Pitt claws way back into top 20, comes in at No. 20 in AP, No. 18 in CFP polls

Pitt jumped five spots from No. 25 to 20 in the latest Associated Press top 25 football poll. The jump comes on the coattails of the Panthers’ overtime victory over the UNC Tar Heels last Thursday. Baylor, who moved up seven spots to No. 11, was the only team that jumped more spots than the Panthers this week.

The Panthers have moved up-and-down the polls for the past several weeks. Pitt broke into the top 25 after taking down the Virginia Tech Hokies and debuting at No. 23 on Oct. 17. Pitt climbed all the way to No. 17 before dropping out of the poll after it lost to Miami.

The College Football Playoff voting committee also elevated Pitt back into the top 20 on Tuesday. Pitt moved up three spots from No. 21 to 18 after last week, making one of the largest jumps of any team this week.

Pitt remains near the top of ESPN’s Football Power Index ratings at No. 7 — the highest of any team from the ACC. The outlet gives Pitt an 86.2% chance to win the Coastal Division and a 52.4% chance to win the ACC. FPI is meant to be “a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season,” according to ESPN.

Pitt will have another chance to move up in the rankings this weekend against the Virginia Cavaliers who boast the No. 2 passing offense in the country. Pitt also has the opportunity to clinch the Coastal Division with a win on Saturday. The game will kickoff from the North Shore at 3:30 p.m. and air on ESPN2.