Pitt Kicks Off Season Saturday vs. Austin Peay including Pat Narduzzi’s Weekly Media Conference Video

September 8, 2020

PITTSBURGH – Pitt will kickoff the 2020 football season at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, when the Panthers host Austin Peay.

(Photo by Paul Burdick. Check out more of Burdick’s work here)

The Governors are 0-1 on the year having lost to Arkansas St. two weeks ago. Fans can watch the game on the ACC Network and listen to it on the Pitt Panthers Radio Network and online here.

Game Notes

Watch Pat Narduzzi’s weekly media conference. Video courtesy of Pitt LiveWire.

GAME STORYLINES

√ Pitt opens its 131st season of intercollegiate football when the Panthers host Austin Peay at Heinz Field.

√ This is the first meeting between the Panthers and Governors, a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Austin Peay was added to Pitt’s schedule as part of the ACC’s 10-plus-one model

√ Pitt is 84-44-2 (.654) all-time in openers. Since the 2000 season, Pitt is 14-6 (.700) in its initial game, including 4-1 (.800) under Pat Narduzzi.

√ While this game serves as Pitt’s opener, Austin Peay played in the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff on Aug. 29 and lost that neutral site game, 24-17, to Central Arkansas. The Governors will play an abbreviated 2020 slate that concludes at Cincinnati on Sept. 19.

√ Austin Peay went 11-4 and advanced to the NCAA Division I playoffs in 2019.

√ The Panthers have played 18 prior games against FCS opponents and are 17-1 in those contests. This will be the seventh consecutive season that Pitt has played an FCS team dating back to 2014.

√ Although pandemic related, the Sept. 12 start date marks Pitt’s latest season opener since 1980, when the Panthers began the year with a 14-6 home victory over Boston College on Sept. 13.

√ Since 2015, Pat Narduzzi has directed the Panthers to 24 victories in ACC play, tied for the third-highest win total (with Virginia Tech) during that span and trailing only Clemson (38) and Miami (25).

√ The Panthers welcome back a veteran foundation for the 2020 season. Pitt returns 44 total lettermen, including 16 starters. The Panthers boast eight returning starters on offense, six on defense and both specialists.

         

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