Pitt football releases 2023 schedule

The 2022 Pitt football season came to a close just one month ago. But fans can already look forward to next season as the program released its 2023 schedule on Monday night.

In a Jeopardy!-inspired announcement on Twitter, the Pitt football program announced the matchups, dates and locations for their 2023 campaign. 

For the first game of the 2023 season, the Panthers will square off against championship subdivision opponent Wofford at Acrisure Stadium on Sept. 2. The Panthers have never played the Terriers before, who finished 3-8 last season. 

The Panthers will continue their early homestand on Sept. 9 in the renewed River City Rivalry against Cincinnati. The pair were fierce rivals in the Big East before Pitt left for the ACC, making this their first game since 2012. Cincinnati went undefeated in the regular season and qualified for the College Football Playoff in 2021, but fell to 9-4 last season. 

Speaking of rivals, the Panthers will play their third game of the 2023 season against West Virginia on Sept. 16 on the road. The Panthers renewed their rivalry with the Mountaineers last season, reigniting the infamous Backyard Brawl rivalry.

Last year’s game ended in dramatic fashion, as redshirt junior defensive back M.J. Devonshire scored a clutch pick-six to secure the 38-31 Pitt victory. The Panther football poked fun at last year’s thrilling finish by including a video of Devonshire’s interception in the announcement video. 

Following the trip to West Virginia, Pitt will return home to face off against ACC rival North Carolina on Sept. 23. The Tarheels snubbed the Panthers from defending their ACC title last season, finishing just one game above the Panthers in the Coastal division. 

The North Carolina game will mark the first in a long stretch of ACC matchups. On Sept. 30, the Panthers will travel to Lane Stadium for a game against Virginia Tech. Following a bye week, Pitt will face Louisville at home on Oct. 14. Then the Panthers will travel to Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Oct. 21 for a 2021 ACC championship rematch against Wake Forest. 

Following the long ACC slate, the Panthers will renew another rivalry when they travel to face Notre Dame on Oct. 28. The Fighting Irish historically have the Panthers’ number, as they own the series lead 49-21. 

The Panthers will then return home for a major test against Florida State on Nov. 4. Florida State dominated last season, finishing No. 11 in the final AP ranking. 

Then the Panthers will head to Yankee Stadium for a matchup against Syracuse on Nov. 11. Earlier on Monday, the ACC announced Pitt and Syracuse would play at the historic stadium. The rivals played each other 100 years ago in the first-ever game at the original Yankee Stadium in 1923. 

The Panthers will finish out the season with two more ACC matchups. The Panthers will play Boston College on Nov. 16 at home, then Duke on Nov. 25 on the road. 

While the 2023 campaign is still months away, fans can look forward to the spring game on April 15. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. and coverage will air on ACCNX.