Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi delivered a fiery rebuke to AP Poll voters after the unranked Panthers escaped with a 35-33 victory at Virginia Tech Friday night when Hokies kicker John Love missed a 36-yard field goal attempt on the final play.
“We have a heck of a football team,” Narduzzi said in his postgame interview with ESPN. “Any of these voters, if they wake up, might realize that.”
This dramatic finale capped a see-saw affair, as Pitt survived the loss of starting quarterback Mason Heintschel while improving to 5-0 (2-0 ACC). The Panthers were seventh in the AP Poll’s “other vote-getters” category this week, but should flirt with breaking into the top 25 on Sunday after picking up their first road win.
Eliminating Virginia Tech also put Pitt on track for an appearance in the ACC championship game. A potentially seismic showdown at No. 4 Miami on Oct. 24 awaits to test how the Panthers stack up against the league’s standard-bearer. All that separates Pitt from a 7-0 record heading into this matchup is a home game against North Carolina next week and a trip to lowly Boston College on Oct. 17.
While Narduzzi’s emphatic support for his team is understandable after a dramatic road win, the Panthers were fortunate to escape Lane Stadium undefeated. The Hokies (4-1, 1-1) led 24-14 until a barrage of turnovers helped Pitt take control.
Departure of Mason Heintschel
Pitt sophomore Mason Heintschel entered third in the ACC in passing yards, second in touchdowns and fourth in passer rating. When he exited with an apparent knee injury early in the third quarter, the Panthers trailed 24-21.
While backup quarterback Holden Geriner did an admirable job filling in for him, the Hokies did their part to help him out. Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer committed three turnovers while shouldering an oversized portion of Virginia Tech’s offensive load with 434 passing yards.
The Hokies averaged 6.8 yards per play, compared to just 4.8 for Pitt, while the Panthers finished with just 295 total yards, compared to 499 for Virginia Tech. Heintschel returned to the sidelines on crutches to cheer on Pitt. His health will be a major thing to watch as the Panthers try to advance to the ACC championship game.
A superb basket miss
Love’s miss on the final play from 36 yards made for a stunning finish. The fifth-year kicker has gone 60-for-70 in his career and 6-for-6 this season. Virginia Tech moved the ball to the right hash mark to accommodate its preferences before using a timeout with three seconds remaining to position itself for the game winner.
Both the snap and the hold seemed crisp, and Love reacted as if he had delivered the kick. However, the officials’ crew decided he had sailed wide left, leaving Love and a packed Lane Stadium in shock.
Narduzzi’s heated rant ensued as Pitt improved to 5-0 for the second time in the last three seasons. In 2024, the Panthers remained unranked until reaching 6-0. The Panthers peaked at 7-0 and ranked 18th in the AP poll before losing six straight games to end the season.
Pitt certainly deserves credit for withstanding the ebbs and flows of a close game in a hostile environment on Friday. But the Panthers still have a lot to prove if they want to be considered a College Football Playoff contender or a serious threat to Miami in the ACC.
Gn sports
