It won’t be easy against the team that Pat Narduzzi has ranked No. 2 in his weekly Coaches Poll all season, but Pitt will look to upset No. 4 Florida State this weekend nonetheless.
And the attempt will come with some classic uniforms — wearing its gold, blue, gold combination. The uniform combo will include gold helmets that feature the blue Cathedral stripe, blue jerseys with gold numbers and straight gold pants.
Pitt and Syracuse are scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium Saturday afternoon, and for those who cannot make it down, it will be broadcast nationally on ESPN — with a former Panther on the call.
Florida State is coming off a 41-16 win against Wake Forest, the same Demon Deacons squad that knocked Pitt off 21-17 two weeks ago, for reference, and the Seminoles appeared at No. 4 in the first College Football Playoff Poll of the 2023 season Tuesday.
The Seminoles have been nearly impossible to stop this season, leading the ACC in scoring offense on the back of star quarterback Jordan Travis — completing 164-of-207 pass attempts (79.2%) for 2,109 yards with 18 touchdowns and two interceptions and adding 57 carries for 205 yards and six more scores.
Florida State is 8-0, on pace to qualify for the Playoff, and it’s been fueled by a high-flying offense (41.5 points per game) that features elite playmakers in wide receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson and running back Trey Benson.
But a stifling defense (18.3 points per game) features one of the most impactful edge rushers in college football in the form of Jared Verse.
Pitt has only faced off against FSU 10 times over the course of its history, losing an inaugural meeting 31-13 in Tallahassee, Fla. back in 1971. The Seminoles took the first two mashups (1971 and 1972), Pitt took the next two (1974 and 1978).
But after a handful of meetings in the 1980s, three of four going in favor of Pitt, there have only been two meetings since.
Pitt lost a renewal of the series in 2013 in Pittsburgh, and after another break — just seven years this time — Pitt rebounded to take the most recent meeting in 2020.
And funnily enough, Travis was one of three Seminoles to throw interceptions as Kenny Pickett led the Panthers to a 41-17 win at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. It will be much, much tougher facing Travis this time around.
Pitt vs Syracuse is in Ny at Yankee Stadium.