Pitt Panthers Fall Flat in Regular Season Finale, Miss ACC Title Shot
PITTSBURGH - The Pitt Panthers came into their regular season finale with everything to play for. After an impressive road win over No.
16 Georgia Tech, they were right in the thick of the ACC Championship conversation. But when Miami rolled into Acrisure Stadium, the Panthers didn’t just lose - they got steamrolled.
This one felt off from the jump. On the very first play from scrimmage, right guard BJ Williams was overwhelmed, and quarterback Mason Heintschel was dropped for a 10-yard loss. That opening snap set the tone for what would turn into a long, frustrating night for Pitt.
Yes, the Panthers briefly held a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter after a 13-play, 75-yard drive - their best series of the night. But that was the lone highlight.
After that touchdown, Miami seized control and never looked back, rattling off 35 unanswered points. Pitt’s offense managed just 149 yards over its final seven drives, a stark contrast to the 113 yards it piled up on its first three.
What made the loss sting even more was the context. With SMU falling to Cal, the door to the ACC title game was cracked open.
Pitt just needed to step through. Instead, they looked like a team unprepared for the moment - flat, inconsistent, and unable to respond when Miami punched first.
Injuries had been a storyline for much of the season, but this game was supposed to mark a turning point. Desmond Reid, Francis Brewu, Ryan Carretta, and Trey Butkowski were all cleared to return.
Yet, their impact was minimal. Reid and Carretta didn’t see the field on offense.
Butkowski missed his only field goal attempt. Only Brewu made his presence felt, tallying three tackles, including one for a loss.
Sean FitzSimmons, who was a game-time decision, didn’t suit up.
For a team that was expected to be the healthiest it had been in weeks, Pitt didn’t play like it.
This season has followed a frustrating pattern under head coach Pat Narduzzi. The Panthers have shown they can compete with middle-of-the-pack ACC teams - they won six conference games, four of them against squads with losing records - but when it comes to facing top-tier competition or traditional rivals, the results haven’t been there.
They dropped games to both of their rivals this season - West Virginia and No. 9 Notre Dame - and were outscored 75-22 against top-15 opponents.
Losses to Louisville and No. 12 Miami capped off a season where Pitt finished sixth in the ACC standings (after tiebreakers), a far cry from the title-contending aspirations they carried into the year.
So where does that leave the Panthers?
Narduzzi is under contract through 2030, and given the likely size of his buyout, a coaching change this offseason seems unlikely. That means the focus shifts to the bowl game - and there’s still a chance for this team to end the year on a high note.
We’ll find out Pitt’s bowl destination on Dec. 7, once the College Football Playoff bracket is finalized. But all signs point toward a potential showdown in the Pinstripe Bowl - possibly against in-state rival Penn State. That matchup would carry plenty of juice, especially with the Nittany Lions experiencing a down year of their own.
A bowl win, particularly against a bitter rival, won’t erase the disappointment of how this season ended. But it would give this team - and its fans - something to rally around heading into 2026.