Pitt gets 7 home games in 2020, including a Friday night vs. Virginia Tech

Friday night college football comes to Heinz Field this season as part of Pitt’s schedule that was released Wednesday morning by the ACC.

Pitt will host Virginia Tech in a nationally televised game Friday, Nov. 6 — one of seven home games.

It will be played on the same night as the first round of the WPIAL playoffs and will be Pitt’s first Friday night home game since the Panthers beat Penn State, 24-7, in 1976 at Three Rivers Stadium on the way to a national championship.

The Hokies (1-5 at Heinz Field) are one of eight Pitt opponents who advanced to a bowl game last season.

The season opens with nonconference games against three unfamiliar non-Power 5 opponents: Miami (Ohio) of the Mid-American Conference on Sept. 5, Marshall of Conference USA on the road Sept. 12 and FCS opponent Richmond of the Colonial Athletic Association on Sept. 19.

• Pitt has played Miami (Ohio) only twice: in 1931 and ’49.

• Coach Pat Narduzzi might remember Marshall from the Panthers’ 43-27 victory in 2016, but it was the schools’ only meeting.

• Richmond has advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs 11 times, winning the championship in 2008. The Spiders never have played Pitt.

2020 Pitt Football Schedule

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Three of the first four games are at home, including the ACC opener against Duke on Sept. 26. Pitt is 6-1 against the Blue Devils since joining the ACC.

The road schedule is highlighted by two October games in Florida: Miami on Oct. 3 and Florida State on Halloween night Oct. 31.

Pitt hasn’t won in Miami since 2014. In the Panthers’ most recent game in Tallahassee, Fla., in 1982, Dan Marino led a 37-17 victory against the Seminoles.

The Panthers also visit North Carolina and defending ACC Coastal champion Virginia on consecutive Saturdays in November.

Pitt has an off week after the Miami game, followed by games at Heinz Field against Notre Dame on Oct. 17 and Georgia Tech on Oct. 24. The Irish were ranked No. 12 in the final Associated Press poll last season.

It will be Notre Dame’s first trip into Pittsburgh since 2015 but the 72nd all-time meeting. Ten of the past 12 have been decided by single-digit margins.

The final regular-season game is at home against Syracuse on Nov. 28. Pitt is 15-3 against the Orange since 2002.

Kickoff times and televising networks will be announced at a later date.

Here is the full schedule:

Miami (Ohio) — Sept. 5

At Marshall — Sept. 12

Richmond — Sept. 19

Duke — Sept. 26

At Miami — Oct.3

Notre Dame — Oct. 17

Georgia Tech — Oct. 24

At Florida State — Oct. 31

Virginia Tech — Nov. 6 (Friday)

At North Carolina — Nov. 14

At Virginia — Nov. 21

Syracuse — 11/28

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