Up Next-Narduzzi said Pitt and UCF are similar teams

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Last time UCF played in Pittsburgh, it was one of the most exciting Panthers wins ever at Acrisure Stadium. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said this is another fast Florida team they face on Saturday.

It was Kenny Pickett’s junior season in 2019 when on September 22^nd Pitt hosted the 15^th ranked Knights led by now Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel. UCF scored 21 points in the third and led 34-28 with the Panthers facing a fourth and two from the Central Florida three-yard line. In the Wildcat formation, running back AJ Davis ran to his left, flipped to receiver Aaron Mathews, instead of trying to run it in, he pulled up and threw it to Pickett in the end zone. Alex Kessman made the extra point with 59 seconds left and the Panthers pulled off the upset.

This time Pitt is favored by 7.5 points.

Both teams are coming off opening week blowout wins. Pitt beat Miami, Ohio 59-14 and UCF over Bethune Cookman 73-6. The results aren’t the only thing in common.

“They are very similar to us,” said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi on Monday. “That’s the great thing. Good news is they are very similar to us, our defense sees that tempo.”

The Knights have the ability to play at breakneck speed and run a lot of motions similar to the Panthers. Their quarterback also wasn’t a huge recruit. Alonza Barnett III had no Power Four offers and went to James Madison. He was the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and an All-American playing in the first round of the playoffs throwing a pair of touchdowns and 273 yards in a loss to Oregon.

“He’s a winner,” said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. “He’s a 6-foot guy that’s explosive. He can run. He can scramble and make plays. He’s got a quick release. Some guys are just winners, the guy knows how to win.”

It’s also a defense that can defend the pass. UCF was 22^nd in the nation in passing defense last year in the first year of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. They have four starters back from that secondary.

“Alex does a great job on defense,” Narduzzi said. “They’ve got speed. The number one thing in coverage, you don’t want a bunch of stiff guys who can’t run on the back end. When you are stiff and can’t run, you usually have some bad days on the back end. When you have speed, the athleticism, they have football players back there.”

“They play football year-round. They got beautiful weather why we have a snowy day, they are running around making plays.”