The Pitt football team now knows its 2017 ACC slate, and it includes a Thursday night home game, a Black Friday home game and a difficult home stretch.
Conference play for the Panthers will begin Sept. 23 at Georgia Tech, followed by a dip back into non-ACC play the following week at home against Rice. Then it’s back on the road Oct. 7 at Syracuse where their 76-61 victory two months ago will be a tough act to top.
And here is your Pitt football schedule for 2017. ACC play opens Sept. 23 at Georgia Tech, concludes Friday Nov. 24 at home against Miami. pic.twitter.com/5fQ0KB4VgR
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) January 24, 2017
Pitt’s first ACC home game is Oct. 14 against North Carolina State, the first meeting between the two on the football field since the Panthers joined the league for the 2013 season. After that, they’re at Duke Oct. 21, then return home to face Virginia the next Saturday.
The Virginia game precedes Pitt’s off week, which could come at a good time to prepare the Panthers for what figures to be a challenging three-game stretch run. They won’t have to wait two full weeks to play again, as they’ll host North Carolina Nov. 9, a Thursday night prime-time matchup that will air on ESPN or ESPN2.
It’s also one of three consecutive games that could have major ACC Coastal Division implications. Nov. 19, Pitt visits Virginia Tech, the defending Coastal champion. The Panthers then conclude the regular season the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, against Miami at Heinz Field. The Hurricanes ended this past season on a five-game winning streak under first-year coach Mark Richt and finished at No. 20 in the Top 25.
“There is always great anticipation from players, coaches and certainly fans when it comes to seeing the new schedule,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said in a statement. “With the games finally announced, I can promise you it will be highly visible throughout our practice facility this offseason. We want it to be a constant reminder of the twelve challenges and opportunities we have this fall.”
Miami also came to town on Black Friday in 2015 and 2013, leaving with a victory both times.
Pitt football’s 2017 schedule:
Sept. 2 Youngstown State
Sept. 9 at Penn State
Sept. 16 Oklahoma State
Sept. 23 at Georgia Tech*
Sept. 30 Rice
Oct. 7 at Syracuse*
Oct. 14 NC State*
Oct. 21 at Duke*
Oct. 28 Virginia*
Nov. 9 (Thurs.) North Carolina*
Nov. 18 at Virginia Tech*
Nov. 24 (Fri.) Miami*
*ACC game
Times and additional television arrangements will be announced at a later date.
Brian Batko: bbatko@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrianBatko.
First Published: January 24, 2017, 7:37 p.m.