PITTSBURGH — Five minutes after Heinz Field fell silent, Pitt’s dogged folk hero jogged back on the field to a chorus of unabashed adoration. “Kenny, Kenny, Kenny,” the Pitt students roared as their quarterback, their catalyst, their Heisman Trophy candidate returned from injury.
It was only a brief visit to the medical tent. But it’s hard to blame those on the North Shore for showering Pickett with praise. Saturday was No. 8’s last time playing at home in a Pitt uniform. And Pickett left the Heinz Field faithful with plenty to celebrate.
Pickett’s Panthers beat Virginia, 48-38, to capture the ACC Coastal division title on Saturday night. Pitt secured its spot in the ACC championship game on Dec. 4 in Charlotte, N.C., where it will face the undetermined winner of the Atlantic division.
Pickett performed admirably on Senior Day, completing 26 of 41 passes for 340 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. The fourth-year starter’s final pass at Heinz Field was a fourth-quarter, 62-yard touchdown catch-and-run to star wide receiver Jordan Addison, who had the game of his career.
Addison, a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to college football’s top receiver, played every bit like it against the Cavaliers. The sophomore recorded 202 yards and all four touchdowns on 14 catches.
Every catch was needed, too, in Pitt’s back-and-forth affair with Virginia. The big question entering the game was whether or not Cavaliers quarterback Brennan Armstrong would play. The southpaw gunslinger missed last week’s non-conference contest against Notre Dame with a rib injury.
Boy did Armstrong play, throwing for 487 yards and three touchdowns. But in the end, it was all for naught.
Flourishing on fourth
Narduzzi has said time and time again: “We ride with Kenny.” Saturday served as yet another example of that, putting the ball in Pickett’s hands when it mattered most.
Pitt found the end zone on two fourth-down decisions. Pickett’s second touchdown pass of the second quarter was an 18-yarder to Addison on a fourth-and-4, giving Pitt a 14-7 lead. And Pickett’s third touchdown, coming in the third quarter, was even gutsier.
Locked in a 24-24 contest, the Panthers lined up to go for a fourth-and-2 at Virginia’s 34-yard line. The decision to go wasn’t crazy. Pitt hasn’t hit a field goal of 50-plus yards all season. But the manner in which Pitt offensive coordinator Mark Whipple approached it proved what he thinks of Pickett.
Instead of lining up in a heavy package and running the ball, Pitt spread out in a four-receiver set and let Pickett sling it. One of college football’s top deep-ball passers thrived yet again, connecting with Addison for a 34-yard score.
Special teams standout
The last time Pitt returned a kickoff for a touchdown was back in Oct. 2018 when Maurice Ffrench took one 99 yards to the house at Notre Dame. Against the Cavaliers, another Pitt player wearing No. 2 did the same. Go figure.
Running back Israel Abanikanda glided through Virginia’s coverage team on a 98-yard score in the second quarter. Abanikanda reclaimed the lead for Pitt moments after Virginia knotted the affair at 14.
Early loss
Pitt appeared to have an ideal defensive start. The Panthers dragged Armstrong to the turf on the game’s opening snap and two plays later forced a three-and-out. But it didn’t hold up. A third-down pass breakup by middle linebacker SirVocea Dennis was reviewed and ruled as targeting. Dennis, Pitt’s leading tackler, was ejected.
The Cavaliers, in turn, took advantage. Armstrong marched Virginia down the field on a 10-play touchdown drive. Meanwhile, Dennis, the key communicator and arguably the best player on Pitt’s defense, was forced to watch.
Dennis will, however, be available for next week’s Syracuse game.
Up next
Pitt will push for its first 10-win season since 2009 when it visits Syracuse next Saturday. The Orange are 5-6 after losing to N.C. State, 41-17, on Saturday.
But Pitt fans will be keeping tabs on a few other games, too.
Pitt’s opponent in the ACC championship game is still up in the air. Despite losing handily to Clemson, Wake Forest still controls its divisional destiny. If the Demon Deacons beat Boston College next Saturday, they’ll face Pitt in Charlotte. But if they lose again, both Clemson and N.C. State are still alive.
