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The Pitt Panthers own a rich tradition of football that began in 1890. The Panthers have won nine National Championships and many of the greatest players in the history of the game began their journey at Pitt.
The program has produced 100 First Team All-Americans, 26 members in the College Football Hall of Fame, and 11 legends that have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with more to follow in the near future.
NGSC Sports is home to the ultimate Pitt GameDay Guide, the most comprehensive game preview on the planet, where fans come to find everything there is to know about Pitt and their upcoming opponent! Mike Drakulich (@PghSportsNation) brings you inside the locker-room for both teams, with a game story, score prediction, game day & broadcast information, and a complete breakdown of each team’s offense and defense.
Heck, you’ll even know the weather at kickoff. The only thing you’re missing is a game uniform!
MASON HEINTSCHEL AND THE PANTHERS LOOK TO KEEP THE OFFENSE ROLLING AGAINST CENTRAL FLORIDA
The boys who set the odds in Vegas apparently didn’t get the memo from Pitt quarterback Mason Heintschel, and his offensive coordinator Kade Bell, when they set the game lines for Pitt vs the Miami RedHawks last week. The Panthers were favored by just 16.5 and the over/under was 47.5.
Bell’s expectations for his offense was scoring a minimum of 40 points a game.
So in the minds of the geniuses in Vegas, Pitt was expected to win by a score of around 32-15.
All Heintschel did was throw for 453 yards and tie a Pitt record with seven touchdown passes, en route to a 59-14 rout of the RedHawks.
Before you say, “It was just a MAC team”, let me remind you that Miami (OH) was voted to finish 2nd behind Western Michigan, the same team who went into the Big House and lost to #16 Michigan 13-12, on a controversial Hail Mary pass with one second left. In that game, it appeared that the Broncos pulled the upset when the first Hail Mary pass came down incomplete with no time left. But replay somehow found one second left on the game clock when the ball was touched out of bounds, and gave the Wolverines an extra chance to pull off the miracle finish.
What was unique about the seven touchdowns was that it was to seven different receivers. The Pitt offense rolled up 646 yards.
As good as Pitt looked in their opener, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi expects his team to be even better in their 2nd game.
“I think it’s always great in the first game of the season to find out what you have,” Narduzzi said. “As a head coach, you’re always nervous going into that first game because you don’t know what the heck you’re going to get. I say it every year: I think you make your biggest improvements going from Week 1 to Week 2. We’ll need to do that with Central Florida coming in here.”
Pitt will face a tougher test this week at Acrisure Stadium, as the Central Florida Knights, out of the Big 12, visit this Saturday, September 12th at 3:30 PM.
The Knights are fresh off a 73-6 victory over Bethune-Cookman, a FCS team, where their offense put up 560 yards, 360 of which came via the ground.
UCF’s offense is led by Alonza Barnett III, who is a dual threat QB. Last season for James Madison, he threw for 2,533 yards with 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while rushing for 544 yards and 14 touchdowns.
His weapons in the passing game are wide receivers Josh Derry, who caught three passes for 45 yards last week, Jonathan Bibbs who had 3 receptions for 44 yards and a score, along with Waden Charles and Duane Thomas, Jr..
Dyland Wade and Caden Piening are an effective duo at tight end.
Duke Watson is the lead back, rushing for 110 yards and a score in week one. After Watson, you could see any one of Taevion Swint, Landen Chambers, Kaj Baker, or Agyeman Addae getting a hand-off or two.
Consider Watson and Swint lightning, with Chambers being thunder, with his 215 pound frame.
“They’re explosive on offense. They can make big plays,” said Narduzzi about UCF. “But they’re very similar on offense with all the motions and tempo that they like to do. I think our defense is used to seeing a lot of stuff that they do in practice, so that’s a good thing.”
On defense, UFC’s pass defense was one of the best in the country in 2025, holding opponents to 185.1 yards a game.
“They’ve got speed. You don’t want a bunch of stiff guys that can’t run in the back end,” Narduzzi said. “They have the athleticism. They got football players back there.”
Pitt, offensively, has Heintschel at quarterback, who earned the Maxwell Award Player of the Week honors, and the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Week.
He has exceptional depth at wide receiver with Malik Knight, Blue Hicks, Censere Lee, Bryce Yates, Tony Kinsler, Tyreek Robinson, and Cam Sapp. Only Kinsler and Sapp were held without any stats last week.
Knight had five catches for 53 yards and a score, Hicks caught five passes for 114 yards and a TD, Lee had five receptions for 86 yards and a score, and Yates had four catches for 53 yards and a trip to the end zone.
Tight end end Carson Kent had two catches for 29 yards, while Elijah Lagg had three receptions for 23 yards and a touchdown.
Ja’Kyrian “Boosie” Turner had 39 yards on the ground, but also caught four passes for 69 yards and a touchdown. La’Vell Wright and Damon Ferguson combined for 47 yards, and Justin Cook had one carry that went the distance for 50 yards.
This is a good early season test for Pitt, and a chance to prove any doubters wrong.
Ripping apart a good MAC team is one thing… taking down a solid team from the Big 12 is another, especially on home turf.
You’d expect UCF to test Pitt’s run defense, as they have a QB with good legs in Barnett III, and a bevy of running backs starting with Watson, but don’t be surprised if they come out throwing the ball, as Pitt’s pass defense gave up some big plays last week.
On offense, the Panthers will have to contend with UCF’s overall team speed and pass rush.
“They have a lot of fast guys on the field,” said Pitt tight end Carson Kent. “We just have to play our version of Pitt football.”
The Knight’s defense will offer a different look than the one shown by Miami last week.
“Defensively, they’re a four-down team like we are,” said Narduzzi. “They play a lot more man-free and Cover 3 probably than we do, but they do get into playing some quarters and some Cover 2 like we do too.”
Heintschel is prepared to adjust to whatever UCF does on the other side of the ball.
“Coach Bell and I talk about that a lot,” said Heintschel. “Take what the defense is giving us. Just kind of being boring sometimes. Shots are going to be there, and we were fortunate enough to hit some of those. Just being efficient, trying to stay in the right down and distance. That’s the mindset.”
Persistence (and patience) is the key, and Pitt’s run game should be even stronger this week. Expect more yards for Turner this week, and for Wright and Ferguson to contribute when given their chances.
If UCF does stack the line, Heinstchel is more than capable of spreading the ball around and carving up the Knight’s defense with the amount of play-makers he has.
Pitt has the talent on both sides of the ball. Game to game, it’s up to them to live up to the expectations they’ve set for themselves. As sharp as they looked last week, they should be even better this Saturday afternoon.
UCF is not Miami of Ohio, but Pitt definitely isn’t Bethune-Cookman, as the Knights are going to find out very quickly.
The Panthers will put up some big numbers again on offense, while ramping up the pressure on defense to keep Barnett III and UCF’s offense in check. Pitt will pull away in the 2nd half and head to a 2-0 start.
Game Prediction: Pitt 45 Central Florida 24
GameDay Information
Week 2: Pitt Panthers (1-0) vs Central Florida Knights (1-0)
Game-time: Saturday, September 12th, at 3:30 PM.
Venue: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA.
- Field: Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass
Vegas line: Pitt -7
Weather at kickoff: 78 and cloudy with a 50% chance of storms. Winds out of the SSW at 5 MPH.
Tickets: Pitt Ticket Office
Broadcast Information
TV: ESPN 2 (Xfinity: Channel 851 | Dish: 143 | DirecTV: 2o9)
- Announcers: Lowell Galindo (play-by-play) Kirk Morrison (analyst) | Dawn Davenport (sideline reporter)
Local Radio: Pittsburgh- 93.7 The Fan
- Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Pat Bostick (analyst) | Dorin Dickerson (sideline reporter)
National Radio: N/A
- Announcers:
Alternative Broadcasts
- Online Radio: www.audacy.com/stations/937thefan
- Satellite Radio: SiriusXM channels 121 or 236
Scouting the Pitt Panthers
Overall Record: 1-0 | ACC Record: 0-0 | Rankings: N/R
Previous Game: Pitt 59 Miami (OH) 14
Head Coach: Pat Narduzzi
- 12th Season with Pitt
Lifetime Record: 81-61
Bowl Record: 2-6
ACC Division Titles: 2
ACC Championships: 1
Pitt Team Links
Pitt Offense
Offensive Coordinator: Kade Bell
Offensive System: Up-Tempo Pro Style
Offensive Stats
- Points per game: 59
- Total offense yards per game: 646
- Passing yards per game: 480
- Rushing yards per game: 166
QUARTERBACKS
Starter: Mason Heintschel | #6 | 6’2, 215 | SO
Passing Yards: 453 | TD Passes: 7 | INT’s: 0 | Sacked: 1
Rushing Yards: 23 | Rushing TD’s: 0
Back-up: Holden Geriner | #15 | 6’3, 215 | 5th Year
Passing Yards: 27 | TD Passes: 0 | INT’s: 0 | Sacked: 0
Rushing Yards: 5 | Rushing TD’s: 0
RUNNING BACKS
Starter: Ja’Kyrian “Boosie” Turner | #9 | 5’9, 195 | SO
Rushing Yards: 39 | Rushing TD’s: 0
Receptions: 4 | Receiving Yards: 69 | Receiving TD’s: 1
RB#2: La’Vell Wright | #11 | 5’11, 215 | Grad Transfer
Rushing Yards: 25 | Rushing TD’s: 0
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
OR
Damon Ferguson, Jr. | #26 | 5’11, 190 | FR
Rushing Yards: 22 | Rushing TD’s: 0
Receptions: 3 | Receiving Yards: 22 | Receiving TD’s: 1
Depth Backs
Justin Cook | #5 | 5’10, 175 | SR
Rushing Yards: 50 | Rushing TD’s: 1
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
Synkwan Smith | #20 | 5’7, 185 | SO
Rushing Yards: 0 | Rushing TD’s: 0
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
Jaylin Brown | #27 | 5’10, 210 | SO
Rushing Yards: 0 | Rushing TD’s: 0
Receptions: 1 | Receiving Yards: 7 | Receiving TD’s: 0
WIDE RECEIVERS
X Split End Starter: Malik Knight | #7 | 6’1, 185 | 5th Year
Receptions: 5 | Receiving Yards: 53 | Receiving TD’s: 1
OR
Tony Kinsler | #2 | 5’11, 175 | SO
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
Z Flanker Starter: Censere Lee | #10 | 5’11, 170 | SR
Receptions: 5 | Receiving Yards: 86 | Receiving TD’s: 1
Z Flanker Starter: Cataurus “Blue” Hicks | #3 | 5’10, 185 | SR
Receptions: 5 | Receiving Yards: 114 | Receiving TD’s: 1
Y Slot: Bryce Yates | #80 | 6’0, 185 | SO
Receptions: 4 | Receiving Yards: 53 | Receiving TD’s: 1
Z Flanker: Tyreek Robinson | #24 | 5’10, 180 | JR
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
Rushing Yards: 2 | Rushing TD’s: 0
Y Slot: Cam Sapp | #84 | 5’10, 175 | SO
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
Depth Receivers
Rodney Dunbar | #81 | 6’5, 185 | FR
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
Demetrice McCray | #87 | 6’0, 205 | FR
Receptions: 2 | Receiving Yards: 24 | Receiving TD’s: 0
TIGHT ENDS
Starter: Carson Kent | #86 | 6’4, 250 | 5th Year
Receptions: 2 | Receiving Yards: 29 | Receiving TD’s: 0
TE#2: Elijah Lagg | #17 | 6’2, 235 | SR
Receptions: 3 | Receiving Yards: 23 | Receiving TD’s: 1
TE#3: Max Hunt | #18 | 6’4, 225 | SO
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
PLACEKICKER
Antonio Chadha | #48 | 5th Year
Extra Points: 7-7
Field Goals: 1-1
- 1-19 yards: 0-0
- 20-29 yards: 0-0
- 30-39 yards: 0-0
- 40-49 yards: 0-0
- 50+ yards: 1-1
OFFENSIVE LINE
LT: Nerinho Olivieri | #74 | 6’4, 310 | 5th Year
LG: Kendall Stanley | #53 | 6’5, 305 | 5th Year
C: Ryan Carretta | #71 | 6’5, 320 | SR
RG: B.J. Williams | #55 | 6’4, 320 | SR
RT: Ryan Baer | #70 | 6’7, 325 | 5th Year
Pitt Defense
Defensive Coordinator: Cory Sanders
Defensive Scheme: 4-3
Defensive Stats
- Points per game allowed: 14
- Total offense yards per game allowed: 289
- Passing yards allowed: 261
- Rushing yards allowed: 28
- Sacks: 2
- Interceptions: 1
DEFENSIVE LINE
LDE: Isaiah Neal | #2 | 6’2, 250 | 5th Year
Tackles: 3 | Sacks: 1
OR Zach Crothers | #5 | 6’4, 265 | JR
Tackles: 1 | Sacks: 0
LDT: Sean FitzSimmons | #55 | 6’3, 300 | 5th Year
Tackles: 3 | Sacks: 0
RDT: Nick James | #11 | 6’2, 295 | 5th Year
Tackles: 3 | Sacks: 1
RDE: Jimmy Scott | #44 | 6’3, 265 | 5th Year
Tackles: 0 | Sacks: 0
OR
Jaeden Moore | #8 | 6’4, 250 | SR
Tackles: 1 | Sacks: 0
LINEBACKERS
STAR: Braylan Lovelace | #0 | 6’2, 225 | SR
Tackles: 2 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
MIKE: Jeremiah Marcelin | #32 | 6’2, 235 | JR
Tackles: 0 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
MONEY: Alex Sanford, Jr. | #10 | 6’1, 235 | SR
Tackles: 2 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
SECONDARY
CB: Shawn Lee, Jr. | #3 | 5’10, 180 | SO
Tackles: 3 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
FS: Cruce Brookins | #12 | 6’2, 205 | SR
Tackles: 3 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
SS: Josh Guerrier | #14 | 5’10, 185 | SO
Tackles: 2 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
CB: Raion Strader | #6 | 6’0, 190 | SO
Tackles: 2 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
*Injured/Out
Scouting the Central Florida Knights
Overall Record: 1-0 | Big 12 Conference Record: 0-0 | Rankings: N/R
Previous Game: UCF 73 Bethune-Cookman 6
Head Coach: Scott Frost
- 4th season at UCF
Lifetime Record: 40-45 | 25-14 at UCF
Links
UCF Offense
Offensive System: Spread Option
Offensive Stats
- Points per game: 73
- Total offense yards per game: 560
- Passing yards per game: 200
- Rushing yards per game: 360
QUARTERBACKS
Starter: Alonza Barnett III | #14 | 5’11, 210
Passing Yards: 158 | TD Passes: 1 | INT’s: 1 | Sacked: 1
Rushing Yards: 9 | Rushing TD’s: 1
Back-up: Keyone Jenkins | #12
Passing Yards: 42 | TD Passes: 1 | INT’s: 0 | Sacked: 0
Rushing Yards: 0 | Rushing TD’s: 0
RUNNING BACKS
RB#1: Duke Watson | #26 | 5’11, 185
Rushing Yards: 110 | Rushing TD’s: 1
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
RB#2: Taevion Swint | #4 | 5’10, 185
Rushing Yards: 48 | Rushing TD’s: 1
Receptions: 1 | Receiving Yards: 16 | Receiving TD’s: 0
RB#3: Landen Chambers | #11 | 5’11, 215
Rushing Yards: 56 | Rushing TD’s: 2
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
RB#4: Kaj Baker | #20 | 5’8, 160
Rushing Yards: 30 | Rushing TD’s: 0
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
RB#5: Agyeman Addae | #35 | 5’10, 190
Rushing Yards: 30 | Rushing TD’s: 0
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
WIDE RECEIVERS
WR#1: Josh Derry | #5 | 5’9, 182
Receptions: 3 | Receiving Yards: 45 | Receiving TD’s: 0
WR#2: Waden Charles | #9 | 6’2, 195
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
WR#3: Duane Thomas, Jr. | #7 | 5’8, 175
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
WR#4: Jonathan Bibbs | #3 | 6’1, 180
Receptions: 3 | Receiving Yards: 44 | Receiving TD’s: 1
WR#5: Tyren Hornes | #2 | 6’0, 175
Receptions: 0 | Receiving Yards: 0 | Receiving TD’s: 0
WR#6: Ric’Darious Farmer | #6 | 5’11, 160
Receptions: 2 | Receiving Yards: 11 | Receiving TD’s: 0
WR#7: Caleb Rollerson | #13 | 6’2, 210
Receptions: 1 | Receiving Yards: 9 | Receiving TD’s: 1
TIGHT ENDS
TE#1: Dylan Wade | #0 | 6’4, 240
Receptions: 1 | Receiving Yards: 15 | Receiving TD’s: 0
TE#2: Caden Piening | #18 | 6’5, 245
Receptions: 2 | Receiving Yards: 30 | Receiving TD’s: 0
PLACEKICKER
Will Stone | #15
Extra Points: 10-10
Field Goals: 1-1
- 1-19 yards: 0-0
- 20-29 yards: 0-0
- 30-39 yards: 1-1
- 40-49 yards: 0-0
- 50+ yards: 0-0
UCF Defense
Defensive Scheme: 4-2-5
Defensive Stats
- Points per game allowed: 6
- Total offense yards per game allowed: 181
- Passing yards allowed: 74
- Rushing yards allowed: 107
- Sacks: 3
- Interceptions: 1
DEFENSIVE LINE
EDGE: Isaiah Nixon | #6
Tackles: 5 | Sacks: 0
DT: Horace Lockett | #0
Tackles: 1 | Sacks: 0
OR
DT: RJ Jackson, Jr. | #95
Tackles: 0 | Sacks: 0
DT: Thomas Collins | #99
Tackles: 0 | Sacks: 0
EDGE: Ken Talley | #11
Tackles: 0 | Sacks: 0
OR
EDGE: Sincere Edwards | #10
Tackles: 5 | Sacks: 0
LINEBACKERS
WLB: Lewis Carter | #20
Tackles: 5 | Sacks: 0.5
MLB: Jayden Jennings | #38
Tackles: 1 | Sacks: 0
SECONDARY
LCB: Antione Jackson | #7
Tackles: 2 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
SS: Demari Henderson | #8
Tackles: 1 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
FS: Jayden Williams | #2
Tackles: 2 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 1
RCB: Jayden Bellamy | #1
Tackles: 1 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
NB: Braeden Marshall | #4
Tackles: 1 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 0
*Injured/Out
Pitt vs UCF History
Series Began: 2006
Overall Record: 2-1
- At Home: 1-0
- On Road: 1-1
- Neutral Site: 0-0
ACC Series: N/A
Streak: (1) Pitt won the last game.
Last Game: Sept. 21st, 2019 (Pitt 35 UCF 34)
Pitt Schedule (1-0)
ACC STANDINGS
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From Midland, "The Basketball Capital of Pennsylvania", located 35 miles NW of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. This former steel town was home to storied athletes such as Dave Alston, Norm Van Lier, Simmie Hill, and the legendary 1965 Midland High School Basketball Team.
There's nowhere on earth that is more dedicated to its sports teams like Western Pennsylvania and the city of Pittsburgh. The passion and pride of Pittsburgh's fan base is second to no one. From the NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA football and basketball, to W.P.I.A.L. high school sports, "The City of Champions" has it all!
As Editor of Pittsburgh SportsNation, Mike Drakulich provides top notch opinions and coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pitt Panthers football & basketball, Robert Morris Colonials basketball, and Duquesne Dukes basketball, as well as all sports teams that represent Western Pennsylvania, including WPIAL High School Football.
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