Pitt strikes quickly, rolls to 37-7 victory at Virginia
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Bowl invitations for teams with six victories are almost like participation trophies handed out to kids for showing up for all the Little League games.
No wonder Pat Narduzzi shrugged off Pitt (6-4, 3-3 ACC) reaching bowl eligibility by defeating Virginia, 37-7, on Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.
No big deal. Pitt has reached the requisite six victories in all but one season (2017) since 2008. The school chose to decline any possible invitation two years ago during the covid-19 pandemic.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Narduzzi said. “I figured we’d get there.”
There is at least one grander goal on Narduzzi’s mind, and that won’t be as easy to attain.
“We want to go undefeated in November,” he said.
So far, so good. Pitt is 2-0, with Duke (7-3, 4-2) coming to Acrisure Stadium next Saturday and a trip to Miami (5-5, 3-3) on Nov. 26 to close out the regular season.
What might be concerning for Narduzzi and his staff is the way Pitt played Saturday after a dominant, quick-strike start led to a 28-0 cushion only 12 1/2 minutes into the game.
Pitt scored only two offensive touchdowns, and none of any sort in the game’s final 47 ½ minutes.
The victory never was in question, thanks to Pitt cornerbacks M.J. Devonshire and Marquise Williams returning interceptions for touchdowns — 29 and 39 yards — on the Virginia’s first two snaps of the game. Each player has returned two interceptions for touchdowns this season, the first to do that for Pitt since Darrelle Revis in 2006.
“It’s a blessing to have our name by his name,” Williams said.
Only 16 seconds in, Pitt was ahead 14-0. After that, quarterback Kedon Slovis and running back Izzy Abanikanda joined the fun. Abanikanda burst 1 yard for a touchdown, and Slovis hit wide receiver Bub Means for a 31-yard score. It was Slovis’ first touchdown pass since Oct. 1, and Means’ first of the season.
Abanikanda ran for more than 100 yards (121 on 24 carries) for the seventh time this season, but after the first quarter, Pitt’s offense consisted of Ben Sauls’ three field goals (25, 27, 39 yards). He also hit the left upright from 54.
“I’d still like to see more points,” Narduzzi said.
Otherwise, Pitt committed nine penalties for a loss of 82 yards, five of them holding calls against tight ends Gavin Bartholomew and Karter Johnson, Means, wide receiver Jared Wayne and center Owen Drexel, who had missed the previous seven games with a lower-body injury.
“Just drive killers,” Narduzzi said of the penalties.
Slovis was sharp in the first quarter but ended up completing only 14 of 24 passes for 208 yards. He didn’t throw an interception, but similar to previous games, there were dropped passes and throws that went awry.
“We have to find a way to hit those,” Narduzzi said, referring to what look like big-play possibilities. “We have to be better.”
Let’s be clear, though. Pitt was the superior team in a game where Virginia’s record fell to 3-7 (1-6 in the ACC).
Quarterback Brennan Armstrong was sacked eight times for a loss of 69 yards. Calijah Kancey had a career-high three sacks and pressured Armstrong on both pick-6s.
“The coverage is matching up with the pass rush,” Devonshire said. “We are all working together. We’re finally getting to that point where we are jelling.”
Narduzzi said Kancey is the best defensive tackle he has coached in his 33-year career.
“Without question,” he said. “I didn’t coach Aaron Donald. He’s one of those guys. Everybody thinks they got an Aaron Donald, but the guy is truly one of those guys that’s hard to block.”
Defensive end John Morgan recorded two sacks before he was ejected in the third quarter for exchanging punches with Virginia center Ty Furnish, who also was kicked out of the game. The rest came from ends Habakkuk Baldonado and Deslin Alexandre and safety Judson Tallandier II.
What stood out from that list is seven of the sacks came from down linemen, lessening the need to blitz.
In the past two games, Pitt has 14 of its 37 sacks while allowing only one touchdown.
“Coach (Charlie) Partridge (defensive line) was yelling at his guys,” Narduzzi said, “saying you guys play better when I scream at you, when I yell at you.”
Pitt’s pass rush “made Armstrong think,” Narduzzi said.
On the other side of the line of scrimmage, Pitt’s rebuilt offensive line was missing right tackle Gabe Houy, who didn’t make the trip.
That could have been a problem, with Virginia entering the game with 30 sacks (third in the ACC). But the Cavaliers never sacked Slovis.
Keeping the quarterback clean and upright probably helped lead to the day’s other major point of positivity: For the first time in six games, Pitt did not commit a turnover.
“We might be getting ready for an ACC championship (game) if we don’t turn the ball over,” Narduzzi said.
Which would have been better than almost any bowl invitation.