Tag: pittsburgh panthers

Nov 5, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Syracuse Orange defensive back Ja'Had Carter (1) defends a pass intended for Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Jared Wayne (5) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Pitt hands No. 20 Syracuse third straight loss, 19-9

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Rodney Hammond Jr. ran for 124 yards and a touchdown and C’Bo Flemister also rushed for a score Saturday as Pitt snapped a two-game skid with a 19-9 home victory over No. 20 Syracuse.

The Panthers (5-4, 2-3 ACC) overcame nine penalties for 73 yards and two interceptions — one by quarterback Kedon Slovis (16 of 23, 178 yards) and one by wideout Jared Wayne on his only pass attempt.

Standout tailback Sean Tucker ran for just 19 yards on 10 carries for Syracuse (6-3, 3-2), which lost its third straight game. The Orange played without quarterback Garrett Shrader (concussion), with Carlos Del Rio-Wilson going 8 of 23 for 120 yards in his place.

Syracuse dented the scoreboard first, shortly after Ja’Had Carter intercepted Slovis in the end zone. The Orange methodically drove down the field and took a 3-0 lead on Andre Szmyt’s 23-yard field goal — the 12th play of the drive — with 26 seconds left in the first quarter.

Pitt answered back with a touchdown on its next possession as Hammond found the end zone on a 6-yard rush.

The teams then exchanged punts before the Orange got within 7-6 on Szmyt’s 48-yard field goal with 3:44 remaining until intermission. However, the Panthers squeezed in a field goal of their own before halftime, with Ben Sauls booting a 43-yarder in the waning seconds.

Flemister accounted for the only scoring of the third quarter when he registered a 1-yard TD run in the final two minutes of the period. The big play of the possession for the Panthers was a 23-yard pass from Slovis to Wayne (six catches, 102 yards) that set up the hosts with a first-and-goal at the 1.

Szmyt missed a 46-yard field goal early in the fourth, although he did drain a 49-yarder with 4:52 to play to get the visitors within 17-9.

With under two minutes left, Pitt punter Sam Vander Haar pinned Syracuse at its own 1. On the next play, Deslin Alexandre sacked Del Rio-Wilson for the game-clinching safety.

–Field Level Media

Oct 8, 2022; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Brock Domann (19) passes the ball as Virginia Cavaliers linebacker Nick Jackson (6) chases during the second quarter at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Louisville, Pittsburgh meet coming off of successful stretches

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Pittsburgh and host Louisville bring plenty of momentum into play when they square off on Saturday evening.

Both the Panthers (4-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) and the Cardinals (3-3, 1-3) had last weekend off after producing solid wins on Oct. 8. Pittsburgh last visited Louisville in 2011 when the teams played in the Big East. The Panthers won that contest 21-14.

Pittsburgh was the talk of the conference after a 45-29 win at home over hapless Virginia Tech two weeks ago. Israel Abanikanda led that chatter after rushing for 320 yards and scoring six touchdowns, including an 80-yard TD run in the fourth quarter to ice the game.

Abanikanda’s performance broke the program’s single-game rushing record set by Tony Dorsett in 1975 and tied the school and ACC records for touchdowns in a contest. Abanikanda leads the FBS with an average of 186.2 all-purpose yards per game.

Pittsburgh’s two losses, in OT at now-No. 3 Tennessee and to Georgia Tech, are by a combined 12 points.

“Probably the best 60 minutes we’ve put together as a team,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said after the win over Virginia Tech. “I just love the way our kids hang in there, continue to fight and believe. … We’ve got more ACC games to go, and we’ve got to take them one at a time.”

Louisville heads home after ambushing Virginia 34-17 in Charlottesville, Va., in the Cardinals’ most recent outing. Junior Brock Domann made his first career start for the Cardinals, throwing for 275 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 71 yards and another score, racking up his first career passing and rushing TDs.

The Cardinals trailed 10-0 eight minutes into the game but answered with the ensuing 20 points. The Louisville defense shrugged off a ragged start and held Virginia to just 6 rushing yards.

“Our guys settled down in the second quarter, we started making some plays,” Louisville coach Scott Satterfield said. You can’t say enough about the resiliency of our guys, and I’m really proud of them and the way they came out and finished this game.”

Quarterback Malik Cunningham was held out of the Virginia game because of “concussion-like symptoms.” Cunningham’s availability for the Pitt game is to be determined.

–Field Level Media

Oct 8, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Israel Abanikanda (2) runs to score a touchdown against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Israel Abanikanda ties school record as Pittsburgh beats Va. Tech

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Israel Abanikanda tied a school record with six rushing touchdowns and broke Tony Dorsett’s school record with 320 rushing yards as Pittsburgh beat visiting Virginia Tech 45-29 on Saturday.

Abanikanda joined Norman Bill Budd as the only Panther with six rushing touchdowns. Budd achieved the feat in 1910 against Ohio as a quarterback.

Abanikanda also broke Dorsett’s previous mark of 303 rushing yards set Nov. 15, 1975 at home against Notre Dame and became the seventh player in ACC history to run for more than 300 yards. He also tied the ACC record for rushing touchdowns set by Kelvin Bryant in 1981 for North Carolina.

The junior broke Dorsett’s mark on a six-yard gain with 5:35 remaining. His final run was a 16-yard gain on the next play after surpassing Dorsett when he was shaken up and appeared to slightly limp off the field.

Before breaking Dorsett’s record, Abanikanda scored twice in the first half, including the go-ahead 17-yard run with 7:14 left that gave Pittsburgh a 16-14 lead. He added TD runs of 29 yards and five yards in the third quarter to help the Panthers to a 31-16 lead and then scored twice in a span of 2:44 to give Pittsburgh a 45-29 lead after the Hokies cut the deficit to 31-29.

Abanikanda, whose previous career high was four TDs against Rhode Island, finished it off with an 80-yard run with 7:56 left after Virginia Tech kicker William Ross missed a 38-yard field goal.

Abanikanda’s big day helped the Panthers rebound from last week’s disappointing loss to Georgia Tech when he exited in the first half with a shoulder that had him in a sling and put his status against Virginia Tech in doubt.

Kedon Slovis completed 15 of 27 passes for 170 yards as the Panthers (4-2, 1-1 ACC) beat the Hokies for the third straight time.

Grant Wells completed 25 of 47 passes for 277 yards as Virginia Tech (2-3, 1-2) dropped its second straight. Kaleb Smith had nine receptions for 152 yards but was in the medical tent late in the fourth quarter.

Abanikanda reached 177 yards by halftime after Pittsburgh erased an early 16-7 deficit and held a 17-16 lead. He scored his final two touchdowns after Da’Wain Lofton had a 43-yard TD reception with 30 seconds left in the third and Virginia Tech blocked a punt with 13:25 left in the fourth.

–Field Level Media

Sep 24, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) scrambles with the ball against the Rhode Island Rams during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Israel Abanikanda’s four TDs lead No. 24 Pitt past Rhode Island

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Israel Abanikanda rushed for 177 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries as No. 24 Pitt beat visiting Rhode Island 45-24 on Saturday.

Abanikanda, who scored in each quarter, is Pitt’s first rusher with three straight 100-yard games and four touchdowns in a game since Darrin Hall in 2017.

The Panthers (3-1) totaled 460 yards of offense, including 241 in the first half.

With an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter, M.J. Devonshire became the first Panther to return an interception and a punt for a TD in one season since Darrelle Revis in 2006.

Pitt’s Kedon Slovis returned from injury and was 20-for-27 passing for 189 passing yards.

Pitt improved to 8-0 against FCS opponents under coach Pat Narduzzi, a Rhode Island alum. On Saturday, the Panthers played without five starters and lost tight end Gavin Bartholomew (undisclosed) during the game.

For Rhode Island (2-2), Marques DeShields ran for 82 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.

Kasim Hill was 17-of-30 for 223 yards, helping the Rams average 13.1 yards per completion compared with Pitt’s 9.5. Hill connected with Darius Savedge for a 15-yard score in the fourth quarter.

Jake Fire recorded a game-high 13 tackles for Rhode Island.

After a pair of penalties ended the Rams’ first drive, the Panthers scored on Devonshire’s return before their offense touched the ball.

Pitt made the score 14-0 just two plays into its second series when Abanikanda rushed through a seam for a 67-yard score. But the Rams’ DeShields responded with a 63-yard touchdown run less than a minute later.

In the second quarter, Abanikanda’s 12-yard TD run highlighted a 16-play, 82-yard drive that lasted 7:35. Adding to Pitt’s lead, Ben Sauls booted a 31-yard field goal with 3:39 left.

Two penalties helped the Rams extend a 75-yard drive and score on a 1-yard DeShields run in the final minute of the half.

Rhode Island ate up 8:16 of the third-quarter clock during an 18-play drive that ended with Harrison Leonard nailing his first career field goal, from 34 yards with 56 seconds to play.

In the final quarter, Abanikanda ran in from 13 yards, and Vincent Davis added an 18-yard TD run with 1:11 left.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) passes under pressure from Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Roman Harrison (30) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

No. 23 Pitt’s QB situation a mystery for trip to WMU

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Coming off a tough overtime home loss to now-15th ranked Tennessee, No. 23 Pittsburgh will try to rebound as well as gain a measure of revenge Saturday night when the Panthers play at Western Michigan in a nonconference tilt in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Last season, the Broncos stunned the Panthers in Pittsburgh, 44-41, which one of just three losses for Pitt — giving this relatively unusual Power Five at Group of Five contest a little extra juice.

Pittsburgh (1-1) will travel with hopes of earning some payback and keeping its status as a ranked team.

“They do a lot of similar things to us, so it will be some carryover from what our offense sees every day in practice with what they do coverage-wise and front-wise,” Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi said.

Pittsburgh enters 1-1 after a 38-31 win over West Virginia to start the year and the 34-27 overtime loss to Tennessee, when the Panthers squandered a 10-0 lead but then rallied to tie the game late to force overtime.

The big concern for the Panthers this week is the status of starting quarterback Kedon Slovis, who had gotten off to a good start replacing Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett.

Slovis, a highly touted transfer from USC, had completed 30 of 48 passes for 503 yards on the season before an undisclosed injury caused him to miss the second half and overtime against Tennessee.

Backup Nick Patti came and produced 9-of-20 passing for 79 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers. But even Patti appeared to injure his leg early in the fourth quarter, limping noticeably between plays but throwing the tying touchdown pass with 2:23 remaining.

Narduzzi provided no update Monday on the status of Slovis or Patti and said the third-string quarterback remains “unsettled.”

“I’m not talking personnel,” Narduzzi said. “We all know what we know. I know nothing. How about that?”

On the other side, the starting quarterback for Western Michigan will be a familiar face to Pittsburgh fans: Jack Salopek. He is a redshirt freshman who was a record-setting passer at Norwin High School, 20 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

In two games this season, Salopek has completed 46 of 79 passes for 423 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Western Michigan (1-1) opened the season with a 35-13 loss at now-No. 11 Michigan State and a 37-30 victory at Ball State on Saturday.

The Broncos trailed 23-14 with 8:34 remaining in the third quarter before rallying.

“They just kept swinging,” Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester said. “That’s our motto on offense, ‘Keep swinging.’

“We’ve got a new offensive coordinator (Jeff Thorne), we’ve got a new quarterback, we’ve got three new (offensive) linemen, we’ve got new wideouts and it’s going to take time. But we don’t have time. We need it now and they just need to keep swinging and trust the process.”

This will be Western Michigan’s first home game against a Power Five school since 2018, when the Broncos lost to Syracuse, 55-42.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Jaylen McCollough (2) defends Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Konata Mumpfield (14) out of the back of the end-zone during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

No. 24 Tennessee outlasts No. 17 Pitt in OT

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Hendon Hooker threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman in overtime as No. 24 Tennessee defeated host and No. 17 Pittsburgh 34-27 on Saturday.

Hooker finished 27-of-42 passing for 325 yards and two scores, and Tillman caught nine passes for 162 yards for the Volunteers (2-0). Jabari Small also rushed for two touchdowns.

Israel Abanikanda led Pittsburgh (1-1) with 25 carries for a career-high 154 yards and one score. Quarterback Kedon Slovis completed 14 of 24 passes for 195 yards with one touchdown and one interception but was injured and replaced by Nick Patti at the start of the second half.

Patti also was visibly gimpy and finished 9-of-20 for 79 yards and one touchdown.

When the Panthers had their offensive chance in overtime, their drive stalled when Patti was sacked on third down. Patti’s pass fell incomplete on fourth down.

After an early 30-yard field goal by Ben Sauls, the Panthers went ahead 10-0 when Abanikanda scampered for a career-best 76-yard rushing touchdown for a 10-0 lead with 9:00 left in the first quarter.

Tennessee drove 80 yards in 11 plays capped by Small’s 1-yard plunge to close within 10-7 with 1:02 remaining in the first.

Pittsburgh struck back quickly early in the second and regained a 17-7 lead when Slovis connected with Gavin Bartholomew on a 57-yard touchdown pass.

The Volunteers responded on their next drive when Bru McCoy caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Hooker to cut the deficit to 17-14.

Then with 4:56 to go in the second, Small scored from the 1 for a 21-17 advantage. Tillman’s 61-yard reception set up the score.

Chase McGrath tacked on a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give Tennessee a 24-17 lead at halftime.

Pittsburgh blocked a punt in the third quarter but the ensuing drive quickly stalled and Sauls missed a 36-yard field goal with 5:17 left. It was his second miss of the third quarter.

Sauls finally connected, this time from 35 yards out, to close the Panthers within 24-20 with 14:07 remaining.

McGrath booted a 51-yard field goal with 8:57 to go and the Volunteers moved back ahead by seven, 27-20.

Pittsburgh tied the game at 27 when Patti tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to Jared Wayne with 2:23 left.

–Field Level Media

Nov 27, 2021; Syracuse, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) and Syracuse Orange defensive back Eric Coley (34) in the third quarter at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Stars to sit as No. 10 Michigan State meets No. 12 Pitt in Peach Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Peach Bowl had a nice matchup, complete with marquee offensive stars, when it announced that No. 10 Michigan State would be facing No. 12 Pittsburgh on Dec. 30.

But then the teams’ star players opted out of the game to guard against injury and to prepare for the NFL draft.

Michigan State (10-2) won’t have premier running back Kenneth Walker III, recipient of the Doak Walker and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards.

Pittsburgh (11-2) will be without Kenny Pickett, potentially the top quarterback prospect in the draft.

Their now-former college teams will still face each other Thursday night at Atlanta.

Walker finished the regular season with 1,636 rushing yards (136.3 yards per game), ranking second in the country.

“He always gave us everything he had,” coach Mel Tucker said. “He’s a tremendous player and a difference maker and that’s reflected in the awards he did receive. … If it’s not in their best interests to play, I’m going to support them.”

Pickett exploded onto the national scene in his senior season, throwing for 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns while leading the Panthers to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. He finished third in Heisman Trophy voting, three spots above Walker.

“I can’t help it if guys end up opting out,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “Everybody’s got to make a decision on their own, but bowl games are outstanding for the team, the coaches and the families. It’s part of the game everybody should enjoy.”

The Spartans likely will replace Walker with a combination of running backs, including Jordon Simmons and Elijah Collins.

They also have a solid passing attack behind quarterback Payton Thorne, whose 24 touchdown passes are one shy of the school’s single-season record (set by Kirk Cousins in 2011). Wide receiver Jayden Reed caught eight of those scoring passes, while his 53 receptions averaged 17.9 yards per catch.

Tucker might also get some freshmen and sophomores ready for next season.

“There’s going to be opportunities to give more reps to some younger players,” he said. “Some guys who maybe haven’t played as much, they’ll show up in the game.”

Tucker was rewarded with a 10-year, $95-million extension after his second season at Michigan State. After a 2-5 mark in the pandemic-wracked 2020 campaign, the Spartans won their first eight games of 2021, capped by a triumph over archrival and eventual Big Ten-champion Michigan.

Losses to Purdue (40-29) and Ohio State (56-7) prevented them from reaching the Big Ten Championship Game but they ended the season with a 30-27 victory over Penn State.

“People are taking note of what we’re doing here at East Lansing,” Tucker said. “The tide is turning and we’re moving in the right direction.”

Pittsburgh’s losses came against Miami and nonconference opponent Western Michigan. The Panthers finished strong, winning their last five games, including a 45-21 romp past Wake Forest in the ACC Championship Game.

Nick Patti will get the start at quarterback in place on Pickett.

“Nick is a guy that this entire room trusts,” Narduzzi said. “He’s a good football player. He can throw the ball. … We’re excited to see what Nick (can do). It’s his time in this game to show everybody who he is.”

Patti attempted only 14 passes this season but completed 12 of them for 140 yards.

He’ll have Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison as a prime target. The sophomore wideout caught 93 passes for 1,479 yards and a national-best 17 TDs.

One common opponent is Miami: Michigan State handled the Hurricanes in Miami on Sept. 18, 38-17; the Panthers lost at home against Miami, 38-34, on Oct. 30.

–Field Level Media

Nov 20, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) warms up before the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Stakes high for No. 15 Pittsburgh, No. 16 Wake Forest in ACC title game

Posted on | by Field Level Media

There should be no shortage of offense when No. 15 Pittsburgh and No. 16 Wake Forest meet in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday night in Charlotte, N.C.

So whichever team’s defense figures out how to make an impact might turn out in the best shape in a matchup of 10-2 teams that made rapid rises this season.

Wake Forest is third nationally in scoring at 42.9 points per game. Pittsburgh is next at 42.8. This is the first ACC championship game with two teams averaging more than 40 points apiece.

“I kind of hope that we can get a few stops,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “It will be hard.”

The Pittsburgh defense has improved weekly, coach Pat Narduzzi said.

“A lot of points are going to be scored,” Narduzzi said. “We’re going to try to eliminate the scoring (from Wake Forest) and try to score at least one more point than Wake Forest does.”

Pittsburgh has its first 10-win regular season since 1981. Wake Forest has reached a double-digit win total for the second time.

Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett was selected as the All-ACC first-team quarterback. Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman was the second-team choice.

“We’ve been saying every week is a championship (and) now we’re finally in the big one,” Pickett said.

With 40 touchdown throws this year, Pickett is one shy of the single-season ACC record held by former Clemson player Deshaun Watson. Teammate Jordan Addison leads the country with 17 touchdown catches.

“It’s not just (Pickett), and he’d probably be the first person to say that,” Clawson said. “But he is certainly the engine that makes them go.”

In the last nine games, Hartman has thrown for 3,020 yards and 28 touchdowns passes.

“Our secondary is going to have to be on their toes,” Narduzzi said. “They’re where they are for a reason. They do it their way. They do it the Wake Forest way.”

Pittsburgh and Wake Forest have met just once previously, the Panthers posting a 34-13 road victory in 2018 to secure the Coastal Division title that day. Pickett threw for three touchdowns in that game.

Wake Forest unseated Clemson as the Atlantic Division representative for the title game. The reason the Demon Deacons, who lost to Clemson just two weeks ago, gained that spot was a one-game difference in the standings on North Carolina State and Clemson. That margin resulted, in part, from Clemson’s loss at Pittsburgh.

Now, the stakes will be even higher.

“You certainly want to appreciate the moment you’re in,” Wake Forest linebacker Luke Masterson said. “But at the same time, you want to take that same approach you’ve taken all year.”

Clawson said having a breakout season was possible when assessing the situation in the preseason. Contending for a championship became a reality.

“That’s the goal every year,” Clawson said. “To have a year like this you have to be a little bit fortunate. That fortune comes in winning close games. I think we won those close games because of our maturity and our ability to execute.”

Wake Forest won in 2006 in its only previous appearance in the ACC title game, defeating Georgia Tech in Jacksonville, Fla. Pittsburgh’s other appearance in the championship game came in 2018, when it lost to Clemson.

Wake Forest played at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium with limited capacity to end the 2020 season with a bowl loss to Wisconsin.

–Field Level Media

Nov 6, 2021; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) throws downfield during the second quarter against the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-USA TODAY Sports

Kenny Pickett powers No. 25 Pittsburgh past Duke

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kenny Pickett threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns to lead 25th-ranked Pittsburgh to a 54-29 win over Duke on Saturday in an ACC contest in Durham, N.C.

Jordan Addison caught seven passes for 171 yards and a touchdown for Pitt (7-2, 4-1), which bounced back from a 38-34 loss to Miami last week and stayed on top of the ACC Coastal Division standings.

Rodney Hammond Jr. rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown and Jared Wayne reeled in five receptions for 81 yards for the Panthers.

Gunnar Holmberg completed 16 of 23 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown for Duke (3-5, 0-5), which has lost five straight games.

Leading 30-19 at halftime, Pitt scored on the first drive of the second half after Pickett connected on a 29-yard pass to Gavin Bartholomew.

After Duke cut its deficit to 37-22 on a field goal, the Panthers answered with 4:36 left in the third quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Addison.

Duke closed to within 44-29 with 13:41 remaining on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Riley Leonard to Mateo Durant.

But the Blue Devils couldn’t get any closer the rest of the game.

Pitt jumped out to a 7-0 lead with 7:09 remaining in the first quarter on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Pickett to Wayne. Duke scored the next 12 points to take a 12-7 lead, the last of those points being a 32-yard touchdown pass from Holmberg to Jalon Calhoun with 1:16 left in the first.

Pitt took a 14-12 lead with 11:59 remaining in the second quarter on a 47-yard touchdown pass from Pickett to Addison. Duke regained the lead at 19-14 when Jaylen Stinson returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown.

The Panthers controlled the rest of the second quarter from there, outscoring Duke 16-0 to take a 30-19 lead at halftime.

–Field Level Media