PALO ALTO, CA (93.7 The Fan) – There were mistakes, four turnovers, 10 penalties, but there were also big defensive plays, a 300-yard quarterback and 100-yard rusher, both of whom are true freshmen. Pitt gets a 35-20 win at Stanford Saturday and knows what is coming next.
“We're ready,” said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. “I guarantee we're ready. We've got a really good football team.”
“We turned the ball over four times and you still win by 15, 16, whatever the points were out there. We have a really good football team but we're going to have to play smart and do things right."
Pitt has an off week next Saturday and then home to Notre Dame, at a ranked Georgia Tech and then home to Miami to finish the regular season. All the game times have yet to be determined, but November 15 against the Fighting Irish could be a battle of 7-2 teams.
"We're just ready for whatever comes our way,” said tailback Ja’Kyrian Turner. "We've just got to stay to the standard. Every team that we face is going to be great opponents, so we've just got to stay up to the standard and play Pitt football."
“Yeah, definitely,” said defensive lineman Jimmy Scott. "They're good teams, I think we are too. We're definitely going to see in the next couple of weeks.”
“Our guys will be ready,” Narduzzi said. “This is what you play for. This is why you play these games. Again, Notre Dame coming in and going into the fourth quarter of the season, three quarters are over, now we have a break at the perfect time for that break.”
Narduzzi said they are not satisfied, they will comb over the bad stuff. Turner said there is always room for improvement and they’ll need it. But Pitt is 7-2 without playing its best ball.
“It's going to be a big one at Acrisure Stadium,” Narduzzi said. “It's going to be nice to have a week off just to get everybody back. I would imagine Biles would be back, No. 3 will be back. I'm excited.”
“Just got to keep playing Pitt football, stay up to the standard and just don't get complacent,” Turner said. “Just go out there and ball.”
Who would have thought after the loss to Louisville and sitting at 2-2, Pitt would be in this position?
Q. Everyone knows what the challenge is going to be after the bye week, three top-15 teams. Why do you feel this team is ready for that challenge?
JA'KYRIAN TURNER:
Jimmy Scott
Yeah, definitely. They’re good teams, I think we are too. We’re definitely going to see in the next couple of weeks.