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
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
Multi-dimensional offense powers Panthers
A knife, a screw driver and a can opener are all great tools. However, each is specifically crafted to perform a singular purpose. Hence, the beauty of the Swiss Army knife, which contains all three — and more. None of those tools is equipped to cover the entire spectrum of what you might need it for individually, but the Swiss Army knife's versatility increases its usefulness. Much like a Swiss Army knife, the key to a balanced football offense is versatility. Having dynamic players ... Read More
Penn State heads to Pittsburgh for the Keystone Classic
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Pittsburgh Panthers The Records: Penn State (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten); Pitt (1-0, 0-0 ACC). The Coaches: Penn State: James Franklin, third season, 39-27 overall, 15-12 at Penn State; Pitt: Pat Narduzzi, second season, 9-5 overall, 9-5 at Pitt. The Game: For the first time in 16 years, Penn State and Pitt will battle on the gridiron. The last time these in-state rivals played, Rod Rutherford quarterbacked the Panthers to a 12-0 victory at Three Rivers ... Read More
After 16 years, Penn State and Pitt take their rivalry to the gridiron
Penn State University and the University of Pittsburgh haven't squared off on the gridiron since 2000. Now, 16 years later, as the two football teams are gearing up to face each other, the rivalry is more intriguing than ever before. Pitt and Penn State are natural rivals — Pennsylvania's version of Alabama vs. Auburn — yet hardly any of the action has taken place on the field. Saturday, that changes as the Nittany Lions head to Heinz Field for the Keystone Classic to take on a Panthers team ... Read More
Pitt vs. Penn State by position: Coaching
Leading up to Saturday's Pitt-PSU game, our beat reporters looked at key position battles: linebackers and defensive backs; linemen; and running backs and receivers. In the final battle, they took a look at the coaching matchup. Daniel Greenwald, Pitt beat reporter: Penn State head coach James Franklin went from being a decent coach at Vanderbilt to being an average coach with the Nittany Lions. Franklin’s first two years at PSU haven’t exactly been barn burners. The Nittany Lions have gone ... Read More