BLACKSBURG, Va. — Earlier in the week, Pat Narduzzi talked about the buzz at Pitt’s facility. The Panthers, two wins and a Virginia loss in the Commonwealth Cup away from returning to the ACC championship, wanted to establish “their legacy on Pitt football in 2019,” according to their coach.
“It’s a big game in November,” Narduzzi said Thursday afternoon of Pitt’s contest at No. 25-ranked Virginia Tech. “It’s a chance to get [win] number eight. Which gives you a chance to get number nine, which gives you a chance to get number 10.
“There are those things, I think, they think about. They want to leave their mark.”
Instead, the Panthers left a lot to be desired.
After falling, 28-0, Saturday at Lane Stadium to the Hokies — a loss that ended Pitt’s hopes of repeating as ACC Coastal Division champions — Narduzzi insisted he “wasn’t counting any” wins. He and his players were “worried about beating Virginia Tech,” nothing else. “And we didn’t get that done,” Narduzzi said in the visiting tunnel.
At 3:30 p.m. Saturday, the Panthers ran out of that same tunnel with optimism. Three hours later, they returned up the concrete ramp to their locker room, frustrated.
Pitt slides to 7-4 overall (4-3 ACC) with the loss. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, moved to 8-3, 5-2 .
The Hokies’ Commonwealth Cup rivalry with Virginia Friday will determine which Coastal squad faces Clemson in the ACC championship. Pitt’s hopes of returning to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. (aside from a Belk Bowl berth) are shot.
Realistically, after an outside chance at the Orange Bowl was floated earlier in the week, the Military Bowl or Pinstripe Bowl are the likely postseason destinations for Pitt. Two representatives for the Military Bowl were on hand Saturday. What they saw was a litany of familiar errors.
Pitt’s offense, one that ranked 106th in scoring entering the weekend, continued its issue-riddled play. Ten of the Panthers’ 13 drives accumulated 22 yards or fewer. Six of those drives were three-and-outs.
The running game was non-existent. Drops also remained an ever-present problem as Kenny Pickett struggled, completing 10 of 26 passes for 103 yards (his lowest output of the season).
“We just didn’t show up,” Pickett said. “Defense played well, but we didn’t show up offensively.”
Pickett, clearly ticked in his 46-second postgame media availability, said the constant rain “could have” played a factor in the passing-game woes. But he made it clear it was “not very hard” for him to grip the ball. He did, however, let one slip as he scrambled in the first quarter.
Two plays after a blown coverage in Pitt’s secondary allowed the first sign of life from either team — a 71-yard pass from Virginia Tech’s Hendon Hooker to Tayvion Robinson that set up a 1-yard touchdown run — Pickett fumbled. The Panthers had only 10 players on the field, so Virginia Tech was afforded free pressure, forcing Pickett out of the pocket, where he fumbled. Hokies defensive lineman Norell Pollard picked it up, rumbling in for a 7-yard score.
The crowd erupted as the Hokies took an early, 14-0 lead it wouldn’t give up. And, unfortunately for the Panthers, the mistakes didn’t stop there. The list of gaffes only grew:
• Pitt went for it on fourth-and-2 at Virginia Tech’s 10, down two touchdowns midway through the second quarter. Pickett’s throw was slightly off, and running back V’Lique Carter, who got two hands on it, couldn’t secure the first-down catch.
• Defensive tackle Tyler Bentley jumped offsides as the Hokies lined up to go for it on fourth-and-2 on Pitt’s 40 as the second quarter waned. The gifted first down led to Virginia Tech’s third touchdown, a gut punch just before halftime.
• After a valiant defensive stand, Pitt’s offense squandered ideal field position. A third-quarter drive that started at the Hokies 39 produced a three-and-out (incompletion, drop and sack). The yearlong disparity between Pitt’s offense and defense was on display in one sequence.
• And on fourth-and-1 at its 25, Pitt had to go for it, down three touchdowns with 13 minutes remaining in regulation. Aaron Mathews was open on a drag route, but Pickett’s pass wasn’t lofted high enough and batted down at the line.
The Panthers, who committed 10 penalties, were, arguably, the worst version of themselves. And it cost them a chance to repeat as Coastal champions.
Now, the onus is on Narduzzi’s team to bounce back with the ACC title game and Orange Bowl out of the question.
Pitt’s regular season ends next Saturday when the Panthers play host to Boston College at 3:30 p.m. (televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ACC Network). Pitt captain Jimmy Morrissey, a redshirt junior center, said the focus will be obtaining a senior day win for those playing in their final game at Heinz Field. “They’ve given a lot to this program,” Morrissey said.
To close this season on a positive, the Panthers have to give more than they did Saturday.
“We’ll rebound,” Narduzzi said. “It’s what we do.”
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First Published: November 23, 2019, 11:53 p.m.