Special teams fiascos, 2 INTs by Eli Holstein sink Pitt in ACC-opening loss to Louisville

As much as Pitt projected having moved on from losing the Backyard Brawl two weeks ago, disappointment clearly lingered around the team this week.

“We beat ourselves,” coach Pat Narduzzi said, as the Panthers turned the page to their ACC opener vs. Louisville Saturday, with defensive line coach Tim Daoust adding, “We left some things out there.”

Handling business against the Cardinals at Acrisure Stadium was the surest way to officially move past that stinging defeat, getting back on track by beginning league play with a victory.

Narduzzi’s words ultimately rang just as true Saturday, as the Panthers couldn’t get out of their own way again, with multiple interceptions and special teams fiascos contributing to a 34-27 defeat.

Quarterback Eli Holstein threw his fourth and fifth picks of the season, including one at the Cardinals’ 2-yard line, before Narduzzi benched him in favor of Cole Gonzales with about seven minutes remaining in the game.

Gonzales, despite leading Pitt to its first third-down conversion of the afternoon after starting the day 0 for 9, was unable to produce a game-tying score.

Gonzales finished the day 3 of 6 for 31 yards and an interception with four seconds to play. Holstein was 14 of 26 for 228 yards, throwing two touchdowns.

By the end of the first quarter, Pitt was up 17-0, but the second quarter featured both of the special teams mishaps — a controversial muffed punt by Kenny Johnson and a fumble by punter Caleb Junko — that helped the Cardinals get back into the game.

Up 27-17 at halftime, the Panthers (2-2) were held scoreless in the final 30 minutes, whereas Louisville (4-0) put up 17 points to come away with the win.

Pitt played without All-American tailback Desmond Reid on Saturday, who sat because of injury along with cornerback Tamon Lynum. By game’s end, the Panthers had also lost starting left guard Keith Gouveia to injury.

Pitt’s day began on an encouraging note, as Holstein and the offense marched 77 yards to take a 3-0 lead courtesy of Trey Butkowski’s 30-yard field goal.

Holstein looked sharp to start, hitting Johnson for a 34-yard gain on the drive before completing a 39-yard touchdown pass to Blue Hicks on Pitt’s next possession.

Hicks, in tight single coverage against Jabari Mack down the left sideline, bobbled the ball but came down with it cleanly, handing Pitt a 10-0 lead with 9:53 remaining in the first quarter.

The Cardinals’ third drive of the game penetrated to Pitt’s 35-yard line, but a delay of game penalty made it third-and-long from Pitt’s 40.

Then quarterback Miller Moss was picked off by Rasheem Biles over the middle of the field, resulting in a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown for Pitt’s junior linebacker.

With 1:41 remaining in the opening quarter, the Panthers’ lead was 17-0.

After Biles’ pick, Pitt’s defense kept up the good work, as Blaine Spires sacked Moss on third down to take the air out of another Cardinals drive.

However, Louisville was gifted with an ultra-short-field opportunity shortly thereafter, resulting in a Moss quarterback sneak to make it 17-7 with 12:32 left before halftime.

On the Cardinals’ punt following Spires’ sack, return man Johnson appeared to be interfered with by a Louisville gunner near the Pitt 10-yard line in trying to make a fair catch, resulting in flags being thrown.

But moments later, the officiating crew ruled that Louisville’s specialist was blocked into Johnson, who made contact with the ball before the Cardinals recovered it at the 3-yard line.

Despite appeals from an incensed Narduzzi and special teams coach Jacob Bronowski, Louisville got the ball on Pitt’s doorstep and punched it in for a touchdown.

Louisville’s ensuing drive also produced points, as the Cardinals drove 65 yards over 14 plays, consuming 6:11 of the second quarter before a 35-yard field goal by Cooper Ranvier made it 17-10 with about five minutes before halftime.

Unfortunately for Pitt, more special teams woes followed, as Junko fumbled a routine snap from Nilay Upadhyayula after a three-and-out, handing Louisville the ball at the Panthers’ 25-yard line.

From there, Moss needed only one play to hit Chris Bell from 25 yards, tying the score at 17 with 3:42 left in the first half.

Pitt seized back momentum to close the half, though, scoring the final 10 points of the quarter for a 27-17 lead.

Butkowski hit a 37-yarder to answer Bell’s touchdown, and Pitt made good use of its final offensive possession that began with 51 seconds on the clock.

After three completions by Holstein got the Panthers in Cardinals territory, he escaped the pocket to hit Poppi Williams for a 38-yard touchdown.

Louisville began the third quarter with a scoring drive, as coach Jeff Brohm sent out a new kicker, Nick Keller, for a 57-yard field-goal try, which was good at the 11:44 mark.

Keller’s field goal, 1 yard short of the collegiate Acrisure Stadium record, made it 27-20 Pitt.

Louisville turned to Keller about five minutes later to attempt a 56-yarder, but this time, it didn’t have the distance.

Getting the ball back, the Panthers drove to Louisville’s 4-yard line after Holstein completed a perfect pass to Hicks for a 56-yard gain, one play after Gouveia was carted off the field with a right leg injury.

But on the next play, Holstein attempted to float a pass to Juelz Goff, only for Cardinals linebacker Antonio Watts to make an acrobatic, one-handed interception at the 2.

Pitt’s defense, bolstered by a Biles sack of Moss, held firm, though, forcing a Cardinals punt.

The Panthers drove inside Louisville’s 40-yard line on their next drive, but freshman tailback Ja’Kyrian Turner failed to catch a pass in the flat on a fourth-and-7 try, handing the ball back to the Cardinals.

Moss soon found Caullin Lacy for a 37-yard gain, setting up a 12-yard touchdown catch by Jaleel Skinner that tied the score at 27 with 10:55 to play.

Looking to retake the lead, Pitt instead suffered another self-inflicted wound, as Holstein threw his second interception of the afternoon, this time to TJ Quinn, as the Cardinals began at the Panthers’ 30-yard line.

Six plays later, Moss threw his third touchdown pass, finding Nate Kurisky from 9 yards, as Louisville took its first lead of the day, 34-27, with 7:03 to play.

At that point, following Louisville’s kickoff, Narduzzi made a change under center, inserting Gonzales.

Gonzales led Pitt to a first down, but the Panthers failed to convert fourth-and-7 near midfield, turning the ball over on downs with 2:46 to play.

The Gonzales-led Panthers got the ball back late with under 20 seconds remaining, but Quinn’s second pick of the game sealed things for Louisville.