Pitt got exactly what it needed Saturday night: a bruising ground game, a disruptive defense and a win that punched its ticket to bowl season.
Freshman running back Damon Ferguson led the way with a season-high 185 yards and a touchdown as the Panthers rolled past Georgia Tech 34-11 in Pittsburgh, snapping a three-game skid and moving to 6-3 overall, 3-3 in the ACC. Pitt piled up 281 rushing yards and controlled the line of scrimmage from start to finish, while the defense piled up five sacks and kept Georgia Tech quarterbacks Alberto Mendoza and Grady Adamson under constant pressure.
The Panthers outgained the Yellow Jackets 461-238 and finally got back in the win column for the first time since losing starting quarterback Mason Heintschel for the season because of a knee injury in a victory over Virginia Tech to open October.
Holden Gernier completed 180 yards passing and threw a touchdown, though his night could have looked even cleaner if not for a few costly mistakes around him. Tight end Carson Kent lost a fumble out of the end zone while trying to score in the second quarter, and wide receiver Malik Knight was among the players who struggled with drops. Ferguson also had an early touchdown run erased by a penalty, leaving Pitt to waste several chances before putting the game away.
Even with those hiccups, Gernier kept pushing. His 30-yard touchdown pass to Blue Hicks early in the fourth quarter stretched Pitt’s lead to 24 points and effectively shut the door on any realistic Georgia Tech comeback.
The Yellow Jackets, now 2-6 and 1-4, never found much rhythm on offense. Mendoza finished the first three quarters 16 of 25 for 81 yards and lost the ball three times, including one Panthers recovery, before giving way to Adamson in the fourth. Adamson added some movement with his legs, rushing for 63 yards and a touchdown, but Georgia Tech never seriously threatened.
For Pitt, the defensive bounce-back came after a rough showing in last week’s road loss at No. 1 Miami. This time, the Panthers looked far more forceful and far more in control.
Georgia Tech’s slide keeps deepening. A year after going 9-4 and climbing as high as No. 7 in the AP Top 25, the Yellow Jackets now face a difficult finish and will need an upset to avoid their worst season since going 1-10 in 1994.
Pitt’s own issues were still on display, even in a comfortable win. The Panthers were flagged 10 times for 95 yards and turned it over three times, a sloppiness that didn’t cost them against Georgia Tech but could become a problem later if they don’t clean it up.
Georgia Tech hosts Louisville next Saturday. Pitt hosts Florida State on Nov. 13.
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Pitt Gets A Crucial Chance To Stop Its Slide Against Georgia Tech
Pitt gets a timely home date on Halloween night, and it comes with a little pressure attached. The Panthers will host Georgia Tech at Acrisure Stadium on Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m., looking to snap a three-game losing streak against a Yellow Jackets team that has had its own issues on both sides of the ball.
Georgia Tech comes in at 2-5 and has been dealing with a defense that has not held up well, while injuries have only made the challenge tougher. Pitt will see a chance to steady itself in front of its home crowd, but the matchup still carries enough uncertainty to keep the focus squarely on how the Panthers respond after a rough stretch. [Read more 🡒]