Under the blazing heat, Pitt's warm-up game against Albany turned into a showcase of precision and power. Despite temperatures soaring over 90 degrees, sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett delivered a stellar first-half performance, throwing for 154 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. The Panthers cruised to a 33-7 victory in front of 34,486 fans at Heinz Field.
The excitement kicked off immediately when Pitt's Maurice Ffrench electrified the crowd with a 91-yard return touchdown on the opening kickoff, putting Pitt ahead 7-0. Albany responded with senior quarterback Vincent Testaverde, son of NFL veteran Vinny Testaverde, who connected with Jerah Reeves and Dev Holmes, moving the ball into Pitt territory. However, Pitt's defense held firm as junior free safety Damar Hamlin intercepted Testaverde, returning it 79 yards to set up Pitt's offense.
Senior tailback Qadree Ollison capitalized on the turnover with a couple of strong runs, and Pickett finished the drive with a 5-yard keeper, extending Pitt's lead to 13-0. Ollison, a force on the ground, ended the day with 73 yards on just seven carries.
Albany's offense struggled to gain momentum, leading to another quick possession for Pitt. Pickett displayed his agility, evading pressure with a spin move to connect with Indiana transfer Taysir Mack.
The drive saw contributions from Darrin Hall and Tre Tipton, who made his return after a knee injury. Ffrench added to his impressive day with a 9-yard jet-sweep touchdown, putting Pitt up 19-0.
Albany showed resilience, though, with Testaverde finding Holmes for a 40-yard gain, setting up their first and only touchdown. Holmes shone in his debut, recording 148 yards on nine receptions. The score narrowed to 19-7.
Pitt's response was swift and decisive. Pickett orchestrated a balanced attack, involving several receivers, including Shocky Jacques-Louis and George Aston, who returned after an ankle injury. Araujo-Lopes capped the drive with a touchdown catch, despite a potential bobble that Albany couldn't challenge due to exhausted timeouts, making it 26-7.
The Panthers continued to dominate, with A.J. Davis and Ollison pounding the ground game.
Pickett found Araujo-Lopes once more for a 42-yard touchdown to end the first half at 33-7. The second half saw no additional scoring, but a brief scare occurred when Pickett limped off, though it was only a cramp.
Next up for Pitt is a highly anticipated matchup against Penn State, promising to be a thrilling contest under the national spotlight on ABC.