point barrier in a ... Read More
Smoother schedule ahead for Panthers
Four games in and the Pitt Panthers (2-2) can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Much to the delight of Pitt fans who’ve grumbled about soft nonconference scheduling, this Panthers team eschewed the typical format of fattening up on early season wins against less-than-stellar competition. Pitt raced out of the gates against a respectable Villanova team, winning 28-7. Then, the Panthers reignited an apparently still-smoldering in-state rivalry with Penn State at Heniz Field, which Pitt won ... Read More
Pitt squanders late lead in 37-36 loss to UNC
The Pittsburgh Panthers led the University of North Carolina Tar Heels for 59 minutes and 58 seconds of the ball game Saturday afternoon. However, a UNC score and a made extra point with two seconds left was what mattered in the end, and the Tar Heels won, 37-36. Pitt (2-2) dominated for most of the afternoon — the Panthers held the ball for 40:09 compared to the Tar Heels' 19:51 — and had a 13-point lead with less than seven minutes to play. But the Tar Heels overcame the long odds to stave ... Read More
10 momentum-swinging plays from Pitt-Oklahoma State
It was a wild shootout of a game, but, despite things clicking offensively, the Pitt Panthers couldn't overcome the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and the Cowboys won, 45-38, in wild fashion. While the game had a ton of key moments, here are the 10 plays that had the biggest impact on the game's momentum. 1. Oklahoma State came out flying right out of the shoot. After a botched kickoff return, the Cowboys were pinned at their own 9-yard line. No matter, they launched a long ball on their first play. ... Read More