In sports, everything comes down to the finish. A team can do everything right for the first three quarters, but if they don’t finish, none of it matters. Sure, any day at the ballpark is enjoyable, but everyone knows what fans really want — the satisfaction of a happy ending.
Pitt athletics likes to keep fans on edge till the end of the night. Some evenings the Panthers might tire out and fail to finish, with an epic collapse that only Pitt is capable of.
But just as often, they pull out an unexpected move, igniting excitement that fans will dream of for years to come. Resembling a situationship, fans know Pitt’s icks and red flags, demanding firings and swearing they’ll never come back. But there’s a reason fans keep coming back year after year — it’s heart-pounding finishes like these.
Hatred runs deep in the Backyard Brawl. The relationship between Pitt and West Virginia resembles bitter exes. Each side would like the other to believe it never crosses their mind.
In reality, each fanbase stalks the other’s progress, praying on their downfall and reveling in their failure. They even exchange petty shots on social media, taking subtle digs across state lines.
And, like a bitter ex, the last thing you can have is them doing better than you. Fans need their rival to know that they chose the wrong side, year after year.
As the game drew to a close, Pitt football had its fans feeling ghosted. Somehow the Mountaineers secured a commanding 34-24 lead with only 4:55 left in the game.
The comeback began with a 40-yard bomb from redshirt first-year quarterback Eli Holstein. Despite the Mountaineers’ proper protection, junior wide receiver Daejon Reynolds penetrated the end zone, bringing Pitt within three.
With the game on the line, Holstein ensured the Panthers’ last drive went the distance. With an electric pocket presence, the first-year quarterback saw a hole in the West Virginia defense and scrambled for a first down. Then junior running back Derrick Davis Jr. pounded the ball into the end zone, delivering an all-time memorable climax for Panther Nation.
March Madness against Mississippi State in 2023
Following a six-year dry spell, Pitt and head coach Jeff Capel finally made the big dance. After crashing out the previous seasons, Capel completely redid his roster with more experienced and mature players. The gamble paid off tenfold, as the Panthers came up in the clutch time after time.
Yet, when they hit the dance floor, questions remained. Were the Panthers out of their league? Would their play-in game serve as a simple one-night stand?
With 14 seconds left in the game, down one, it was time for Pitt to make its move. Guard Jamarius Burton drove the lane, and with perfect ball handling and strength, he drilled a mid-range jumper for the Panthers’ 60-59 lead.
Then, first-year forward Guillermo Diaz Graham, at seven feet tall, had the necessary length to finish a clutch block. Yet Mississippi State grabbed the rebound and sent up a wide-open three. The Bulldogs bricked the shot. Like an awkward Instagram DM, it never stood a chance of success.
Again, the Bulldogs grabbed the rebound and put up a last-second layup, but after Diaz Graham’s block, the message was never going to be delivered. The shot missed and Pitt danced on as it stood up the Bulldogs for the NCAA tournament win.
Volleyball’s reverse sweep against rival Louisville in 2023
With the exponentially increasing popularity of collegiate volleyball, Pitt and Louisville’s battles for ACC dominance might become household names. In a now-broken attendance record, Pitt fans stormed the Petersen Events Center to watch a top 10 matchup between the Panthers and Cardinals.
After the first two sets, doubtful fans may have considered just going to bed. In danger of being swept by the Cardinals for the second time in the season, maybe the Panthers lacked the finishing touch.
Pitt volleyball’s chemistry remained impeccable, as if the teammates had been together for decades. Despite tough circumstances, the Panthers remained loyal to one another with equal efforts on the court — hallmarks of a strong relationship.
Then first-year outside hitter Torrey Stafford recorded a career-high of 21 hills, first-year right-side hitter Olivia Babcock set a career best in digs at 12 and junior setter Rachel Fairbanks had a personal best of 58 assists.
With the stadium pulse from a packed Pete, the Panthers completed the reverse sweep, finishing one of many iconic games in program history.