Pitt didn’t need a flashy offensive explosion to beat UCF. On a night soaked by rain and slowed by a 65-minute weather delay, the Panthers leaned on defense, field position and a couple of timely drives to escape with a 12-7 win Saturday.
Damon Ferguson Jr. provided the only touchdown Pitt needed, punching in a score and finishing with 59 rushing yards. Pitt was without sophomore running back Ja'Kyrian Turner because of an undisclosed injury, a notable absence after Turner piled up nearly 900 yards of total offense as a freshman.
Mason Heintschel kept the offense moving in the downpour, completing 18 of 29 passes for 212 yards. It was a much different night from last week, when Heintschel tied Pitt's single-game record and set a new ACC single-game mark with seven passing touchdowns in a rout of Miami (Ohio).
UCF had a chance to turn the game late, but Pitt’s defense slammed the door. Alonza Barnett III went 20 of 31 for 186 yards, and he found Waden Charles for a 19-yard touchdown in the final three minutes to trim the gap. The Knights then got one last shot at a winning drive, only for DeMarco Ward and Jeremiah Marcelin to sack Keyone Jenkins on fourth down and end it.
The Panthers got their first big break in the second quarter when Gabe Russo pinned UCF deep with a punt, setting up a safety and a 5-0 Pitt lead. Braylan Lovelace later pressured Barnett into throwing the ball away from the end zone, and Barnett was hit with intentional grounding. That gave Pitt its first safety since Nov. 23, 2024 against Louisville.
Ferguson’s touchdown just before halftime stretched the lead to 12-0. He converted two third downs on the seven-play, 44-yard march, and Pitt carried that cushion into the break.
Barnett’s night was a sharp contrast from UCF’s opener, when the Knights rolled to a program-record 73 points and set the school mark for largest margin of victory against Bethune-Cookman. The James Madison transfer and 2025 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year couldn’t get the same rhythm going here, and UCF’s offense never fully found its footing.
The loss also extended a frustrating road trend for the Knights. UCF dropped its 10th straight road game against Pitt, and its last road win came on Sept. 14, 2024, a 35-34 victory at TCU.
For UCF, the result leaves the Knights still chasing the kind of consistency needed to reach a bowl game in their fourth season in the Big 12. For Pitt, it was another clean start: two wins in two games before ACC play begins.
The Panthers open conference action Thursday against Syracuse, a nationally televised home game. UCF returns home next Saturday to face Georgia State.
In Other News...
Pitt Defense Left UCF With A Problem That Could Linger
Pittsburghs 12-7 win over UCF was the kind of low-scoring slog that usually turns on a few hidden cracks, and the Panthers helped expose more than one for a Knights team that now has a 10-game road losing streak hanging over it. UCFs defense did enough to keep the game close and limit the Panthers offense, but the Knights could not get their own ground game going, and RicDarious Farmer had to carry more of the passing burden with Duane Thomas Jr. unavailable.
Alonza Barnett IIIs exit with an injury only added to the uncertainty around a night that already felt like it could leave a mark beyond one loss. Backup Keyone Jenkins had to step in, and while UCF found just enough offense to stay in it, the bigger concern is what happens next if the quarterback situation lingers and the running game remains stuck in neutral. [Read more 🡒]
Pitts 2-0 Start Is Sending A Clear Message Before ACC Play
Pitts first road map of the season has been about control, and the Panthers kept it that way in a 12-7 win over UCF at Acrisure Stadium. Damon Ferguson Jr. provided the games only Pitt touchdown, while Mason Heintschel managed the offense efficiently, completing 18 of 29 passes for 212 yards as the Panthers leaned on a steady, field-position style that matched the way this team wants to play.
The bigger takeaway for Pitt is how much the defense is driving the early momentum. UCF was kept in check through most of the afternoon as the Panthers limited the Golden Knights to 186 passing yards and just 20 on the ground, while piling up three sacks and eight tackles for loss. With ACC play still ahead, this kind of performance gives Pitt a clear early identity, and it leaves the next question hanging over whether that edge holds up once the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Pitt Volleyball Just Got A Feel Good Boost During Another Sweep
Pitt volleyball kept its early-season roll going with a straight-sets win over High Point, a result that pushed the Panthers to nine consecutive victories to open the year and extended one of the sports most impressive home streaks. Olivia Babcock again led the way with 20 kills, while setter Izzy Starck continued to drive the offense and steady the defensive work that has made Pitt so difficult to handle in its own building.
The night also brought a welcome sight for the Panthers as Marina Pezelj returned to action for the first time this season after being sidelined by an injury, entering late in the second set and helping out from the service line as Pitt finished the job. For a team already piling up wins, getting another healthy piece back only adds to the sense that the Panthers are building depth as they move deeper into the schedule. [Read more 🡒]