Pitt is headed down to Chapel Hill, N.C. this weekend, but for those who don’t make the trip, a national broadcast will help with that.
Pitt will be back on ESPN coming out of the bye week, with an ESPN2 broadcast for the second time this season. Roy Philpott will handle play-by-play duties, former NFL linebacker Sam Acho will serve as his analyst and Taylor Davis will report from the sideline.
Bill Hillgrove — in his 51st season as the voice of the Pitt Panthers — will handle play-by-play duties on 93.7 the Fan and the Pitt Radio Network, with Pat Bostick serving as his analyst and Larry Richert and Dorin Dickerson reporting from the field at Kenan Memorial Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for noon, already the third noon kickoff of the season following a 2023 season in which the Panthers received just one.
Pitt has an opportunity to go into Chapel Hill, N.C. and make another statement — winning its first game on the road against UNC in program history. The Panthers are 0-7 all-time in Chapel Hill. A win, after a week to prepare, would set the Panthers up for a strong second half of the schedule.
It appears to be a good matchup for the Panthers, too. North Carolina is coming off a 70-50 loss to JMU two weeks ago and a 20-point blown lead against Duke this weekend, which led to reports surfacing that head coach Mack Brown could be considering stepping down. Regardless, it’s a big opportunity for offensive coordinator Kade Bell and the offense.
Pitt is 5-11 all-time against North Carolina, dating back to an inaugural 45-29 loss in Chapel Hill, N.C. in 1974. The Tar Heels won six straight one-score games between 2013-18.
Pitt has lost two in a row against UNC, including a 41-24 loss to the Tar Heels last season in which former quarterback Phil Jurkovec got hurt and the Panthers collapsed in the second half.
Pitt is coming off the bye week, and for the first time in a while, the Panthers are undefeated. But Pat Narduzzi certainly isn’t looking ahead to a potential bowl game right now.
“It doesn’t really matter,” Pat Narduzzi said after the YSU win. “You think about it, it’s 4-0, one at a time. North Carolina is the only thing on my mind right now is where we are there. I guess first time in history of Pitt football that we’re undefeated in the preseason (non-conference), and preseason is over now.
“We’re moving to ACC play and North Carolina, they’re on the clock for us, and we’ve got two weeks to prepare and get fresh and get ready to roll.”
Pitt is still 4-0 for the first time since 2000, going undefeated in non-conference play for the first time in program history, and the vibes in Pittsburgh are pretty good — even for Narduzzi.
Television — ESPN2
Roy Philpott (play-by-play)
Sam Acho (analyst)
Taylor Davis (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 381 or on the SiriusXM app
WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) — 92.1 FM
