Pat Narduzzi has at least 1 area of confidence coming off Pitt’s loss at WVU
Whenever a college football team drops a game in a way Pitt lost at West Virginia, the topic invariably comes up about how the players will — or won’t — bounce back emotionally when they have to take the field next time out. For Pitt, that’ll be Saturday against Louisville...
ACC moving to 9-game football schedule starting next year, aligning with rest of Power Four peers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Atlantic Coast Conference is moving to a nine-game league schedule for football while having teams play at least 10 games against power-conference opponents, though there will be variables due to the league’s odd number of football-playing member schools. Commissioner Jim Phillips announced the decision in a...
Pitt flushes West Virginia loss, prepares for undefeated Louisville’s arrival
Washing away the sour taste of Pitt’s overtime defeat in the 108th Backyard Brawl will be easier said than done for Panthers fans, who have to wait until 2029 for the next crack at West Virginia. Whatever disappointment exists among program supporters, internally, the sting of the 31-24 loss is...
Pitt to retire Aaron Donald’s No. 97 jersey when Notre Dame visits Acrisure StadiumVideo
In 135 years of fielding a football team, dating to the 1890 Western University of Pennsylvania squad, Pitt has retired the numbers of just 10 program alums. On Monday, the Panthers announced that exclusive club would gain a member. On Nov. 15 against Notre Dame, Aaron Donald’s No. 97 will...
Pitt football pioneer Bobby Grier honored at History Center program
On Jan. 2, 1956, college football fans gathered at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. They were there to watch the annual Sugar Bowl, played between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, but they also got to witness history. It was the first ever racially integrated...
Analysis: Examining Pitt at the bye in all 3 phases
It’s unsurprising that Pitt’s collapse in the Backyard Brawl is being viewed by fans as a harbinger of more poor results to follow. The Panthers’ 31-24 defeat to their hated rival was doubtless deflating, while the manner in which Pitt lost did much to erode confidence in the team’s long-term...
Hall of Fame QB Dan Marino speaks out on quiet battle with liver disease
NFL Hall of Fame quarterback and Pittsburgh native Dan Marino is opening up about his battle with liver disease for the past 18 years. In a new awareness campaign, Marino said he was diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, in 2007. “Anytime you get diagnosed with something, you’re surprised,”...
First Call: How this week’s QB injuries impact the Steelers; George Pickens comments on playing with Kenny PickettVideo
“First Call” for Tuesday looks at how all those quarterback injuries over the weekend may impact the Pittsburgh Steelers. A former Pitt standout is dealing with an injury of his own. A new Steeler scouts their upcoming opponent in the pocket this week. And George Pickens has a curious quote....
Pitt announces TV details, kickoff time for ACC conference opener vs. Louisville
Pitt’s Sept. 27 home game vs. Louisville at Acrisure Stadium will kick off at noon and be broadcast nationally on ESPN or ESPN2, the ACC announced Monday. Following this week’s bye, the Panthers (2-1) begin conference play vs. the Cardinals (2-0), who host Bowling Green this weekend. Pitt last hosted...
Analysis: Pitt has soul-searching to do during bye week with ACC goals still aheadVideo
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — After Pitt’s deflating overtime defeat in the Backyard Brawl, quarterback Eli Holstein told reporters that, despite the loss, the Panthers’ goals were still achievable. Namely, Holstein referred to competing for an ACC championship. “We still have our whole ACC schedule ahead of us,” he said after Pitt...
WVU crowd, coach Rodriguez revel in Mountaineers’ victory in Backyard Brawl
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia’s disdain for Pitt was evident at virtually every corner before, during and after Saturday’s Backyard Brawl, where an overflow crowd of mainly WVU fans crammed into Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium to witness a classic comeback victory by the Mountaineers. Think Pitt’s home at...
West Virginia ties score late, shocks Pitt with OT win in Backyard Brawl
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — More than enough Backyard Brawls (108 after Saturday’s contest at Milan Puskar Stadium, to be exact) have been played to confidently make some generalizations about Pitt and West Virginia’s historic rivalry. A good rule of thumb for when the Panthers and Mountaineers meet is to expect the...
Backyard Brawl gives Pitt, West Virginia opportunity to settle longstanding rivalry
Jonathan Crum — a die-hard West Virginia fan — never misses a Backyard Brawl. “This has always been probably the highlight of the year,” he said. “I’ve been to every game in Morgantown since probably 1989.” Saturday marks the 108th installment of the Backyard Brawl between the University of Pittsburgh...
Pitt, West Virginia announce 4-year extension of Backyard Brawl
One day before the 108th installment of the Backyard Brawl between Pitt and West Virginia, both schools announced an extension of the rivalry for four years from 2033-36. Those four games will be split between Acrisure and Milan Puskar stadiums, with Pitt hosting WVU on Sept. 10, 2033, and Sept....
Pitt, WVU coaches employing mind games, motivational tactics in advance of Backyard Brawl
The message appeared to have multiple layers in its intent from Pat Narduzzi. As the Pitt football coach stood at his podium to open his Monday morning press conference before this Saturday’s game at West Virginia, he read a list of results from Week 1 of the college football season....
Despite constant change in college football, flame of Backyard Brawl still burns brightVideo
Among the many memories forever embedded in Scott McKillop’s mind from one of the most iconic games in the history of Pitt athletics is a creeping sense of foreboding. McKillop deeply believed in his team, but on Dec. 1, 2007, as Pitt continued to hang around with and then pull...
Pitt maintaining routine, businesslike approach in leadup to Backyard Brawl
In Pat Narduzzi’s eyes, Pitt has put forth a productive week of practice leading into the 108th Backyard Brawl on Saturday afternoon in Morgantown. To prepare for playing West Virginia at Milan Puskar Stadium, Narduzzi has done his utmost to simulate loud crowd noises using massive speakers during practice. Not...
To Pitt’s coordinators, Panthers are an unfinished product on both sides of ballVideo
Pitt defensive coordinator Randy Bates quickly made it apparent that inside the Panthers’ 2-0 start, things have been far from perfect on his side of the ball. Through two weeks, Pitt has allowed a combined 26 points against Duquesne and Central Michigan, moving past those nonconference foes without many issues....
Beer, batteries, middle fingers: Pitt braces for ‘venom and poison’ from hostile WVU crowd
As Pitt got its Tuesday morning practice underway at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, music blasting from multiple loudspeakers provided an instant reminder as to the Panthers’ challenge this weekend. Not that anyone inside Pitt’s locker room had forgotten. “(Coach Pat Narduzzi) has the speakers blaring with crowd noise, different chants...
Pitt men’s basketball to host Clemson, Duke, Louisville in 2025-26 ACC slate
Pitt will welcome three of the nation’s top men’s basketball programs to Petersen Events Center this season as part of its ACC schedule that was released Tuesday. Duke, Louisville and Clemson, who all finished in the AP Top 25 last season, are set to visit the Panthers as part of...
Pitt athletics set to assume responsibilities of NIL collective Alliance 412
Pitt announced Tuesday that it will assume the responsibilities of Alliance 412, “unifying support for Panther student-athletes into one streamlined and powerful platform.” When Alliance 412 was founded in 2021 by Pitt mega-donor Chris Bickell, the collective proved critical in helping the Panthers navigate a new world of college athletics...
Pitt football notebook: Pat Narduzzi gauges depth at TE, QB, while K Trey Butkowski gains confidenceVideo
As the Pitt readies for the 108th Backyard Brawl on Saturday in Morgantown, coach Pat Narduzzi has learned more about the depth of his tight end room, kicker Trey Butkowski’s potential and his future at quarterback. Next man up at TE Starting tight end Jake Overman was absent last weekend...
‘Advantage West Virginia’: Pat Narduzzi taking nothing away from Mountaineers despite loss to Ohio
Rich Rodriguez’s second stint as coach at West Virginia got off to a less-than-stellar start in Week 1, when the Mountaineers stumbled out of the gate against Robert Morris of the Football Championship Subdivision. The Mountaineers led the Colonials at home only 10-3 at halftime before recovering to post a...
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi offers thoughts on future of Backyard Brawl
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi noted Monday at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex that this weekend features the final installment of the Backyard Brawl until 2029. While he can only give his opinion as a coach, for his part, Narduzzi wants to see the Backyard Brawl return to being an annual affair....
First Call: Justin Fields’ comments on the Steelers defense; how Russell Wilson played with the Giants; Pitt-WVU odds
Monday’s “First Call” features Justin Fields’ postgame comments about the Steelers’ defense. We check in on how Russell Wilson did for New York’s other team. Odds are out for the Backyard Brawl, but not yet for Penn State’s next game. And the Pirates head to the Beltway for a week....
