Panthers ranked No. 23 in AP top-25 poll

Pitt football came in at No. 23 in the country in the latest Associated Press Top 25 college football poll. This is the first time the Panthers have been ranked all season.

Head coach Pat Narduzzi mentioned last week he didn’t feel his team received much respect from the media, despite being a one-loss team. But it seems the win over the Hokies on Saturday was enough to garner the media’s respect.

Pitt is one of three ACC teams ranked this week, finding itself behind the No. 16 Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the No. 18 NC State Wolfpack.

This is the first time the voters ranked Pitt since week four in 2020, when they were ranked No. 24. But after losing to NC State that same week, the Panthers spent the rest of that season unranked. The Panthers’ highest ranking in the past 20 years is when they reached No. 8 in 2009.

The AP isn’t the only media outlet giving praise to the Panthers. ESPN’s Football Power Index ratings — a measure of team strength meant to be a predictor for the remainder of the season according to the website — has the Panthers ranked as the No. 7 team in the nation.

ESPN’s FPI also gives the Panthers a 57.5% chance to win the ACC and a 14.9% chance to make the College Football Playoff.

Pitt will have the opportunity to climb the polls this weekend when the Clemson Tigers come to town for an ACC matchup. This game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will air on ESPN.