With a plan in place to conduct a football season in the ACC this year, next up for Heather Lyke is identifying a nonconference opponent to complete the schedule.

Pitt’s athletic director said Thursday on 93.7 FM she likely will honor one of the contracts already in place with either Miami (Ohio) or Marshall. She hinted Miami may get the nod.

The RedHawks had been slated to be Pitt’s opponent for the opener Sept. 5 at Heinz Field before schedules were reconfigured because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the stipulations put forth by the ACC is the nonconference game must be played in the member school’s home state. Miami was scheduled to visit Heinz Field, but Marshall, a Conference USA school in West Virginia, was a road game.

Asked if a Backyard Brawl renewal is a possibility, considering Pitt and West Virginia have vacancies on their schedules, Lyke laughed and said, “We would love it to be that game.”

“But the reality is we have contracts with nonconference schools already in place, and those agreements we will need to manage and honor if we can. We will most likely honor one of those current standing agreements.”

Of Pitt’s three nonconference opponents, Richmond is not a possibility after its conference, the Colonial Athletic Association, canceled fall sports for this year.

Later, she said Group of 5 schools, including Miami and others in the Mid-American Conference, will attempt to keep their so-called “buy” game. Power 5 schools typically offer those opponents six-figure paydays.

“That’s what we will most likely end up doing as well with Miami, being it’s regional,” she said.

But with an important condition.

“The biggest question is making sure those schools can meet the medical guidelines,” she said. “We have to ensure they are committed to our medical guidelines, and if they are, then we would be able and willing to play them.

“I certainly think the Group of 5 schools are focused on that because they know that’s going to be an expectation, and they certainly want the competition.”

Meanwhile, the ACC handed Pitt a difficult 10-game conference schedule, with a trip to Clemson to face the five-time defending conference champion, along with previously scheduled visits to Florida to face the Miami Hurricanes and Florida State. Pitt also will play Notre Dame, a conference foe for one season only, Virginia Tech and Louisville at home.

With the ACC scrapping divisional play for this season, Pitt’s annual games against Coastal opponents Virginia, Duke and North Carolina were canceled.

Lyke said member schools were not involved in crafting their conference schedules.

“We’re aware, but we’re not really involved,” she said. “We don’t make those decisions.

“We had hoped, probably, for more Coastal opponents, but this is the schedule that we were dealt. We’re going to be thankful to be able to get the games in.

“Frankly, it is some of the best competition in the ACC, and I think that speaks highly of who Pitt is and what our program looks like.

“Coach (Pat) Narduzzi and our staff will have them ready to go.”

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