Narduzzi on Sun Bowl invitation: 'We're excited'
Pitt accepted an invitation to the Sun Bowl on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers will be making their 37th all-time appearance in a bowl game when they square off with UCLA in the Sun Bowl on December 30th.
Pitt comes into this game with an 8-4 record, but the Panthers have been one of the hottest teams down the stretch in the ACC. The team is riding a current four-game winning streak to close out the regular season, which was capped off with a 42-16 thumping of Miami on November 26th.
“I think we’re just starting to roll here,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi told reporters via teleconference on Sunday night. “I do feel like we’re playing great football. We exploded against Miami last outing and we’ve got a few weeks to get a little bit healthier, get rounded up, and go down there.”
Pitt will be making its fifth trip all-time to El Paso for the Sun Bowl. The Panthers won games in 1975 and 1989, but have lost their two most recent matchups in 2008 and 2018. Narduzzi was the head coach for the Pitt team that lost to Stanford 14-13 in the 2018 Sun Bowl and recalled the experience surrounding the game.
“The hospitality is incredible,” Narduzzi said of returning to the Sun Bowl for the second time in five years. “We love El Paso. We had a great time when we down there last time and to play UCLA, the 18th ranked team in the country, to go up against such a great football team, our kids got a great challenge ahead of them and we’re excited.”
Pitt will be facing UCLA for the first time since 1972. The two storied programs have played 14 times, with the Bruins holding a 9-5 edge. The 2022 UCLA Bruins enter this game with a 9-3 record and ranked 18th in the final College Football Playoff rankings.
UCLA has a top-five offense in college football. The Bruins are led by dynamic quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and All-PAC 12 running back Zach Charbonnet.
“I’ve had chances to catch glimpses of them,” Narduzzi said of the 18th ranked Bruins. “I know number one they’ve got an explosive offense. I think they’re in the top five in the country in total offense.”
UCLA is led by fifth year head coach Chip Kelly. The Bruins head coach has been in the business for a long time and Narduzzi even recounted that the two of them faced off many years ago when he was at Rhode Island and Kelly was at New Hampshire, both as coordinators.
“This is a little different level here being in the Sun Bowl, but it should be an exciting game,” he said on facing Kelly again many years later.
Pitt star defensive tackle and ACC Defensive Player of the Year Calijah Kancey revealed earlier this week he won’t be playing in the bowl game. Narduzzi was asked about that, and noted this wasn’t an opt-out, but rather a surgery is keeping his star player out of the game.
“I can tell you this, Calijah would have played the game if he had the opportunity to, but he had a little surgery,” Narduzzi said.
The Pitt head coach was not aware of any of his players opting out at the time. He noted the whole team has been going through workouts the past week.
“I can guarantee you this, Pittsburgh will show up to play in a big bowl and the boys will be ready,” he said.
The bowl process had Pitt projected to go to various games over the last week, but it got settled on Sunday that they will play in El Paso against a ranked opponent. Narduzzi feels the Bruins’ ranking will help motivate his team.
“I just think the fact they’re ranked is something that our guys will be excited about to challenge them,” he said.