Football is war. Linemen battle in the trenches to make or take space for the field general to orchestrate a balanced attack on the ground and through the air. Every inch of territory gained and lost is measured precisely. The home city might even hold a parade to celebrate after a big win. Each victory is a step in a campaign bigger than the players themselves.
The Orange from Syracuse, New York, traveled to the Steel City on Thursday to face the Panthers. The last time the Panthers started a campaign with a flawless 7-0 record was 1982, but after dominating Syracuse 41-13 in front of the nation, they are now turning back the clock.
Pitt can win in any and all ways
Before the arrival of offensive coordinator Kade Bell, junior running back Desmond Reid and redshirt first-year quarterback Eli Holstein, Pitt’s offense was poor. After their arrivals, Panther fans and head coach Pat Narduzzi realized quickly their offense could explode at a moment’s notice — explosions that launched fourth quarter comebacks against Cincinnati and West Virginia, dropped 73 points on Youngstown State and earned Pitt their first-ever win at North Carolina.
Since flying home from Chapel Hill 5-0, the offense hasn’t looked exactly the same. But right on queue, the patented Pitt defense arrived.
Spearheaded by the “Sharks,” Pitt’s defense recorded six sacks and 11.5 tackles-for-loss against California in a 17-15 win — the worst game of Holstein’s young collegiate career, but still a win.
Syracuse’s fourth play from scrimmage resulted in a pick-six by Pitt sophomore linebacker Rasheem Biles. Fellow sixth-year linebacker Brandon George picked off Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord five plays later. Seven more Syracuse snaps and redshirt sophomore linebacker Kyle Louis grabbed his third interception of the season and returned it for a touchdown. With the half winding down, Braylan Lovelace, the last remaining Shark to not grab a pick, scored Pitt’s third pick-six of the first half.
The College Football Playoffs aren’t even a question if Pitt’s linebackers, let alone defense, can score 21 points every week.
Ben Sauls, you are a Pittsburgh Steeler
Through seven games and seven wins, senior placekicker Ben Sauls is perfect. The Tipp City, Ohio, product is one of five placekickers perfect on field goal and extra point attempts, but his 45 total kicks is the most by far of those who haven’t missed, and the second most is 32.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that shares all facilities and home stadium with the Panthers, employ veteran placekicker Chris Boswell. Boswell is one of the best kickers in the league and arguably of all time — Boswell has the sixth-highest field goal percentage ever at 87.7%.
Boswell has not declined and is only 33 years old. But Acrisure Stadium is notoriously a difficult stadium to kick in, especially towards the open side. Sauls, now the sole owner of the most consecutive field goals made in Pitt history, has shown no moment is too big for him and the stadium’s architecture is not daunting.
In Pitt’s 17-15 win over Cal, Sauls tied the program record with a 58-yard kick to give Pitt a 17-6 lead — a much-needed make considering Pitt scored zero points in the second half.
Two seasons ago, Sauls kicked a 47-yard game-winning field goal against UCLA to win the Sun Bowl, Pitt’s first bowl game win since 2019. If the Steelers think Boswell has any chance of retiring or declining anytime soon, Sauls is a no-brainer late-round draft choice. If the Steelers don’t do it, another team certainly will.
Every game remaining is a playoff game for Pitt
Pitt doesn’t play in the vaunted SEC or Big Ten. The Panthers reside in the ACC, a conference routinely disrespected in every college sport come the postseason.
First, Pitt travels to Dallas to take on No. 22 SMU (7-1, 4-0) next week for a late-night Saturday matchup.
The Panthers avoid playing No. 6 Miami during the regular season but do invite No. 9 Clemson to town on Nov. 16. If the Panthers can take down their fellow felines in the Tigers, their spot in the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff will look very real.
It’s daunting. The Panthers need to take down two of the top three ACC teams near the end of the season to keep their playoff hopes alive. While an 11-1 Pitt could sneak in, the only way for the Panthers to keep their destiny in their own hands is to run the table and finish undefeated for the first time since 1976.