The Pitt Panthers are 5-0, and Pat Narduzzi apparently doesn’t have much interest in waiting for AP voters to notice.
Pitt survived an absolute thriller against Virginia Tech on Friday night, escaping Lane Stadium with a 35-33 victory after John Love’s potential game-winning 36-yard field goal was ruled no good. The Panthers are now unbeaten through five games and 2-0 in ACC play. Narduzzi wasted virtually no time turning the victory into a message for the people responsible for ranking college football’s top 25 teams.
“Wow, we got a heck of a football team,” Narduzzi said during his postgame interview. “Any of those voters out there, if they’d wake their a** up, they might figure that out, OK? I tell you what, we beat a da** good football team in Virginia Tech.”
Pat Narduzzi Wants AP Voters to Notice Pitt
Narduzzi has a legitimate reason to believe his team deserves more national attention. Pitt entered Friday night’s matchup undefeated yet unranked, then went on the road and handed James Franklin and previously unbeaten Virginia Tech its first loss of the season.
The Panthers didn’t exactly cruise to victory, though. Pitt surrendered an 11-point fourth-quarter advantage and ultimately needed Love’s final kick to miss to preserve the win. Starting quarterback Mason Heintschel also exited with an injury, forcing backup Holden Geriner into action as Pitt tried to survive a chaotic second half.
“We got that dub,” Narduzzi said.
He’s certainly right about that part. Pitt is 5-0, and nobody can take those five victories away from the Panthers.
Still, there’s something unusual about a head coach immediately pleading his case to voters after barely surviving a game. Coaches often embrace being overlooked, turning disrespect into fuel for the locker room rather than asking pollsters for recognition.
Narduzzi chose the opposite approach and practically issued a challenge to anyone still leaving Pitt outside the Top 25. Maybe that’s simply Narduzzi being Narduzzi. However, it certainly feels as if he’s grasping for instant gratification. All through a fictitious ranking. It’s very early in the season to care about having a number by your name.
Pitt fans don’t necessarily need an AP ranking to validate what they’ve watched through five games, anyway. The Panthers went into one of college football’s loudest environments, lost their starting quarterback and still found a way to leave Blacksburg undefeated. That in and of itself says plenty.
Narduzzi clearly wants the number next to Pitt’s name. After Friday night, he’ll find out whether the voters finally agree.
Narduzzi’s frustration is also understandable considering what Pitt has accomplished to this point. An undefeated Power Four team reaching 5-0 is going to expect national recognition, especially after adding a road win over an unbeaten opponent.
Whether voters believe Pitt has done enough to crack the Top 25 remains their decision, but Narduzzi certainly made sure nobody filling out a ballot can claim they haven’t noticed the Panthers.
Pat Narduzzi Unleashes Fiery Rant at AP Voters After Pitt’s Wild Win