The Pittsburgh Panthers men’s basketball team got a much-needed win over the University of Buffalo Bulls on Wednesday night, especially after Pitt failed to defeat the Duquesne Dukes in the “City Game.” The Panthers beat the Bulls, 84-79. But the game shouldn't have been nearly as close as it was at the end. Pitt once held a 26-point lead, and the team was up 30-6 at one point. At another point, the Panthers were up 47-21 before the Bulls outscored the Panthers 58-37 over the rest of the ... Read More
Pitt powers to 7-4 record behind 56-14 blowout of Duke
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
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
Chaos puts Penn State in thick of Playoff Race
“What marvelous chaos!” That saying, usually reserved for the NHL by award-winning announcer (and Pittsburgh Pirates fan) Mike “Doc” Emrick, perfectly encapsulated this weekend's college football games. The No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions entered the weekend needing a perfect storm to make the Big Ten championship game as well as to be considered for the College Football Playoff. Saturday night, the perfect storm started to pick up major steam. Coming into the weekend, to make the Big Ten ... Read More
Panthers stun No. 2 Clemson, 43-42
When the kicker has the last name of “Blewitt,” you’d be forgiven for not having much faith in him to hit a long, game-winning field goal with time expiring, especially after he missed an extra point in Saturday’s game. But, Saturday, Pitt's Chris Blewitt didn't blow it when it mattered most, nailing a booming 48-yard field goal with six seconds left to give the Panthers (6-4, 3-3 ACC) the shocking 43-42 win over the No. 2 Clemson Tigers (9-1, 6-1) — perhaps the season’s biggest upset. “I ... 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
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