Hundreds and hundreds of Pitt students filed into Acrisure Stadium right when the gates opened at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, immediately making for the south end zone.
Hundreds turned into thousands, and thousands turned into thousands and thousands of Pitt students completely filling up the student section well before kickoff, with the overflow of students filling up multiple sections on the home side of the upper bowl.
It’s safe to say that the students showed out against Wofford.
“The Panther Pitt is unbelievable,” Pat Narduzzi said Thursday. “And I think they’re gonna be even better. It’s 6:30, we had to wake them up a little earlier last Saturday, but the Panther Pitt was unbelievable. We appreciate them. We appreciate all the fans.
“The fans — even last week — were really, really good, and it’s gotten better every year. At the bonfire the other day, I talked about the last three years they’ve been — the three classes, those people that have been here the last couple of years, have been unbelievable. So, I think that support continues to grow.”
It’s the continuation of the Panther Pitt’s prominence in Acrisure Stadium/Heinz Field over the last few seasons, with thousands and thousands of Pitt students filling the stadium in support of the Panthers — and it should only get bigger against Cincinnati this weekend.
And it’s a further continuation of Pitt students showing up across the board for athletics. The Oakland Zoo was one of, if not the best, student sections in college basketball last season as Pitt advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
The talk of attendance at Pitt sporting events, football games in particular, is overblown, but the students have filled Acrisure Stadium consistently over the last handful of seasons, and it’s certainly noticed by Narduzzi and the players. And the student section being moved to the end zone was an excellent way to showcase the commitment of Pitt students.
After a standout showing for the home opener against Wofford, a semi-night game in the renewal of the River City Rivalry should draw even greater numbers across the board.
Pitt and Cincinnati are scheduled to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium Saturday.
