Analysis: Plenty to commend, clean up within Pitt's upset over Georgia Tech

Pitt’s 42-28 upset over No. 15 Georgia Tech on Saturday to stay in contention for an ACC championship appearance was one of the Panthers’ most electric wins under coach Pat Narduzzi.

But it nearly turned into an unforgettably devastating defeat, with Narduzzi’s fingerprints at the scene of the crime.

The Panthers’ win at Bobby Dodd Stadium was doubtless exciting and, heading into their huge regular-season finale at home next Saturday versus No. 14 Miami (9-2, 5-2), the Panthers ride a major wave of momentum.

But if Pitt (8-3, 6-1 ACC) is to win that game, it will have to build on the strong elements from Saturday’s performance while eliminating multiple concerning trends.

Partial offensive resurgence

It’s hard to critique a Panthers offense that, one game after finding zero rhythm against No. 9 Notre Dame, scored four early touchdowns to take a 28-0 lead on the No. 15 team in the nation.

Pitt’s offense also produced the game-sealing touchdown in the fourth quarter, a 56-yard rush by freshman tailback Ja’Kyrian Turner with 2 minutes, 41 seconds to go.

BOOSIE TURNER LET’S GO!! pic.twitter.com/XlmMGnuL8V

— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) November 23, 2025

The Panthers offense put up 35 points — slightly lower than their per-game average heading into Saturday (37.2) — but still impressive against a ranked foe on the road, amassing 397 total yards.

That said, the vast majority of Pitt’s offensive success transpired in the first half.

The massive early lead proved enough to fend off a determined Georgia Tech rally, but some second-half stagnation almost proved killer.

“It’s a four-quarter game,” Narduzzi told reporters postgame. “Maybe more, if we had to. We knew it was going to come down to the fourth quarter. (The Yellow Jackets) have come back every game and won. They’ve won a lot of close games this year and pulled it out.”

Following Sam Carpenter’s missed field goal that concluded the first half, Pitt punted on three straight possessions and had a turnover on downs (fake punt) leading into the 7:01 mark of the fourth quarter.

At that point, Pitt’s lead was trimmed to 35-21, with Georgia Tech making it 35-28 soon thereafter by scoring a touchdown following the botched fake punt.

But up a touchdown, with 4:51 to play, Pitt got the ball back.

At the critical moment, the offense snapped back into it, as Turner iced the game on Pitt’s fourth play of the drive.

“We made just enough plays to win the football game,” Narduzzi said.

In addition, a week after allowing Notre Dame to sack Heintschel four times, Pitt’s offense line didn’t exactly shower itself in glory in Atlanta.

Georgia Tech brought Heintschel down six times, tying the second-most Pitt’s line has allowed in a game this year.

Fake punt decision

When on fourth-and-9, Narduzzi’s fake punt — a direct snap to receiver Blue Hicks — failed miserably, Pitt’s 11th-year coach committed a blunder that could have had game- and season-altering ramifications.

The attempt, Pitt’s first fake punt of the season, came at its own 41-yard line with 7:05 to play and the Panthers clinging to a 35-21 lead.

Conventional wisdom should have dictated Narduzzi punt, with Caleb Junko having an opportunity to pin Georgia Tech deep in its own zone and force the Yellow Jackets to mount a long drive.

But Narduzzi made the decision and, six plays later, the Yellow Jackets were in the end zone, trailing 35-28 with just under five minutes remaining.

Following the game, Narduzzi took sole credit for the mishap.

“I’m a (dummy), how about that? Just a coach trying to make a play,” Narduzzi said. “They were bringing pressure, and I thought it was a good time just to sequence and try to make a play. I’ll take that one on me. I’ll take those seven points — chalk that up to the coach trying to make a play.”

Shark attack

Along with Turner’s game-saving touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Braylan Lovelace’s 100-yard pick-6 in the third had to be in the running for Pitt’s play of the game.

Lovelace’s TD was impressive on a number of fronts.

For starters, the Leechburg alum displayed impressive athleticism to not only record the pick but sprint the distance of the field.

“That’s a linebacker, too — a former running back who rushed for about 5,000 yards in high school,” Narduzzi said. “He’s done that before, and our ‘sharks’ took over there. That was a heck of a play by Lovelace.”

Then there was the context.

Following Pitt’s 28-0 start, momentum steadily shifted to Georgia Tech, which cut the Panthers’ lead to 28-14 and was on the 5-yard line with about six minutes left in the third quarter.

But thanks to Lovelace, Pitt found itself up 35-14, which provided the necessary cushion for the Panthers to withstand Georgia Tech’s counterpunch.

Lovelace wasn’t the only “shark” deserving of commendation.

His linebacker mates, Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles, had dominating performances to keep Georgia Tech’s top-ranked offense in check.

Louis and Biles combined to record 40% of Pitt’s 65 tackles.

Biles led the way with 15, including one for loss, and Louis posted 11 (two for loss).

The defense took pride in largely containing the explosive offense.

“They’re one of the top offenses, and we’re also a top defense,” Lovelace said. “I think every game we try to go out there and show the world, but this was our statement. There’s no more disrespect to the Pitt Panthers. This is what we do.”