Pitt is 5-0 for the first time since 1991, and while the Panthers aren’t ranked (yet), they’re starting to garner some College Football Playoff consideration.
Pitt has won three Power Four games this season (against ACC and Big 12 foes), and the schedule breaks favorably for the Panthers over the second half of the season. The only ranked game the rest of the way could be against Clemson next month.
ESPN asked its college football writers to project the 12-team College Football Playoff after Week 6, and one writer included Pitt.
Bill Connolly projected Pitt as an at-large 11th seed, and the Panthers would play No. 6 Oregon in the first round in that scenario. He included Miami as the conference winner and Clemson as another at-large.
Bill Bender of Sporting News didn’t include Pitt in his projected 12-team Playoff but did include the Panthers as a bubble team.
“The Panthers are the last Power 4 unbeaten team on this list, and that puts them on the bubble,” Bender wrote. “Pitt is 5-0 for the first time since 1991, and Eli Holstein has won his first five starts. SMU also is a team to watch in that ACC race.”
Pitt will play Cal, Syracuse, Virginia and Clemson at home while taking on SMU, Louisville and Boston College on the road.
Pitt, as of the most recent AP Poll (which will be updated today at 2 p.m.), is the only unranked unbeaten now. But that should change when the AP Poll and Coaches Poll are released later today.
Pat Narduzzi isn’t worried about being ranked or looking ahead to the rest of the season though; he’s focused on Cal coming to town next weekend.
“Worried about Cal,” Pat Narduzzi said Saturday afternoon. “You know, we were breaking down on beat Cal in the locker room before the dancing and celebration goes on. But we’re on to the next, we’ll enjoy this for the evening and then tomorrow morning get back to work, work on the next.”
Pitt is undefeated largely because of an offense that’s scoring 45.6 points per game and averaging 522.2 yards per game — both of which are top six in all of FBS football. Eli Holstein has completed 113-of-172 pass attempts (65.7%) for 1,567 yards with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions — adding 265 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Desmond Reid has been an all-around weapon, racking up 62 carries for 347 yards and a touchdown, 24 receptions for 322 yards and four touchdowns and a 78-yard punt return touchdown.
The Pitt defense hasn’t met its lofty standards yet this season, allowing 25.2 points per game, but the unit has stepped up when it’s mattered late in games. The Panthers forced four turnover on downs against UNC.
Pitt will be back in action this weekend at Acrisure Stadium, hosting a Cal squad that suffered a controversial loss to Miami Saturday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
It’s abut time Pitt is ranked. The Panthers are deserving of recognition. And They have a QB who could win the Heisman Trophy on more than one occassion. No?