5 takeaways: Pitt football keeps finding new ways to win

Stephen Thompson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pitt walked out of Week 7 with six wins and no losses after an ugly but thrilling 17-15 victory over Cal.

As college football descended into yet more chaos and the ranks of unbeaten teams shrinks further, the Panthers’ 6-0 record stands out. This Panthers team is making history, and more might be in store for them if their winning ways continue. 

Here are five takeaways from another remarkable victory for the Panthers, who will remain undefeated for at least another 12 days before returning to action after their second and final bye week. 

Cardiac cats

Pitt’s six wins — particularly their four against power conference opponents — have been more remarkable than resounding, but they count all the same. Once again, when not at their best, the Panthers emerged with a victory, and that’s a skill. Sure, they needed 12 penalties for 110 yards called against their opponents and a late missed 40-yard field goal to make it happen, but it happened all the same.

Their biggest strength — an ability to score at will on offense — did not show in this game, and instead of collapsing, the defense picked up the slack. Good teams find ways to win when they don’t have their best stuff on a given weekend, and Pitt, which had been flying as high as its offense could take it so far this season, tapped into the best version of its defense to beat the Golden Bears — 335 yards allowed, including just 63 yards on 40 rushing attempts, 11 tackles for loss and six sacks despite being on the field for 77 plays and more than 38 minutes. 

The new 12-team College Football Playoff field and its automatic bid given to the ACC champion give teams unimpeachable and unambiguous criteria for making the field. And as Pitt stands at 6-0 — one of just four teams in its league without a loss in-conference — it has a real shot at making it into the first-ever expanded playoff. 

Aggressiveness on 4th down

The Panthers’ third-down struggles (they converted on just one of 11 third-down attempts) were masked by some bold but ultimately smart decisions from head coach Pat Narduzzi and offensive coordinator Kade Bell.

A 19-yard connection between Holstein and Desmond Reid on 4th-and-5 from near midfield set up the Panthers’ first touchdown of the afternoon. And as the first quarter turned to the second, Narduzzi kept his offense on the field for a 4th-and-1 from its own 28-yard line. Reid broke loose for 72 yards and a touchdown, further rewarding his coaches’ confidence. 

Labeled a conservative head coach, and often for good reason, Narduzzi has an offense — and, if they keep playing how they did on Saturday, a defense — that can help him buck that narrative. 

Pitt has a first-team All-American … at kicker

Keeping with the aggressive theme, Pitt decided to send Ben Sauls out for a 58-yard field goal with 10:04 left in the second quarter. When Sauls confidently knocked it through, he tied school records for longest field goal and consecutive field goals made without a miss. 

Sauls has been a legitimate offensive weapon for the Panthers this season, something very few teams can say about their placekicker. He still hasn’t missed a field goal or extra point attempt and is putting together a first-team All-American-caliber season while etching his name in the Pitt record books. 

Front seven finally gets home

After taking down North Carolina last weekend in Chapel Hill, N.C., Narduzzi said his team needed to create pressure with just four rushers. They had been able to get in the backfield, but mostly when they blitzed with linebackers. This week was a completely different story. 

A defensive line that had logged just 12 sacks in five games previously came up with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss in one game against the Golden Bears. Two of defensive end Jimmy Scott’s sacks came at pivotal moments, following the latter of Eli Holstein’s two interceptions, and knocked Cal out of field goal range. Three different players logged at least one sack, and six had at least 0.5 of a tackle for loss. 

“I know you guys have been asking for some sacks,” Narduzzi said. “So we got some today for you.”

OL Injuries loom

Pitt lost starting offensive linemen Branson Taylor, the left tackle, and Ryan Jacoby, the right guard, on the same possession in the first half. A starting line that had already struggled to protect Holstein throughout this season took another big hit. Narduzzi said following the game that losing those two limited what offensive coordinator Kade Bell could call from his play sheet. 

While Terrance Enos Jr. and Jason Collier Jr. were able to fill in and get the Panthers to the finish line this week, getting Taylor and Jacoby healthy during the upcoming bye week will be of the utmost importance. Neither player returned to Saturday’s game.