Pitt’s second game of the 2026 season brings UCF back to Acrisure Stadium, and the Panthers will be trying to keep the same explosive momentum they flashed in the opener.
The Panthers and Knights are meeting for the fourth time overall, with Pitt holding a 2-1 edge in the series. The last time these teams saw each other, Pitt pulled off a memorable finish in 2019 with the Pitt Special. On fourth down from the UCF three-yard line, wide receiver Aaron Matthews found quarterback Kenny Pickett in the end zone for the winning score with 56 seconds left.
This matchup comes after Pitt opened with a 59-14 win over Miami (Ohio), a game that showed just how fast this offense can pile up yards. The Panthers put together 646 total yards, the most in the ACC last week, and paired that with 480 passing yards, also the best mark in the conference. Pitt averaged 8.61 yards per play in the blowout.
Quarterback Mason Heintschel was the headline act. He completed 31 of 41 passes for 453 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions, tying Pitt’s single-game touchdown record while setting a new ACC standard.
His 453 passing yards ranked as the third-most ever by a Pitt quarterback in one game. Heintschel also became the first FBS quarterback to throw for at least 450 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception since LSU’s Joe Burrow in 2019.
The production was spread all over the field. Heintschel’s seven touchdown passes went to seven different players, and Pitt had never previously had six or more players catch a touchdown pass in the same game based on available records dating to 1996.
The Panthers also became the first FBS team with seven touchdown receivers in a game since Western Kentucky against Charlotte on Nov. 5, 2022.
Hicks, Lee and Knight were the most productive targets in the opener, combining for 15 catches, 253 yards and three touchdowns. Ja’Kyrian Turner added another layer to the offense with 108 yards from scrimmage, including 39 rushing yards and four catches for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Pitt’s defense was just as sharp against Miami (Ohio), especially against the run. The RedHawks finished with only 28 rushing yards on 21 carries, a 1.3-yard average.
Overall, Pitt limited them to 289 total yards, 14 first downs and just 3 conversions on 13 third-down tries. The Panthers allowed only 15 yards and no first downs in the opening quarter while racing to a 21-0 lead, then shut Miami (Ohio) out in the second half.
Special teams had a moment too. Antonio Chadha drilled a 58-yard field goal at the end of the first half, tying the Pitt record held by Ben Sauls and Alex Kessman. He also went 7-for-7 on extra points.
Pitt’s 2026 captains are Heintschel, offensive lineman Ryan Baer, Lovelace and defensive back Cruce Brookins. Heintschel is believed to be Pitt’s first true sophomore captain in the modern era; the program’s other known sophomore captains - Alex Van Pelt, Lousaka Polite and Tyler Palko - were all redshirt sophomores.
Saturday also marks Pat Narduzzi’s 12th season as Pitt’s head coach. Since taking over in 2015, he has led the Panthers to 52 ACC wins, the third-highest total in the conference over that span. Only Clemson, with 75, and Miami, with 56, have more.
Pitt and UCF kick off September 12, 2026 at 3:30 PM at Acrisure Stadium. The game will air on ESPN2, with Lowell Galindo, Kirk Morrison and Dawn Davenport on the call.
It will also be on the Panthers Radio Network with Bill Hillgrove, Pat Bostick and Dorin Dickerson, and on SiriusXM 121 or 236 and the SiriusXM App. WPTS Radio will also carry the game on 92.1 FM.
In Other News...
Pitts New Faces Just Changed The Feel Of This Team
Pitts season opener offered an early look at just how different this roster can feel after an offseason full of change. The Panthers rolled past Miami of Ohio 59-14, and the win was built on contributions from new faces all over the field, with transfer quarterback Mason Heintschel helping steer the offense and a mix of newcomers on both sides of the ball giving the team a sharper, more energized look than the one that finished last season.
The most encouraging part for Pitt may be how quickly the fresh pieces blended into a functioning group. Receivers and defensive players made their presence felt, the kicking game added a jolt of confidence, and the performance suggested the Panthers have more immediate help from their transfers and freshmen than many teams get this early. For a program trying to turn roster turnover into an advantage, the opener was a strong first step and a reminder that the new faces could end up defining the season. [Read more 🡒]
Pitt Is About To Give UCF The Test Its Opener Couldn't
UCFs season opener could hardly have gone much better. The Knights rolled past Bethune-Cookman 73-6, tying the school mark for points in a game while setting a program record for margin of victory, and Scott Frost came away encouraged by the way his team handled business. The performance gave UCF a fast start and a little early momentum, but it also came against a level of competition that left plenty to be proven when the schedule stiffens.
Pittsburgh is ready to be part of that next test, coming off its own opening-game win and a sharp offensive showing of its own. The matchup now carries the feel of an early measuring stick for both programs, with the Panthers bringing the kind of defensive challenge UCF did not see in Week 1 and the Knights trying to show that their opener was more than just a one-sided tune-up. For Frost and his team, the bigger question is how much of that opener can travel when the opposition looks a lot more like what they will face the rest of the way. [Read more 🡒]