“Any of those voters out there, if they wake their ass up they might figure that out.” That’s Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi ripping into the AP poll voters after his unranked Panthers barely scraped by Virginia Tech with a 35-33 road win on Friday night. Seriously, the dude went OFF, and you know what? He’s got a point after that absolute nail-biter.
A Field Goal Miss, A Coach’s Rage, And An Unbeaten Record
Talk about drama! Virginia Tech kicker John Love, who had been money all season (6 for 6) and solid in his career (60 for 70), shanked a 36-yarder on the final play. Just like that, Pitt, 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the ACC, escaped with their first road win. Narduzzi’s postgame interview on ESPN wasn’t just passionate, it was straight-up volcanic. He believes his “hell of a football team” deserves respect, and you gotta admit, after being seventh in “others receiving votes,” they should definitely be knocking on the top 25 door this Sunday.
But let’s be real, the Panthers were lucky to get out of Lane Stadium with the W. Virginia Tech, now 4-1 (1-1), had them down 24-14 at one point. It took a flood of Hokies’ turnovers to help Pitt seize control. Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good, especially when you’re 5-0 and on an “inside track” for the ACC Championship Game.
Heintschel’s Health And The Road To Miami
One of the scariest moments for Pitt fans had to be seeing sophomore QB Mason Heintschel leave the game early in the third quarter with an apparent knee injury. The guy’s been a beast, third in the ACC in passing yards, second in touchdowns, and fourth in passer rating. When he went down, Pitt was trailing 24-21. Backup Holden Geriner did an admirable job stepping in, but the Hokies did them plenty of favors, too.
Virginia Tech’s QB Ethan Grunkemeyer threw three turnovers, even while slinging for 434 yards. The stats don’t lie: Virginia Tech chewed up 499 total yards, averaging 6.8 yards per play, while Pitt only mustered 295 yards at 4.8 per play. Heintschel was seen back on crutches cheering on his team, which is a good sign, but his health is going to be a massive storyline if Pitt wants to keep this run going to the ACC Championship. Without him, it’s a whole different game.
Now, the real test looms. Pitt has a home game against North Carolina next week and a trip to “lowly” Boston College on October 17. If they handle business, they’ll be 7-0 walking into a “potentially seismic showdown” at No. 4 Miami on October 24. That game? That’s when we’ll see if Narduzzi’s “wake your ass up” speech was just post-game adrenaline or if Pitt is genuinely the real deal, ready to challenge the league’s standard-bearer. You better believe everyone will be watching that one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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