PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said after the home loss to Western Michigan two weeks ago that all of their goals are still in front of them. It's how they responded.
First, they did what they should do hammer a FCS team. Pitt did that convincingly 77-7 and set a school record for total yards.
Saturday, the Panthers opened ACC play with a beat-down of Georgia Tech at their homecoming. Panthers had 42 points at half and coasted to a 52-21 win.
Game Highlights 🎥
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) October 2, 2021
Pitt 52, Georgia Tech 21#H2P » @ACCFootball pic.twitter.com/G5mWVPkY9n
"Just proud of our team coming back last week and putting two in a row together," Narduzzi said on the Panthers Radio Network and 93.7 The Fan. "We talked last week about consistency in our play and what we do. How we do it."
"It's never easy to get a road win. That was a good football team that we beat today. They've been playing well the last two weeks and our kids stuck it to them."
They beat them mainly with the best offense in the ACC and one of the best in the nation matching their average of 52 points a game. Panthers finished with 580 yards and a season-high 181 on the ground.
No doubt though the star of the offense is quarterback Kenny Pickett. The senior threw for 389 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Pickett now with 19 touchdown passes to one interception and a pair of rushing TDs.
"We are blessed to have number 8 be our guy back there," Narduzzi said. "He is playing at a high level. He's playing really good. Coach Whipple and the offensive staff are doing a really good job over there."
Coming into the game leading the nation in touchdown catches, sophomore receiver Jordan Addison added another, to total six receptions for 117 yards. The last Pitt receiver to lead Division 1 in TD catches, Larry Fitzgerald in 2003. Addison has nine in five games.
Taysir Mack caught a 55-yard touchdown and finished with 121 yards on five receptions. Mack tied Greg Lee for 13th place on the all-time Pitt receptions list and next game likely will move in the top 10.
Tight end Lucas Krull caught his fifth touchdown of the season. Tailback Israel Abanikanda ran for 60 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Vincent Davis had 50 yards and Rodney Hammond, Jr. followed up his 100 yards vs. New Hampshire with 48 on six carries Saturday.
While the Pitt defense gave up some yards, they also made several huge plays. Deslin Alexandre tipped a pass and intercepted Jeff Sims on Georgia Tech's second play of the game, setting up a 48-yard drive for a 7-0 lead. Second play of the next series, Central Catholic graduate John Petrishen intercepted Sims and returned it for a touchdown and 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Panthers would essentially create three more turnovers with big fourth down stops. The Pitt D also held the Yellow Jackets, who nearly beat Clemson and won by three touchdowns over North Carolina, to 2 of 11 on third down.
"We bent on defense a little bit more that I'd like to," Narduzzi said on 93.7 The Fan. "We buckled down when we got to fourth downs. When it was on the goal line our guys stood up. Could have been a different game if we didn't get those two picks. It opened things up on defense. Those three, fourth down stops were big time."
Linebacker SirVocea Dennis had 2.5 tackles for loss and led the team with 6 solo tackles. Brandon Hill led the team with nine overall tackles. Panthers finished with 10 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries.
Pitt now 4-1, 1-0 in the ACC and at Virginia Tech October 16. Pitt will practice twice this week during its bye.
