Pitt will turn to Corey Dailey at quarterback when it takes the field against Florida State on Friday night, with Holden Geriner listed as a game-time decision and unavailable to be counted on before kickoff.
Dailey’s assignment comes with real weight. The freshman is making his second career start after opening against Boston College, when he went 11-for-25 for 193 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
He got that game rolling immediately with a 75-yard touchdown strike to Blue Hicks. For the season, Dailey is 17-for-25 for 316 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Panthers are also juggling a few other spots because of injuries. Jeremiah Warren will start at defensive tackle, Shadarian Harrison is stepping in for Shawn Lee Jr. at cornerback, and Damon Ferguson Jr. will be RB1.
The ACC’s availability report, released two hours before the 7 p.m. kickoff, left Pitt’s quarterback room and defensive line under a cloud. Sean FitzSimmons is out, and that’s a notable loss up front. He has 24 tackles, three for loss, two sacks and four quarterback hurries, and this will be his first missed game of the season.
Pitt still has some options behind him, with Jeremiah Warren, Ty Yuhas and Lincoln Hoke available, but the picture gets murkier if Eliyt Nairne can’t go. Nairne is also a game-time decision, and the rest of the starting defensive line is available.
Geriner’s status is the biggest question mark. He has gone 77-for-132 for 886 yards and four touchdowns after taking over when Mason Heintschel was lost for the season.
He has started every game since the Virginia Tech matchup except Boston College. If he can’t play, Dailey is next up.
The Panthers are also watching Ja’Kyrian Turner, who is listed as a game-time decision. Turner has appeared in just three games this season, logging 30 carries at 3.7 yards per carry with a touchdown. He returned against Virginia Tech and North Carolina after a three-game absence, but he left the Tar Heels game early and has missed the Boston College and Georgia Tech games since.
That leaves Pitt leaning on Ferguson, who has become the clear workhorse. The freshman leads the team with 123 carries for 662 yards, which works out to 73.6 per game, and six touchdowns.
There are more moving parts on defense, too. Shawn Lee Jr. is a game-time decision after playing in all nine games and posting 23 tackles, two for loss, one interception and three pass breakups. Raion Strader is available, and Pitt has depth behind Lee in Rashan Murray, Harrison and Zion Ferguson.
DeMarco Ward is also listed as a game-time decision. He’s been one of Pitt’s most important linebackers in certain special packages, with 30 tackles, 3.5 for loss, two sacks and four quarterback hurries.
The three starters ahead of him - Jeremiah Marcelin, Braylan Lovelace and Alex Sanford - are all available. If Ward can’t go, Pitt would be thinner there with Cam Lindsey already out for the season, which could mean more snaps for Davin Brewton, Jayden Bonsu and others.
Friday night is Senior Night for Pitt, which will honor the class before the Panthers play their final home game of the season. Pitt enters at 6-3 overall and 3-3 in the ACC, while Florida State comes in at 4-5 and 2-4 in conference play.
The Panthers have been solid at Acrisure Stadium this year, going 5-1 at home. They also hold the edge in the all-time series, 7-5, after last season’s 34-31 win in Tallahassee. This is the 13th meeting between the programs, a series that dates back to 1971, and the ACC series is tied 2-2.
Under Pat Narduzzi, Pitt is 2-1 against Florida State, with wins in 2020 and 2025. A win Friday would give the Panthers back-to-back series victories and their first home win over the Seminoles since 1983.
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