Pitt/Notre Dame renewal set in South Bend after 5-year absence

Jerry DiPaola
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023 11:09 a.m. | Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023 11:09 a.m.

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Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi looks at the big screen after the Panthers go down to Notre Dame 21-3 in the second quarter Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020 at Heinz Field.

Pitt’s historic series with Notre Dame that includes a four-overtime victory, a three-overtime loss and Tony Dorsett running the length of three football fields returns to South Bend, Ind., next season for the first time in five years.

Never too soon to think about next season … https://t.co/SFSeK0wTSk

— Jerry DiPaola (@JDiPaola_Trib) January 18, 2023

Pitt announced Wednesday morning that the game will be played Oct. 28 at Notre Dame Stadium. An ACC member in most sports other than football, Notre Dame in recent years typically has played between four and six ACC opponents every season.

The Panthers have met the Irish 72 times previously (21-50-1), beginning with a 6-0 loss in Pittsburgh on Oct. 25, 1909. Pitt has played only West Virginia (105 games), Penn State (100) and Syracuse (88) more often. Pitt’s most recent trip to South Bend ended in a 19-14 loss Oct. 13, 2018.

Perhaps Pitt’s most memorable victory in the series occurred in front of a crowd of 56,480 at Pitt Stadium on Nov. 15, 1975, when Dorsett rushed for a then-school record 303 yards, the most by any player against Notre Dame. That ended an 11-game losing streak against the Irish.

The teams often have played in consecutive seasons, but Notre Dame terminated the series temporarily in the 1930s after Pitt’s four shutout victories.

The teams most recently met Oct. 24, 2020, when Notre Dame was a one-year ACC member during the covid-shortened season. The Irish won 45-3 at what then was known as Heinz Field to extend their winning streak against Pitt to three games. Pitt’s most recent victory in the series was a 28-21 decision Nov. 9, 2013, in Pittsburgh.

Both teams finished last season with 9-4 records that included bowl victories Dec. 30. Notre Dame was ranked 18th in the final Associated Press poll, Pitt 22nd.

The ACC will announce its schedule of 2023 conference games Jan. 30. Pitt’s three other nonconference opponents will be Wofford and Cincinnati at Acrisure Stadium and West Virginia at Mountaineer Field.

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— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) January 10, 2023