While Pitt was preparing for its game against Syracuse, practice went so well one day Pat Narduzzi looked around and was convinced something was wrong.

“I had to yell at them for something, just to yell at them, because it was so clean,” he said.

Clean would be the last adjective Pitt’s coach might use to describe his team’s 21-10 victory Saturday at Heinz Field. The Panthers’ ACC opener was more of a relief that the season wasn’t derailed than anything to celebrate.

It’s a good bet Narduzzi will release plenty of legitimate admonishment Sunday when players report for video review.

“It was a lot uglier than I would like it to be, and I told the team afterwards,” he said.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett said: “It was definitely a sloppy game.”

Then again, Narduzzi liked many elements that led Pitt to its 2-0 start. In the interest of fairness, maybe those should be listed first. After all, Pitt did win the game:

• Holding Syracuse (0-2, 0-2) to 1.5 yards per rush.

• Allowing 1 yard of total offense in the fourth quarter.

• Sacking Syracuse quarterback Tommy DeVito seven times, twice by senior defensive end Rashad Weaver in his first game since the end of 2018. (Although Narduzzi noted Pitt had nine against the Orange last year.)

• Pickett’s two touchdown passes, 25 completions in 36 attempts, 215 passing yards and a 1-yard scoring burst of his own.

• Freshman wide receiver Jordan Addison’s seven receptions for 57 yards.

But there were elements to the afternoon that will sit with players and coaches like a bad meal.

Pitt trailed twice in the first half (3-0 and 10-3), but both scores were gifts in Narduzzi’s eyes.

First, sophomore running back Vincent Davis, making the first start of his career, dropped a sideways lateral from Pickett, handing the ball to the Orange on the Pitt 27 via linebacker Mikel Jones’ recovery. The defense held on three plays, forcing a 26-yard field goal by Andre Szymt.

After Pickett’s first scoring pass — 27 yards to Addison — Orange wide receiver Taj Harris sped behind the Pitt secondary to catch a 69-yard touchdown pass from Rex Culpepper.

On the surface, it appeared Harris beat cornerback Jason Pinnock, but Narduzzi said there should have been help from a safety he declined to name.

“We’ll watch the tape and see, but we obviously didn’t execute,” he said. “Jason Pinnock played lights out. He’s playing his tail off, and that touchdown we gave up, obviously, was not his fault.

“So, really, just gave them 10 points, and just disappointing.”

Pitt recovered for a 14-10 halftime lead on Pickett’s 1-yard plunge, but there was so much more to come in the second half.

In the third quarter, Pickett threw an interception in the red zone after misreading the coverage. Jones picked off the pass at the 18 and returned it 12 yards.

“He thought they were man (defense), and a guy popped up out of nowhere,” Narduzzi said.

Added Pickett: “I crossed him off early because of what I saw. I can’t turn it over in the red zone.”

No harm done, however. Safety Paris Ford bailed out the offense with his second interception of the season — fifth of his career — on the ensuing Syracuse possesion.

Two more potentially damaging gaffes happened on Pitt’s only scoring drive in the second half.

Guards Bryce Hargrove and Jake Kradel were called for unsportsmanlike and holding penalties, nullifying 11- and 16-yard runs by Vincent Davis to the Pitt 49 and Pickett to the Syracuse 28.

Those were erased by three catches by sophomore wide receiver Jared Wayne of 5, 25 and 17 yards, the last being a touchdown that ensured the victory.

The series of mistakes included:

• Two missed field goals by Alex Kessman, who’s 0 for 3 this season.

• A bobbled snap by holder Kirk Christodoulou on another attempt.

• A personal foul against defensive end Deslin Alexandre, who recovered a fumble and spun the football on the ground in celebration.

• A personal foul by freshman Bangally Kamara for attempting to jump over Syracuse’s blocking wedge on a punt.

Each time, the defense stepped up to render those mistakes mere smudges on the play-by-play chart in everyone’s eyes but those of Pitt’s coach.

“Things like that that just can’t happen,” Narduzzi said. “I just told them championship teams don’t do those things.

“So disappointed in the execution of just a lot of things. But the defense played outstanding. I got guys coming up saying, ‘My bad, coach, I’ll never do it again.’ But it’s, like, that stuff can’t happen, the details.

“But you know what? You beat an ACC opponent, made a lot of mistakes, and were still able to win by two scores. I think that’s the most important thing.”

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