Pat Narduzzi didn’t allow his program to dwell upon a brutal loss to Syracuse at Yankee Stadium last weekend, not with a quick turnaround against Boston College in the cards.
“We flipped that chapter as fast as you can flip it, try to get our guys fresh,” Narduzzi said Monday at his weekly press conference. “Practiced on Sunday night as well as today, this morning, and worried about Boston College and a tough football team that Jeff Hafley brings in here.
“He’s a great coach, good friend, and again, he’s got a really good team that’s playing well. Obviously coming off a loss to Virginia Tech last week, and again, one of the top rushing offenses in the country, as if we didn’t need to face another good rushing team.”
Pitt and Boston College are kicking off Thursday night at 7 p.m., just after the scheduled Senior Night festivities, and for those who will not be in attendance, ESPN will be on the call.
Pitt opened as a home underdog at the beginning of the week, but for whatever reason, the line has shifted to now favor the Panthers as a 3-point favorite on Senior Night, according to DraftKings.
Pitt will rock its blue uniforms against the Eagles, wearing gold helmets with a blue Cathedral stripe and script, blue jerseys with gold numbers and blue pants with a gold Cathedral stripe down each leg.
Boston College rebounded off a poor season (and a poor start to this season) in a solid way, currently 6-4 and in position to head back to a bowl game.
BC rattled off wins over Virginia, Army, Georgia Tech, UConn and Syracuse before being smoked by Virginia Tech at home over the weekend. The five-game win streak gave the Eagles the chance to hit eight wins this season for the first time since 2009.
Thomas Castellanos took over the Boston College quarterback job earlier this season, and he’s thrown for 1,824 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while adding 806 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, in what has become a solid rushing offense.
Pitt and Boston College haven’t met for a handful of seasons now, not since a 31-30 loss at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass., but Pitt does hold the all-time series lead.
The Panthers are 17-15 all-time against the Eagles, dating back to an inaugural win in Boston way back in 1959. After losing two back-to-back games in 1970 and 1971, Pitt won eight straight matchups into the early 80s.
Boston College was the better team in the 1990s, losing just twice, but Pitt is 5-3 since the turn of the century. However, the Eagles did win the last two matchups in 2019 and 2020.
The modest rivalry will resume once again this week, in a game that will pit Pitt quarterback/tight end hybrid Phil Jurkovec and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. against their old team.
Narduzzi said Monday that Jurkovec will see if the field if he’s able to help Pitt win the football game.
Television — ESPN
Matt Barrie (play-by-play)
Dan Mullen (analyst)
Harry Lyles Jr. (reporter)
Radio — 93.7 The Fan, Pitt Panthers Radio Network
Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play)
Pat Bostick (analyst)
Larry Richert and Dorin Dickerson (reporters)
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
Channels 161 or 193 or on the SiriusXM app
WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) — 92.1 FM
