Pitt football announced Sunday that head coach Pat Narduzzi would be the sole spokesperson for the team this week, shutting down player interviews ahead of their rivalry game against Penn State on Saturday.

The program followed the same policy last year in an attempt to keep the players focused on the important matchup.

It seemed to have paid off last year, as the Panthers stormed out to a 28-7 lead in the first half before hanging on to win 42-39. This year, though, the No. 6 Nittany Lions are the heavy favorites, and it will be a difficult task for Pitt to pull off the upset.

The contest kicks off at 3 p.m. at Beaver Stadium in State College.