PITTSBURGH (93.7 the Fan) Just over two weeks out from kick off of a new college football season, the Pitt Panthers aim to defend their ACC title.
Before games can begin, however, the teams across the nation need to be given official rankings from sources covering the sport.
Last week, USA Today ranked Pitt as the No. 16 team in the nation; Associated Press released their official rankings and placed the Panthers at No. 17.
Three ACC teams were given higher rankings by AP; Clemson (4), North Carolina State (13), and Miami (16) were all given higher placement.
Through the AP vote, the Panthers received 383 points.
Over the offseason, Panthers lost some of their best players to either the NCAA transfer portal, or the NFL Draft.
Heisman nominee quarterback Kenny Pickett was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Biletnikoff winner Jordan Addison transferred to USC.
Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti are currently battling it out to see who will replace Pickett as the Panther’s starting QB.
The Panthers finished last season with a ranking of 13, and the moves made in the offseason are likely a big reason for the drop in placement.