CINCINNATI — Pitt scored an impressive 28-27 win over Cincinnati on Saturday, and did it in dramatic fashion. The Panthers trailed 27-6 in the third quarter, but busted out 22 unanswered points for the win. What stood out from the game?
Here are my five takeaways.
A thriller in Cincinnati
I remember joking in the press box about Pitt at least having some life after scoring to make it 27-13 at the end of the third quarter. I don’t think I truly believed it would turn into a win, but the Panthers outscored the Bearcats 15-0 in the final quarter and turned what looked like was going to be an ugly loss, into one of the best comeback wins in program history, and the largest since 1971.
The Panthers had nothing going for most of the contest, and all parts of the game were unraveling for the team. Pitt redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein was frustrated and rattled. Cincinnati was gashing Pitt for big gain after big gain, and eventually just played keep away from the Panthers.
Pitt only had the ball for 2:13 in the second quarter. There were multiple three-and-outs, while Cincinnati kept the chains moving.
It all looked bleak until it didn’t. Something clicked for Holstein, and then the defense started coming up with some third down stops, and little by little, the team worked itself back into the game.
Pitt out-gained Cincinnati 234-70 in the final quarter. The Bearcats were 7-of-12 on third down attempts in the first three quarters, but all the sudden ended up going 0-of-4 in the fourth. The Panthers stiffened on defense, in part, because the offense found its footing.
Pat Narduzzi mentioned that in his postgame press conference. The two sides were able to feed off of each other, and it turned into a dramatic come-from-behind victory, and kept the Panthers unblemished with a 2-0 record going into the Backyard Brawl.
Holstein comes up clutch
I don’t know if I have ever seen a more dramatic light switch flip from a quarterback than what Holstein pulled today. And to consider, this was only his second-ever college football game, and his first on the road, making it all the more impressive, and unlikely even.
Freshmen quarterbacks aren’t supposed to lead three touchdown comebacks on the road, but nobody told him apparently. Holstein was just 7-of-17 for 91 yards and an interception in the first half. The offense was not sustaining drives, and truthfully, the whole product looked a lot like last season.
Holstein started rolling out and moving a bit more, as the athletic quarterback ended up extending some plays. Because he started to become more active, the rest of the offense started to flourish, and he gained more confidence.
There aren’t many Pitt quarterbacks who can claim a 10-of-11 189-yard and two-touchdown fourth quarter, but Holstein did just that on Saturday. It’s nice having a player like Desmond Reid who can break loose some big plays, which he did, but Holstein deserves a lot of credit for hanging in there in a tough environment, and leading his team to a win.
The Pitt coaches also deserve some recognition for riding it out and letting their young quarterback play through it. There could have been or probably were some temptations to put in Nate Yarnell, but they let Holstein play through some mistakes, which should be a benefit to his growth in the long run.
Reid shines again
Desmond Reid is a cheat code. No, seriously, how did not one single FBS program land him out of high school? This is game-breaking speed we’re seeing from the Western Carolina transfer, and he is absolutely, undeniably Pitt’s most valuable offensive player after seeing him play for two games.
Reid had 254 all-purpose yards, the second game in a row he’s gone over 230 total yards. He rushed for 148 yards and had 106 receiving yards, and at times carried the offense entirely with his small, but mighty 5-foot-8 frame.
He broke loose for a 56-yard catch and run touchdown to make it 27-25 with five minutes remaining, part of the 94 YAC he posted for the game. Reid is game-changer for this offense and team, and keeping him healthy will be paramount for the rest of the season.
There were times it looked like he was a little hobbled, but he showed off his toughness by finishing the game. Giving him 25 touches is a heavy workload, but I think the offense’s success really hinges on getting him the ball. He is that good.
Defense has plenty to work on, but settled in late
Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby looked like a legitimate Heisman candidate in the first half, and the Pitt defensive effort had a lot to do with it. Sorsby, a transfer from Indiana, was 6-of-9 for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. The Bearcats attacked Pitt’s new starting cornerbacks early and often, and that led them to getting that first half lead.
Pitt also allowed 149 yards to Cincinnati star running back Corey Kiner. The Panthers couldn’t get off the field on third and fourth downs, either. Basically, everything was going against them. There was no pass rush to speak of, no big plays, and they simply got stuck on the field.
The Bearcats punted on their first possession and produced scoring drives on five of their next six. The one they didn’t score was still ended with a field goal attempt. Cincinnati did everything it wanted.
But, it also somehow changed. Pitt started getting more pressure and forced Sorsby to rush some decisions. The running lanes closed, and on its first three possessions of the fourth quarter, Cincinnati had to punt every time, before fumbling on the final play of the game. The Panthers ‘clamped’ down as best they could, and figured out a way to win.
Obviously, they will need a better effort next week, but the fourth quarter can be something they can use to try to build momentum.
Brawl focused
Pitt always claims a ’24 hour rule’ after a win, meaning they can enjoy the victory at hand, before turning the page to the next opponent. I’m going to skip all that and remind everyone what next week is, and of course, it’s a date against West Virginia at Acrsiure Stadium for the Backyard Brawl.
Pitt may celebrate this one tonight, but next week is a big one, needless to say. Last year’s meeting was an absolute wreck of a game, with the Mountaineers pulling out 17-6 down in Morgantown. Both teams netted exactly 211 yards. It was ugly to watch, especially with it being a nationally televised game.
I think we’re going to see a different game next weekend. Speaking for Pitt’s perspective, there is no doubt they will get more than 211 yards, and there will be points to be scored. But I also worry if Pitt’s defense gets stuck with another performance like the one it had today.
West Virginia should be better than what Pitt faced last September, and were picked higher than Cincinnati within the Big 12 Conference. The Mountaineers have some offensive weapons, and after seeing today, they will definitely be picking on Pitt’s isolated cornerbacks until they can prove to stop it, much like Cincinnati did.
Saturday’s game was a whirlwind, and it ended in a nice win for this program, but next weekend the stakes will be raised even higher.
