Pitt football players raise their helmets skyward during a game at Heinz Field last fall. John Hamilton | Visual Editor
The Atlantic Coast Conference released the finalized 2017 schedules of its member football teams, including the University of Pittsburgh, on Tuesday afternoon.
Next fall, the Panthers will face eight teams that made bowl games this season, four of which finished the season in the Top 25 rankings.
Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said his team was excited to find out their opponents in the upcoming season.
“There is always great anticipation from players, coaches and certainly fans when it comes to seeing the new schedule,” Narduzzi said in a press release.
Pitt will open the season at home against the Youngstown State Penguins on Sept. 2. The following weekend, the Panthers will take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in State College. Penn State will look to avenge September’s last-second defeat at Heinz Field in which the Nittany Lions fell to Pitt, 42-39.
On Sept. 16, the Panthers will return to Pittsburgh to face the Oklahoma State Cowboys, to whom Pitt lost last year in a 45-38 offensive battle.
The Panthers will begin ACC play on the road on Sept. 23 when they play the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Next, Pitt plays the Rice Owls at Heinz Field on Sept. 30, their first meeting since 1951.
The last seven games of the season will all be against in-conference opponents, starting with the Syracuse Orange on Oct. 7 in the Carrier Dome.
On Oct. 14, the Panthers will play the NC State Wolfpack at home for the first time since Pitt joined the ACC, followed by a game in Durham, North Carolina, against the Duke Blue Devils.
The next two Pitt games are at home with the Virginia Cavaliers coming into town Oct. 28 and the North Carolina Tar Heels coming Nov. 9 after a bye week for Pitt.
The Virginia Tech Hokies will host the Panthers in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Nov. 18, and Pitt will close out its regular season on Nov. 24 in a Friday night game against the Miami Hurricanes.
With the schedule officially announced, Narduzzi said he plans on using the competitive lineup as a motivational tool for his team.
“With the games finally announced, I can promise you it will be highly visible throughout our practice facility this offseason. We want it to be a constant reminder of the 12 challenges and opportunities we have this fall,” he said.
The game times and TV listings have not yet been announced.
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