42 - 39 
Pat Narduzzi was universally hailed as a good hire at Pittsburgh. His 8-5 opening season didn’t disappoint either. It was a season that included a win at Virginia Tech and a home win against Louisville.
Today provided Pat Narduzzi an opportunity to get a signature win over in-state arch rival Penn State. The Panthers came through for a 42-39 win, and it gave a glimpse into where the Pitt program could be headed.
The Pittsburgh offense once a plodding predictable unit, looked fast and physical. Behind a good offensive line, the Panthers ran for a whopping 341 yards against the Nittany Lions.
First the game was play in front of the largest crowd ever for a sporting event in the city of Pittsburgh – 69,983. Yes certainly there were Penn State fans there too, but that was still a notable achievement for the Pittsburgh Panthers.
That’s what I saw today. I saw the potential of program. Pittsburgh hasn’t arrived yet. We can’t say that. This wasn’t an elite Penn State team, but it is still a brand name, and your in-state rival.
The Panthers celebrated today with 1976 national championship that included the great RB Tony Dorsett. A huge crowd, celebrating one of their best teams ever, and James Conner looking effective after recovering from cancer. To top it off there was the big win. Pittsburgh may not be ready to win the ACC, but it looks like the Panthers will be contender in the ACC Coastal, and a 9 or 10 win season is a possibility. There is momentum within the Pitt program, and real chance to be a perennial top 25 type team.
Pittsburgh took advantage of the opportunity today. If your a Pitt fan, it couldn’t have gone better, and I imagine it was one of the best days of Pitt football in recent memory.
