Pat Narduzzi believes 5th time could be charm as Pitt tries to upset ranked Notre Dame

At 65 years old, defensive coordinator Randy Bates is the oldest of Pat Narduzzi’s assistants.

Asked this week of his memories from the last time Pitt played Notre Dame, an October 2023 showdown in South Bend, Ind., Bates leaned into being the elder statesman on staff with the Panthers.

“That’s the beautiful thing of my age — the Alzheimer’s sometimes helps you to forget or not remember those things,” Bates quipped.

Bates and all within the Panthers program who were around have good reason to forget that game, a 58-7 drubbing at the hands of the then-No. 14 Fighting Irish in Narduzzi’s worst campaign (3-9).

On Saturday, No. 23 Pitt clashes with No. 9 Notre Dame at Acrisure Stadium in the fifth meeting between the two teams since Narduzzi became coach in 2015.

Narduzzi’s other cracks at the Irish all came up short, a streak of futility he hopes will soon come to an end.

“Everybody’s got to go play,” Narduzzi said. “It’ll be a team effort in all three phases. (Notre Dame) is excellent in all three phases, and I think we’ve got a darn good football team in all three phases. It’s going to be a battle. This is the best team that we’ve walked in and played Notre Dame (with) since I’ve been here in ’15. … This is the best football team that we’ll have against Notre Dame.”

Pitt’s 2023 loss to Notre Dame, which led 17-0 at halftime, degenerated into a blowout.

Three years prior, on Oct. 24, 2020, the No. 3 Irish steamrolled Pitt, 45-3.

On Nov. 7, 2015, the Panthers showcased impressive resolve under Narduzzi in his first year, battling No. 8 Notre Dame at Heinz Field.

But despite scoring 27 second-half points, a 21-3 deficit at halftime proved too great a hole to climb out of, and the Panthers also couldn’t get enough stops defensively.

As a result, Notre Dame left with a 42-30 win.

Narduzzi came closest in 2018, when his Panthers, en route to an ACC Coastal Division crown, fell 19-14.

No. 5 Notre Dame scored the game-winning touchdown with about six minutes to play, after Pitt led 7-6 at halftime and 14-12 entering the fourth quarter.

Narduzzi got off on an awkward foot Monday when beginning to preview his team’s game against Notre Dame, with College Football Playoff implications on the line for both parties.

Not to mention, Pitt remains squarely in the hunt for an ACC title game appearance.

But Narduzzi, alluding to this weekend’s contest having no bearing on the ACC standings, delivered a remark that provoked plenty of reaction, commentary and critiques.

“Absolutely not,” Narduzzi said when asked if Saturday constitutes a must-win game for Pitt. “It is not an ACC game. … They can put 100 up on us as long as we win the next two after that. Again, our focus is on Notre Dame and getting as many wins as we can, one at a time.”

Narduzzi clarified his intent Thursday.

“Trying to take stress off our team,” Narduzzi said. “I don’t like pressure, and I misspoke. That’s what it is.”

On the note of pressure, Narduzzi has also taken care to instruct his players not to lean into any one way that Pitt might prospectively leave Acrisure Stadium with a top-10 win.

Whether the game quickly turns into a shootout, a low-scoring stalemate, if Pitt leads or trails at halftime, Narduzzi wants the Panthers to stay focused and take things slowly.

With the talent he knows he has, combined with the proper mindset and on-field execution, Narduzzi believes the fifth time could be the charm for taking down another ranked Irish squad.

“I just want to win,” Narduzzi said. “I don’t care if it’s in the fourth quarter and we go three-and-out offensively on the first three series offensively — that won’t matter. It’s 60 minutes. Certainly, you’d like to start out with a three-and-out on defense. Kickoff to them, defer, win the coin toss. But again, pressure, stress — all bad words — I hate to tell our guys that the key to victory is, we’ve got to start fast. Because if you go out there and go three-and-out on offense, it’s, ‘Oh, shoot, coach. We’ve lost the game.’

“To me, it’s one play at a time. Win the one play, don’t look at the scoreboard, don’t worry. … We’d love to start fast and go right down the field like we have since Boston College (Oct. 4). But it doesn’t matter.”