Kenny Pickett returned, courageously and triumphantly, completing 78% of his passes while moving on a heavily bandaged left ankle.

The defense, missing six players who were starters at the outset of training camp, threw a shutout in the second half and intercepted three passes.

Alex Kessman hit from 51 yards, and even the running game was an efficient machine, gaining 148 yards (1 more than the Austin Peay game).

But there was something else about Pitt’s 41-17 victory Saturday against Florida State at Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla.

With a team pulled in different directions by a four-game losing streak, Paris Ford’s opt-out, injuries to key personnel and the absence of cornerback Jason Pinnock (coach’s decision), players repeatedly stepped up at key moments and didn’t fold after falling behind 14-3 in the first quarter.

Pickett noticed, even while playing through pain he didn’t want to talk about after the game.

“The impressive thing was that we stayed together,” he said. “In previous weeks, maybe we would have started turning on each other. This game, we really stayed together and played as a team, and it was really good to see.”

Give credit to everyone, including coach Pat Narduzzi and his staff, for not letting the season continue to unravel. One more loss would have meant Pitt’s first five-game losing streak in 14 years.

Save most of the credit for Pickett, however. The senior quarterback said he circled this game for his return after hurting his ankle in the Boston College game Oct. 10 and missing the next two.

Narduzzi said as late as Wednesday he didn’t feel confident Pickett would play. He should have gone to the source.

“Every day, I was working for this game,” Pickett said. “I was watching Florida State film early. No one else thought I was playing, but I knew I was definitely going to be able to play.”

Narduzzi said Pickett spent “10 hours a day” in physical therapy over the past three weeks, getting his ankle right.

“I was pretty much living with those guys (training staff) to this moment,” Pickett said.

“Kenny Pickett is a tough, tough son of a gun,” his coach said. “I didn’t know if he was going to go or not. Obviously, he went and went hard.

“He’s my MVP. Our offense ticks when he’s out there. A little bit different.”

Pickett said he was “not 100%” physically, but he gave no further details, even declining to gauge his level of pain.

But if there was pain, Pickett hid it well. He was on target throughout the game, hitting 21 of 27 passes for 210 yards. Freshman Jordan Addison caught 11 of them for 127. The quarterback ran 10 yards for one touchdown after twice yielding to backup Nick Patti, who entered with the football at the FSU 1- and 2-yard lines to score on runs from shotgun formation.

With Florida State ahead 14-3, the game’s momentum suddenly shifted in the first quarter. Under a heavy pass rush, Pickett lost the football and Florida State linebacker Stephen Dix scooped it up and ran into the end zone for what looked like a 21-3 lead.

But Pickett’s arm was clearly going forward, and the call was overturned to an incomplete pass.

Pitt punted but scored on its next possession — Patti’s first toucdown — after sophomore cornerback A.J. Woods’ interception.

In the second quarter, Florida State coach Mike Norvell decided not to punt on two fourth downs from the Pitt 40-yard line and FSU 48, with 6 and 2 yards to go. Pitt’s defense stopped the Seminoles both times, and Pitt scored two more touchdowns (Patti and Pickett doing the honors) for a 24-17 halftime lead.

Pitt’s pass rush continually harassed three FSU quarterbacks, recording seven sacks and 14 TFLs. Damar Hamlin picked off James Blackman on the third play of the second half to set up Vincent Davis’ 4-yard run. Brandon Hill (the redshirt freshman who replaced Ford) returned a pick 50 yards for the last touchdown.

Pitt left the stadium with 11 interceptions this season, a number that was leading the nation at the beginning of the day.

In the end, Narduzzi said he was “awfully proud” of his team for bouncing back after enduring two opt-outs, a series of injuries and criticism from most corners of the fan base while falling short of expectations. For a day, all of that was set aside.

“That first quarter was a rough quarter. Things could have just fell in and collapsed,” he said. “We talk about playing together and keeping the faith.”

He said he asked Pickett how his injured ankle felt: “He said, ‘I feel great, coach.’

“A win makes everybody feel better.”

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