The number of undefeated teams keeps shrinking but after another tight game, Pitt is still one of those teams without a loss on their record. Saturday it was a hard-fought 17-15 victory over a feisty California team.
The Panthers are beginning to really show the mark of a maturing football team. They are winning in different ways.
Against Cincinnati and West Virginia, they had double-digit second-half comebacks.
When they faced North Carolina it was a nip and tuck game where it was tied 24 in the fourth quarter before Pitt scored the final 10 points.
The Panthers had ridden a top 5 offense to overcome a defense that was ranked outside the top 50. If there was skepticism about Pitt it resided on the defensive side of the ball.
Saturday Pitt’s offense had its worst game of the season with only 335 total yards and 17 points. QB Eli Holstein struggled going 14 for 28, 133 yards, and 2 inteceptions. It was going to have to rely on their defense, and the defense came through.
The Pitt defense held Cal to 15 points, and just 277 yards in its best overall performance of the season.
This bodes well for the now 6-0 Panthers. This is a team that will be offense-oriented, but when that offense struggles Pitt can begin to look to its defense to make plays. Now if they both come together at the same time, Pitt becomes that much more dangerous as a threat to reach the ACC Title.
Pat Narduzzi has to be on the short list of ACC COY candidates for guiding Pitt to this 6-0 start. Next week they host a much improved Syracuse team, but one where Pitt will be favored. They have a game at SMU on November 2, but could Pitt be 9-0 when hosting Clemson? It’s not out of the question, especially with a defense that is emerging.
Even with the off offensive game today, you know Pitt will be able to move the ball in most games.
I like the direction this Pitt is trending, and how as the season reaches the mid-point they are becoming a more and more complete team.
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