Football: Pitt to play eight home games

The Pitt football team will play eight home games at Heinz Field this fall, including rematches… The Pitt football team will play eight home games at Heinz Field this fall, including rematches with Utah and Notre Dame. The Panthers lost to both teams on the road this past season.

In the nonconference games, the Panthers will play Buffalo, Maine, Notre Dame and Utah at home. Pitt lost to Notre Dame and Utah 23-17 and 27-25 (OT), respectively.

In the Big East, Pitt will host Cincinnati, Connecticut, Syracuse and South Florida and will play Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia on the road.

Eight of Pitt’s 12 opponents played in a bowl game last year and the Panthers will face five of those teams at home.

The dates for Pitt’s nonconference schedule have been finalized, but the times have yet to be announced. The dates for the Big East Conference games will be released next month.

Pitt’s nonconference schedule is as follows:

Sept. 3 vs. Buffalo

Sept. 10 vs. Maine

Sept. 17 at Iowa

Sept. 24 vs. Notre Dame

Oct. 15 vs. Utah

The Panthers will play the annual Blue-Gold spring game on April 16 at Heinz Field. Additional details will be announced closer to the game’s date.

The season will be the first for Todd Graham as Pitt’s head football coach. Graham comes to Pitt from Tulsa, where he led the Golden Hurricane to three 10-win seasons in four years and a 36-17 overall record.

Tulsa advanced to three bowl games under Graham, including a 62-35 win over No. 24 Hawaii last season. The Golden Hurricane ended the 2010-11 campaign with a 10-3 record that included a 28-27 victory over Notre Dame.

Pitt finished with an 8-5 record for the 2010-11 season, earning a share of the Big East Championship and defeating Kentucky 27-10 in the BBVA Compass Bowl.