Pitt Football Preview 2026: The ACC's Ultimate Wild Card
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There's absolutely nothing boring about Pitt football in style, seasons, and wild mood swings.
That's why it's among the ACC's biggest wild cards.
Head coach Pat Narduzzi proved that Pitt can win an ACC Championship, but lately, just when it seems like something fun is about to happen … nope.
Can the Panthers Put It All Together and Win an ACC Championship?
© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
It wasn't all that long ago when the Panthers won the 2021 ACC Championship, and that's why it always seems like they're this close to pulling off something big.
Coming off a 3-9 clunker, the 2024 Pitt team started 7-0 and looked like a true championship contender – and then lost its last six games.
The Panthers started 2-2 last season with heartbreaking close losses to West Virginia and Louisville.
They found their quarterback in Mason Heintschel during a five-game winning streak, and everyone started to get on board. And then they closed losing three of their last four.
This season's team has enough talent back to be terrific at times, but it's Pitt. It's going to be an interesting ride.
Pitt Quick Hits
- Head Coach: Pat Narduzzi (12th year: 80-61)
- Best Case / Worst Case: Win the ACC Championship/Struggle to stay in the ACC race
- Key Player: Mason Heintschel, QB Soph.
- 2025 Record: 8-5
- Biggest Question: Can Pitt do all the little things right and win all of the games they're supposed to?
Pitt Key 2025 Stats
- Average Yards Per Carry: Pitt 3.5, Opponents 2.7
- Sacks: Opponents 44 for 325 yards, Pitt 31 for 274 yards
- 1st Quarter Scoring: Pitt 100, Opponents 48
Offense
Offensive coordinator Kade Bell has found his stride.
There are plenty of things to work on, but he's got the quarterback, the style, and the pop to make Pitt a threat to crank up the production every time out.
Now the Panthers have to be more consistent, and they have to be stronger against the better teams. They have the personnel to do it.
What’s Working
Mason Heintschel. The 6-2, 215-pounder isn't all that big, and he doesn't run, but the guy can spin it.
With a big-time arm and a maturity to his game, the sophomore came up large last season with 2,354 yards and 16 touchdowns, even though he didn't fully take over the job until mid-October.
He's the franchise, and Texas State transfer Holden Geriner is coming in to be the emergency option.
The ground game will take off. Heintschel will get the spotlight and the press, but the Panther rushing attack has the potential to carry its weight after a rough season.
The 1-2 rushing punch of Ja'Kyrian Turner and Western Kentucky transfer La'Vell Wright should combine to push for 1,500 yards.
When Pitt scores, Pitt wins. It was a true feast-or-famine team, going 8-0 when scoring 30 or more, and 0-5 when scoring fewer.
Over the last four years, Pitt is 22-1 when coming up with 30 or more, and that one loss was in the six-overtime insanity against Toledo in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.
What Needs Work
Third down conversions. The Panthers were explosive, and scoring wasn't much of an issue, but they were the worst in the ACC in third down conversion, hitting them just 33% of the time.
The offensive front should be better, but it still has a long way to go. Three starters are back, with 6-7, 325-pound tackle Ryan Bare the best of the bunch, and with help coming in from the transfer portal.
However, it's still going to take some work after the Panthers were among the worst in the nation in sacks and tackles for loss allowed.
Avoid the mega-turnover games. The Panthers were tied with Syracuse with the most turnovers – 23 – giving it up five times against Louisville, and five more times in the Military Bowl against East Carolina. They lost both by one score.
Player to Watch
Ja'Kyrian Turner, RB Soph.
He's only 5-9 and 180 pounds, but he's tough, lightning quick, and he'll be used even more after leading the team with 745 yards and seven touchdowns, and catching 25 passes for 150 yards.
© Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Defense
As always, Pitt is Pitt on defense.
It's always bringing the heat as one of the best pass rushing and attacking defenses in America, and it's always giving up a ton of passing yards, and it's always coming up with takeaways.
The aggressive style doesn't stop now, especially with a relatively loaded group of veterans who should keep the production going.
What’s Working
The pass rush. Every year under Pat Narduzzi – seriously, every year.
The Panthers find the right players for the system – the statistical stars don't really translate to the next level – and they keep coming in waves.
Be stunned if Pitt isn't first or second in the ACC in tackles for loss per game again.
The defensive front will be a plus. The production comes from all sides, with ends Isaiah Neal and Jimmy Scott combining for eight sacks and 15 tackles for loss, and the defensive tackles can move, too.
Nick James and Sean FitzSimmons are veterans who should combine for way over ten tackles for loss.
The takeaways allow for the offense to take more chances. No one likes turning it over, but Pitt is almost always able to let the offense go full throttle thanks to a defensive style that takes it away every game.
The Panthers only failed to come up with a turnover in one game last year – the 61-9 win over Duquesne from the FCS.
What Needs Work
The linebacking corps. The combination of Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles was dominant, and now Louis is a Miami Dolphin and Biles is a Texas Longhorn.
Alex Sanford Jr. is a ready-made outside linebacker from Purdue, and the return of Braylon Lovelace in the middle – coming off an 80-tackle season with two sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss – will be a steadying force.
Giving up yards is part of the cost of doing business for the Pitt corners, and it'll be trial by fire for the new starters.
Shadarian Harrison got his feet wet on one side with 30 tackles and an interception, and in comes big transfer Raion Strader from Auburn along with Kanye Thompson from Syracuse.
The amazing run defense has to keep holding up. Thanks to all the tackles for loss, Pitt usually has a strong statistical run defense.
When opposing ground games are working, they keep handing it off. Pitt went 6-0 when teams ran it fewer than 34 times, and was 2-5 when offenses ran it more.
Player to Watch
Alex Sanford Jr., LB Sr.
How ridiculous was Rasheem Biles last year in Pitt's Money position?
101 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, two interceptions – both for touchdowns – four broken up passes, and two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery for a score.
Just do that, Alex, in that same Money spot – he came up with 46 tackles last year for Purdue.
Keys to the Season
- Keep quarterback Mason Heintschel from getting popped.
- The offense has to keep up the pressure – the scoring has to be consistent.
- Be sharper – fewer penalties, fewer turnovers, more third down conversions.
Player Who Needs To Shine
Mason Heintschel, QB Soph.
Pitt usually has a few quarterback options, but with all due respect to Texas State transfer Holden Geriner, the entire season is about Heintschel.
He had problems against Notre Dame and Miami, and his production fell off late, but when he was on – he lit up NC State for 423 yards, and cranked out 300 yards in four of his first five starts – he was special.
Biggest Concern
Running through the tape – have a good November.
Over the last three years, Pitt is 3-10 in the final month of the regular season.
Pitt lost a few early games, found their groove, got to 7-2, and then it all fell apart, losing three of the final four.
To be fair, two of those losses were to Notre Dame and Miami, but the Panthers weren't even close.
The 2024 team started 7-0 and finished 7-6.
What does this November look like? Florida State, at Louisville, at Cal.
Biggest Game
at Virginia Tech, October 2
As long as Pitt doesn’t biff the home games against UCF and Syracuse, it has a serious shot at starting 6-0 if it can get by the Hokies.
With the next road game at Boston College, 7-0 isn’t a crazy dream before going to Miami.
Transfer Portal
Pitt got better this offseason.
It brought in several players who fit the style – lots of help for Mason Heintschel – and went heavy with bulk talent over star power.
There were a few massive losses – there's no replacing Francis Brewu or Rasheem Biles on the defensive side – but overall it was a good run in the portal.
Best Signing
Raion Strader, CB (Auburn)
The Pittsburgh native started out his career at Miami University and was fantastic with 110 tackles and a ridiculous 31 broken up passes in two years.
He left for Auburn, but didn't do much last year. Now he's back home as a perfect fit for the Panther secondary.
Biggest Loss
Francis Brewu, DT (Notre Dame)
Losing Rasheem Biles to Texas is every bit as big, but it's a bit easier to find playmaking linebackers than disruptive forces at tackle.
Brewu isn't massive, but the 6-1, 280-pounder can move, with 51 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and ten tackles for loss over the last two years. He'll be great for Notre Dame.
Other Names to Know
- Alex Sanford Jr., LB (Purdue)
- Jeremiah Warren, DT (Illinois)
- DeMarco Ward, LB (Memphis)
CFN Season Prediction
It's interesting with Pitt, because in some ways, it's among the most predictable of ACC teams.
You know what it's going to do on both sides of the ball. It's just a question of execution.
But on the flip side, it's nasty to figure out this bunch over the last few years, because it will lose to mediocre teams like 2025 West Virginia and 2024 Virginia, and Cincinnati and Wake Forest in 2023 (all of them finished with losing seasons).
CFN Prediction: 7-5
Here's the massive plus – and remember that Duke and Virginia played in the ACC Championship last year. Who do the Panthers miss?
Clemson, Duke, NC State, SMU, Virginia, and a great-looking Wake Forest team. (And Stanford, too, by the way.)
And the biggest miss this year is Notre Dame, who was on last year's schedule.
The problem is the ACC road slate – at Virginia Tech, Boston College (both should be far, far better), Miami, Louisville, and Cal.
That doesn't even include home dates against UCF, Syracuse, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, and Florida State.
So like the last two years when Pitt hovered around the seven-to-eight win mark, expect that again.
Related: ACC Football Rankings 2026: Where Things Stand Before Spring
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