When the Virginia Cavaliers (6-4, 4-2 ACC) come to Heinz Field on Saturday, the Coastal Division title is up for grabs. With a win, Pitt will clinch the Coastal and book a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the ACC Championship Game.

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award voting committee named redshirt quarterback Kenny Pickett to the short list of five finalists. The committee awards the honor to the nation’s best upperclass quarterback that is graduating with their class.

When walking into Pitt football’s practice facility on the South Side, the number of and the notoriety of the awards dotting the walls is staggering — a Heisman trophy, a Biletnikoff award, national championship trophies and a 2018 Coastal Division title trophy. But one award has eluded the Pitt football program — an ACC Championship.

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.

Pitt (7-2, 4-1 ACC) will welcome the UNC Tar Heels (5-4, 3-3 ACC) to Heinz Field this Thursday for another ACC battle. The two teams are both coming off of wins, but have quick turnarounds for the game on Thursday. Pitt wasted no time getting back to work and started preparing Sunday, according to head coach Pat Narduzzi.

Pitt came in at No. 25 in the weekly Associated Press Top-25 football rankings. The AP ranked Pitt at No. 17 two weeks ago, but fell out of the poll after its loss to Miami. After taking down Duke over the weekend, the Panthers earned their way back into the poll.

The Panthers (7-2, 4-1 ACC) took down the Blue Devils (3-6, 0-5 ACC) 54-29.

Narduzzi and the coaching staff have had a goal to go “1-0” each week — this week it’s the Duke Blue Devils standing in their way of doing so.

Pitt came in at No. 25 in the College Football Playoff voting committee’s first poll of the season on Tuesday. The Associated Press did not rank Pitt in their weekly poll, released Sunday. The AP ranked Pitt at No. 17 entering last week, but fell out after its loss to Miami.

A striking and disappointing reality struck Pitt fans Saturday when the Hurricanes took down the Panthers — this team is not, and never was, a team destined for the College Football Playoff. What Panther fans need to realize is, that’s okay.