Coming off a bye week and back-to-back losses, the Syracuse football season is at a bit of a crossroads, and who should walk into town but our old friends, the Pittsburgh Panthers. We touched on the series history between these rivals before the season, but now the focus is entirely on Saturday’s game. The Panthers come into this game on a roll, hoping to keep up their momentum, while Syracuse might need to win this game to make a bowl game. Let’s take a closer look at the Panthers before this must-win game for the Orange.
Where is Pitt ranked?
The Panthers are unranked despite a 4-2 record and back-to-back ACC wins. However, they did receive exactly one vote in the Coaches Poll this past week. Since that poll is anonymous, we don’t know who that is.
Where is Pitt in the standings?
After blowing a lead at home to Louisville a few weeks ago, the Panthers are 2-1 in ACC play despite back-to-back wins. They are currently chasing the five teams that are still unbeaten in conference play. Earning a spot in the ACC Championship Game isn’t out of the question for Pitt, although they probably can’t afford a loss to Syracuse this week. The Panthers also rank sixth in our weekly ACC power rankings.
What did Pitt do last week?
Last week, the Panthers made the trip to Tallahassee and came away with a 34-31 win over a Florida State team that was technically ranked at the time. It was an entertaining, back-and-forth game, with Pitt ultimately outscoring FSU 13-7 in the fourth quarter to seize control and get the win, giving the Seminoles their eighth straight conference loss.
Who is Pitt’s quarterback?
After their loss to Louisville, quarterback Eli Holstein was benched in favor of true freshman Mason Heintschel. Through two starts, Heintschel has made Pat Narduzzi look smart. He’s completed 73% of his passes, with six touchdowns and two interceptions. Heintschel is averaging 9.2 yards per pass and has also showcased his legs, rushing for 92 yards on 26 carries, including a 30-yard scamper last week against Florida State.
ACC Quarterback of the Week: Mason Heintschel 🔵🟡@mason_heinch06 completed 21-29 passes for 321 YDs and 2 TDs this past weekend in his second career start as Pitt upset No. 25 Florida State pic.twitter.com/EACEHfwFcR
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 13, 2025
Surprisingly, Heintschel wasn’t considered the type of elite prospect you’d expect to see excel as a true freshman. He hails from Oregon, Ohio, just outside of Toledo, and he was given three stars by most prognosticators. Pitt was the only power-conference program to offer him a scholarship, as his other offers were from Liberty, Coastal Carolina, and a few MAC schools. That has made his fast ascent surprising to most people.
Who are Pitt’s other stars?
The biggest standouts on the Pitt offense this year have been wide receivers Kenny Johnson and Raphael Williams. Both have over 300 receiving yards this season, stepping up after being complementary receivers last year. In the backfield, three running backs have shared the carries, although Desmond Reid is the most dangerous, as he averages 5.2 yards per carry and is the team’s third leading receiver.
Defensively, it’s been a true team effort for Pitt. While 12 players have recorded at least one sack, nobody on the roster has more than two. It’s been the same story in the secondary, which has a veteran-led, well-rounded group.
What is Pitt’s biggest flaw?
Pitt’s biggest flaw at this point in the season is its offensive line, especially since its job is to protect a true freshman at quarterback. While Heintschel has played well in his first two starts, he’s also been sacked seven times. Florida State sacked Heintschel five times last week, while also forcing him into two interceptions. On the season, Pitt has allowed 17 total sacks through six games. Unfortunately, that’s only one more than the Syracuse offensive line has allowed. Nevertheless, that’s one flaw the Orange will have to expose against the Panthers.
How does Syracuse beat Pitt?
If Syracuse is going to beat Pitt, the Orange defense will have to lead the way. Growing pains from Rickie Collins should still be expected in just his third career start, so the other side of the ball will have to step up. Pitt has a potential weakness along the offensive line, which means Syracuse must find a way to put pressure on a true freshman quarterback with the hopes of rattling him with help from the Dome crowd. If Syracuse can do that, they might be able to win the turnover battle and tip the scales in their favor.
Head Coach Fran Brown makes it very clear that Syracuse is sticking with Rickie Collins as the starting quarterback. pic.twitter.com/NQAD0PN4bv
— Cuse Sports Talk (@CuseSportsTalk_) October 13, 2025
Meanwhile, regardless of how Collins plays, the Syracuse offense has to be better in short-yardage situations. Failures in those situations were what prevented the Orange from staying competitive with SMU two weeks ago. The margin for error is going to be small the rest of the season, so Syracuse must find a way to convert goal-line, third-and-short, and fourth-and-short situations.