Connect with us

Pitt Football

Pitt Rises in the AP Poll After a Week Off

Published

on

Pitt football

Pitt didn’t play over the weekend, but the Panthers are still rising in the AP Poll. The Panthers rose a spot to No. 19.

The AP Poll has Miami as the highest-ranked ACC school, checking in at sixth. Clemson (ninth), Pitt (19th) and SMU (22nd) are also ranked. Syracuse received votes.

The Coaches Poll also ranks Miami as the top school in the ACC, moving up to No. 5, and Clemson (ninth), Pitt (19th) and SMU (22nd) are also ranked. Syracuse and Duke received votes.

Pitt is 6-0 for the first time since 1982, one of the two undefeated schools in the ACC, and the Panthers are riding a high that hasn’t been felt since the ACC title-winning season in 2021.

Pat Narduzzi was happy with the most recent win against Cal, and the way his squad found a way to win with a lackluster performance from the typically high-scoring offense, but he’s well aware it wasn’t a complete game. He doesn’t think Pitt has played a complete game all season.

“I don’t know if there ever has been a complete game,” Narduzzi said Saturday night. “I wish — we strive for perfection and we’ll take excellence. It’s never going to be perfect. There’s too many guys on scholarship out there, and it’s never going to be perfect. That’s why you’ve just got to play one play at a time, not look at the scoreboard and just try to win every play. Every play matters.”

Pitt mustered just 17 points and 277 yards of offense against the Golden Bears. Eli Holstein wasn’t sharp, looking like a freshman quarterback for the first time in his brief career, but Pitt found a way to win.

Desmond Reid racked up 139 all-purpose yards and both touchdowns, and the defense clamped down on Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the Bears in the second half — racking up six sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

“So, it didn’t happen today for us offensively, it just — sometimes when it rains, it pours,” Narduzzi said. “But we’ll learn from our mistakes on offense today, and again, it’s just great to maybe not play well on offense and find a way to get a win. Defense played lights out.”

Pitt is back in action this week, hosting Syracuse Thursday night at Acrisure Stadium. It’s a quick start to the second half of the season.

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
Click to comment
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Get PSN in your inbox!

Enter your email and get all of our posts delivered straight to your inbox.

 
Like Pittsburgh Sports Now on Facebook!
Send this to a friend