For the Syracuse Orange, hate week comes early this season. The Orange will face the Pittsburgh Panthers a little earlier than usual this season. The Orange will play its biggest ACC rival on Thursday night, giving them a chance to quickly erase the sour taste of losing to Cal last week. We learned a little bit about Pitt before the season, but now that the game is upon us, it’s time to take an even closer look at the Panthers.
Where is Pitt ranked?
The Panthers are not ranked, but in the latest Associated Press top 25, they received one vote, along with 16 votes in the most recent Coaches' poll.
Where is Pitt in the ACC standings?
This will be Pitt’s first ACC game of the season, as the Panthers are among nine teams yet to play their conference opener.
What did Pitt do last week?
The Panthers managed to eke out an ugly 12-7 home win against Central Florida last week. They led 5-0 midway through the second quarter, finally getting a touchdown right before halftime to make it a 12-0 lead. Pitt added no points in the second half, while eventually giving up a fourth-quarter touchdown to the Knights. But the Pitt defense stood firm, allowing just 206 total yards and nine first downs to hold on for the win.
Who is Pitt’s quarterback?
Sophomore Mason Heintschel leads the Pitt offense. He took over as the starter midway through last season, creating big expectations for his sophomore campaign. Those expectations were ramped up after he threw for 453 yards and seven touchdowns against Miami (Ohio) in the season opener. Of course, he had no touchdown passes and a modest 212 passing yards last week against Central Florida. Heintschel was inconsistent against some of the better defensive teams Pitt faced during the second half of last season, so he still has a lot left to prove.
7 TDs. One game. Yeah, that’ll do it. 😼
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) September 9, 2026
Mason Heintschel is your ACC QB of the Week. pic.twitter.com/elrdea9fMb
Who are Pitt’s other stars?
It’s still a little unclear who Pitt’s top offensive playmakers will be this season. Cataurus Hicks has stepped into the role as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver, amassing 178 yards on eight catches through two games. But Heintschel’s seven touchdown passes have gone to seven different players. Meanwhile, the Pitt rushing attack is gaining just 3.6 yards per carry. Damon Ferguson has been the lead back, although he gained just 59 yards on 20 carries against Central Florida.
Pitt’s stars on defense are a little easier to find. Linebacker Braylan Lovelace is among the ACC’s best at that position. Jimmy Scott and Sean FitzSimmons are two players to watch along the defensive line. In the secondary, Cruce Brookins and Josh Guerrier lead the Panthers with nine tackles each through two games.
What is Pitt’s biggest flaw?
Surprisingly, the offensive line has been Pitt’s biggest issue this season. The Panthers have a veteran-laden group, but they haven’t looked the part this season, which explains the team’s lackluster rushing stats. The Pitt offensive line also struggled to give Heintschel a clean pocket against Central Florida, despite only allowing one sack. Defensively, Pitt’s biggest flaw could be a secondary that’s been largely untested thus far. However, the Panthers look as strong in the front seven as anyone in the ACC.
How does Syracuse beat Pitt?
The first step to beat Pitt for the Orange is to not beat themselves. The three turnovers and endless barrage of penalties were the biggest factors in Syracuse’s loss to Cal. Much like last week, Syracuse’s opponent on Thursday is too good for the Orange to beat if they continue to beat themselves. They will not be able to overcome self-inflicted errors against the Panthers.
"We have to learn to win this type of game."
— Cuse Sports Talk (@CuseSportsTalk_) September 13, 2026
Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown following the Oranges loss to Cal, 21-18. pic.twitter.com/07y1qtnXSY
Meanwhile, Syracuse has to win at the line of scrimmage. If Pitt’s offensive line continues to be vulnerable and struggles to establish a rushing attack, the Syracuse defense must put pressure on Heintschel and try to force takeaways.
Winning the turnover battle will be critical, given the uncertainty surrounding the Syracuse offense right now, especially against a stout Pitt defense. Syracuse’s path to victory on Thursday is likely in a defensive slugfest, so little details like ball security, avoiding penalties and executing on special teams will be critical and need to be cleaned up after the failures in those areas against Cal.
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