Recap: Pitt Destroys Youngstown State in Non-Conference Finale

PITTSBURGH — Pitt did exactly what it needed to do against Youngstown State. Win the football game… by a whole lot of points.

Pitt exploded offensively against YSU, racking up points and yards at a historic pace no matter who was in the lineup, in a 73-17 win Saturday afternoon to conclude non-conference play undefeated for the first time in program history.

Holstein was as good a dual-threat quarter that Pitt has had in quite some time, completing 16-of-24 pass attempts (67%) for 247 yards and three touchdowns. And if not for sacks, he would’ve been well over the century mark, finishing with 93 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. Even Nate Yarnell led a couple of scoring drives of his own.

It was a pretty good Homecoming Game for the Panthers, and it couldn’t have started any faster.

Pitt scored a touchdown on all six of its first half possessions, fueled by an electric afternoon from Eli Holstein. He’s looked good in his brief time as the Pitt starter, but he was almost flawless against the Penguins.

Pitt won the opening toss, took the football and drove 80 yards for an opening touchdown — a 6-yard toss to Poppi Williams on 3rd-and-goal, his shallow crosser leaving him wide open in the flat. And it didn’t take the Panthers long to score again, the first of two Daniel Carter touchdowns in the first half pushing the lead to 14. The Panthers scored again five minutes later, Holstein himself diving into the end zone this time.

Youngstown State broke its scoring drought early in the second quarter, courtesy of a 46-yard field goal from YSU kicker Andrew Lastkova.

But Pitt just continued to pour it on. After scoring a touchdown on all three of its first quarter possessions, the Panthers did it again in the second quarter. Holstein methodically picked apart the YSU defense on the next Panthers’ possession, hitting multiple 25-yard throws before connecting with Kenny Johnson for a 10-yard score — after dropping the snap, no less.

Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis (9) September 21. 2024 Photo by David Hague/PSN

Kyle Louis got the ball back to the offense again quickly, picking off YSU quarterback Beau Brungard along the sideline, and Carter set another career-long carry with a 43-yard touchdown rumble to make it 35-3.

Youngstown State finally found the end zone at the end of the first half, a 25-yard screen to YSU wideout Cyrus Traugh on 3rd-and-7 moving the sticks and picking up a touchdown. But Pitt answered quickly, capping the half with an 82-yard touchdown strike to Censere Lee on the first play of the drive.

Pitt entered the half with a 42-10 lead, the most points in a half since scoring 42 against Georgia Tech in 2021.

YSU started the second half stronger, driving 60 yards before Louis forced a fumble by YSU running back Ethan Wright, which was recovered by Rashad Battle. And the Penguins drove 47 yards on their next possession, helped by a blown coverage on the 44-yard touchdown toss to Traugh.

But as was the case in the first half, YSU couldn’t stop Holstein and the Panthers. Ben Sauls stayed perfect on the season with a 49-yard field goal midway through the third quarter, and Holstein followed it up with another touchdown drive — taking off for a 49-yard scamper up the middle of the field to the YSU 2 and finishing the drive with a 2-yard rushing touchdown.

Holstein played three full quarters before giving way to Nate Yarnell, who led a touchdown drive upon entering the game — capped by a 13-yard screen to Carter for a touchdown.

The second-team defense even got in on the action, picking off YSU backup quarterback Max Blanc deep in Penguins’ territory. Tamarion Crumpley secured a poor throw along the sideline and raced 22 yards back to the end zone to crack the 60-point plateau. And the Panthers cracked the 70-point plateau with a 57-yard touchdown run by Che Nwabuko late in the fourth quarter.

Pitt enters the bye week at 4-0, undefeated in non-conference play for the first time in program history. The Panthers will next play on Oct. 5, traveling to Chapel Hill, N.C. to kick off conference play against North Carolina.