‘A different cat’: Pitt’s confidence in QB Mason Heintschel high at critical point in season
Kade Bell distinctly remembers when he became 100% sold on Mason Heintschel. It was following a spring practice in 2024 when the Panthers hosted Heintschel, then approaching his senior season at Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio. Heintschel, despite attracting zero Power Four offers besides Pitt, stuck out to Bell...
1st road trip, hostile West Virginia crowd to present new tests for Pitt basketball
To varying degrees, the majority of Jeff Capel’s Pitt basketball roster is experiencing a learning curve as it pertains to being successful players in the ACC. For sophomore guard Nojus Indrusaitis, that entails getting acclimated to more of a starring role after being used sparingly as a freshman at Iowa...
Pitt striving to block out the ‘hoopla,’ hype of upcoming showdown with Notre Dame
ESPN’s “College GameDay” choosing Pittsburgh as its broadcast location this weekend reflects brightly on the position Pitt occupies as it pertains to chasing an ACC title game berth and a College Football Playoff appearance. Both are in play for the No. 23 Panthers (7-2, 5-1 ACC), whereas No. 9 Notre...
Fast start, balanced offense propel Pitt over Eastern Michigan as Panthers stay perfect
Through the first two games of the season, a fast start had eluded Pitt, which still managed to beat Youngstown State and Longwood despite uneven efforts. But by the end of Monday’s contest at Petersen Events Center, a 78-66 triumph over Eastern Michigan, coach Jeff Capel could preach to his...
Pat Narduzzi confident Pitt is ready to meet the moment vs. ‘America’s team’ Notre Dame
Given the pedigree of Notre Dame football and Pitt’s own history of playing the Fighting Irish dating to 1930, Saturday’s showdown between the teams was not one requiring any manufactured hype. By nature of Pitt and Notre Dame being in the hunt for College Football Playoff berths, with the Panthers...
‘College GameDay’ coming to Pittsburgh as Panthers prepare to host Notre Dame
What already was set to be an important game on a big stage Saturday at Acrisure Stadium got even bigger Sunday, as ESPN’s “College GameDay” will broadcast live from the North Shore in advance of Pitt’s noon kickoff against Notre Dame. The No. 24 Panthers (7-2, 5-1 ACC) and No....
Panthers find their mark from beyond the arc, using 3-pointers to pull away from Longwood
An ugly first half only got uglier when Pitt went to the foul line with frequency, as the Panthers struggled to make free throws by missing eight of their first 12 attempts. So, they took a few steps back. Propelled by the long-distance shooting of Damarco Minor and Brandin Cummings...
Pitt challenging ‘really nice guy’ Barry Dunning Jr. to play angry on hardwood
Jeff Capel holds the character and personality of Barry Dunning Jr. in very high esteem. During his brief time at Pitt so far, Dunning has proven to be easygoing and unproblematic. But if Dunning is to help the Panthers get where Capel wants them to go this season, the transfer...
Pitt coaches challenge Mason Heintschel to further elevate game, learn from mistakesVideo
Late in the third quarter of Pitt’s eventual 35-20 win over Stanford, the Panthers were at the goal line looking to pile it on even more against the Cardinal. In the shotgun, after faking a handoff up the middle to Ja’Kyrian Turner, quarterback Mason Heintschel rolled to his right, with...
Ohio State gets top billing in opening College Football Playoff rankings; Indiana, Texas A&M next
Ohio State received top billing in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season Tuesday, followed by Indiana, Texas A&M and Alabama. The top three head into the final four weeks of the regular season undefeated. Another team with no losses, BYU of the Big 12, was ranked seventh....
Pitt checks in at No. 24 in 1st College Football Playoff rankings
A five-game win streak proved insufficient to get Pitt into the most recent AP Top 25 or coaches poll, but the College Football Playoff selection committee viewed the Panthers in a more positive light. In the first CFP rankings of the season Tuesday evening, Pitt came in at No. 24....
Pitt flips Virginia Tech LB/edge Joshua Pittman for 21st Class of 2026 commitment
Pitt flipped an outside linebacker/edge from Virginia Tech on Monday evening, bringing coach Pat Narduzzi’s Class of 2026 up to 21 verbal commitments. Joshua Pittman, a native of Suffolk, Va., had pledged to the Hokies over the spring but visited Pitt officially in October, per 247Sports. A 6-foot-3, 210-pound player...
Behind Cam Corhen’s double-double, Pitt cruises to season-opening win over Youngstown State
Two exhibitions provided coach Jeff Capel’s retooled Pitt basketball roster a few tune-ups during the preseason, but Monday at Petersen Events Center, it was time to play a game that counted. Youngstown State of the Horizon League, having been selected to finish fourth in the conference, was Pitt’s season-opening foe....
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi puts bow on Stanford win, discusses crowded field of ACC contenders
Following a long return trip home from Stanford, Pat Narduzzi didn’t wake up Sunday morning feeling like Pitt had put its best effort together against the Cardinal. While the Panthers cruised to a comfortable enough 35-20 victory and recorded three interceptions, Pitt still lost the turnover battle, as quarterback Mason...
Kickoff time, TV details announced for Pitt’s home game vs. Notre Dame
In the first of three pivotal consecutive games to conclude the regular season, Pitt hosts No. 10 Notre Dame on Nov. 15 at Acrisure Stadium. That contest will be a noon kickoff, televised nationally on ABC or ESPN, the ACC announced Monday. The Panthers (7-2, 5-1 ACC) will head into...
Analysis: Ahead of ACC title chase, final bye couldn’t come at more opportune time for PittVideo
The ACC’s schedule-makers did Pitt a favor (in multiple regards, as it would turn out) by placing the team’s second and final bye after Week 10. For one, the Panthers can relax on their way back across the country from Stanford, which they defeated 35-20 on Saturday for a fifth...
Stage set for Pitt freshman guard Omari Witherspoon to contribute early
In Pitt’s preseason exhibitions against Providence and Pitt-Johnstown, as coach Jeff Capel looked to get an initial glance at his retooled Panthers squad, he utilized essentially the same starters twice. But one particular tweak was notable, in true freshman guard Omari Witherspoon entering the lineup at tip-off against the Mountain...
In coach Chandler McCabe’s 2nd season, Robert Morris women expected to contend for Horizon title
In one season, Robert Morris women’s basketball coach Chandler McCabe went from simply trying to get a once-proud program back on its feet to steering a league championship contender. A late-season surge boosted the Colonials from a 1-7 Horizon League record to 10-10. RMU even won its Horizon tournament opener....
Pitt commits 4 turnovers but still beats Stanford handily for 5th straight win
Injuries, cross-country travel or looking ahead to three upcoming ranked matchups in a row all could have been reasons Pitt might stub a toe Saturday at Stanford. While the Panthers once again missed some key players and did have to deal with a long road trip, they got the job...
Pitt to be shorthanded once again at Stanford, with several players sidelined by injury
Pitt’s final ACC player availability report was submitted ahead of kickoff Saturday afternoon at Stanford. Once again, the Panthers (6-2, 4-1 ACC) will be shorthanded, specifically on defense, as they aim for their fifth straight win. Linebackers Rasheem Biles and Nick Lapi were ruled out on Friday night’s report, along...
‘Compete every possession’: Jeff Capel lays out new-look Pitt’s blueprint for success
The preseason is all but over, no more exhibitions remain and from now on, when Pitt takes the court, a tally in the win or loss column will follow. But who is this 2025-26 Panthers team that prepares to begin its campaign Monday at Petersen Events Center against Youngstown State?...
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi downplays travel challenges heading into game at Stanford
Cross-country travel is a byproduct of conference realignment, with several schools having joined new leagues despite a lack of geographical attachments. For example, only such shuffling could have Oregon playing a conference game at Penn State in late September, followed by the Nittany Lions traveling (and losing to) UCLA the...
Pitt’s Kavir Bains-Marquez earns honorary ‘Shark’ status after deputizing at linebacker
When Kavir Bains-Marquez stuffed N.C. State’s Wesley Grimes for a loss of 3 yards last weekend, he couldn’t help but toss up a shark fin gesture in celebration. At first glance, it may have seemed odd for Bains-
Marquez, a free safety, to hijack the imagery exclusively utilized by Pitt’s linebackers,...
First Call: Why Aaron Rodgers is suddenly backing Pitt; J.J. Watt’s rough outlook for Steelers vs. Colts
Thursday’s “First Call” reveals why Aaron Rodgers is throwing his support behind Pitt. J.J. Watt explains why the “vibes” might not be great for his brother’s defense in Pittsburgh. Logan Cooley discusses his new contract in Utah. And we look at some quirks for the Penguins’ next opponent Thursday night....
Blocking chatter about his future, Mason Heintschel focused on chasing ACC title with PittVideo
Mason Heintschel’s first collegiate start likely wasn’t even over before a chorus of speculation began as to where Pitt’s true freshman quarterback would transfer or which programs would be lining up to poach him at the earliest opportunity. Within the framework of college athletics in 2025, such a response was...
