(Photo: Mark Albert / Icon Sportswire)
University of Pittsburgh football fortunes are trending upward under 11th-year head coach Pat Narduzzi. When they last matched up against the ND in 2023, the Irish dominated the match-up in Notre Dame Stadium, 58-7. That Panther team finished the year a lowly 3-9. Last season they saw progress finishing at 7-6. This week Pitt stands at 7–2, riding a five game winning streak.
They are ranked No. 22 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings. They were on a bye last week, in their last action, they defeated future ND opponent Stanford 35–20.
Pitt opened the year with a dominant 45–17 win over Duquesne and later dropped the “Backyard Brawl” to West Virginia, 31–24. Their other loss was at home to Louisville 34-27 in game four. Since then, the Panthers have found their rhythm, positioning themselves for a strong finish despite a demanding November slate that includes the Irish and Miami.
The turning point came after that Louisville loss when Narduzzi handed the offense to freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel. Since taking over, Heintschel has yet to lose, injecting poise, confidence, and rhythm into the Pitt attack. On the season, he’s completed 64.1% of his passes (118 of 184) for 1,547 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions, posting a 150.8 passer rating. Protection has been an issue — Heintschel has been sacked 16 times — but he continues to display remarkable composure for a freshman.
Pitt is definitely a pass-heavy offense, ranking 10th nationally with 302.6 yards per game through the air, while the running game contributes just 104 yards per contest (104th nationally). The Panthers’ ability to score quickly and efficiently has been their strength, averaging 39.7 points per game, 6th best in the nation, with reliable weapons in their receiving corps — led by Kenny Johnson, Raphael Williams Jr., and Cataurus “Blue“ Hicks, a talented group that has combined for nearly 1500 yards and 12 TDs.
Running the ball for the Panthers is the duo of freshman Ja’Kyrian Turner and preseason All-America Desmond Reid. Reid has been battling an ankle injury but is expected to be fully healthy this week. Back on October 11 he posted 200 yards of combined offense against Florida State, 155 of those yards came through the passing game.
Defensively, Pitt has been a team of extremes. They boast the #3 rush defense nationally, allowing just 80.9 yards on the ground per game, and are 5th in the nation in tackles for loss, averaging nearly 8 per contest. But the pass defense has struggled, ranking 95th nationally and allowing 237.4 yards per game, and the red zone defense is a liability, sitting 129th nationally. The Panther linebacker corp is the strength of the defense and Kyle Louis is widely considered the Panthers’ best defender. He has been hampered by injury but led the Panthers last time out against Stanford with 11 tackles.
Kicker Trey Butkowski has been money in the bank, hitting 19 of 21 on field goals, with a long of 47 yards and 40 of 41 extra points. He ranks second nationally in points scored with 97.
Pittsburgh presents a unique challenge for the Irish this week. The Panthers’ pass-heavy offense, led by Heintschel and supported by multiple weapons in his receiving corps, has been firing on all cylinders, and kicker Butkowski adds a reliable threat. However, Pitt’s defense is a mixed bag — elite against the run but vulnerable through the air and in the red zone. Against a balanced and high-powered Notre Dame offense, Pitt will need to limit big plays and force turnovers to stay competitive. This game shapes up as a potential shootout where Pitt’s passing attack could keep it close, but Notre Dame’s depth and balanced attack and in particular CJ Carr’s ability to effectively push the ball downfield make them tough to upset.
Notre Dame is a 10.5-point favorite, and the over/under is 55.5.
The Fighting Irish Preview Prediction: Notre Dame 35, Pittsburgh 20.