Everything to know before Syracuse’s rivalry clash with Pitt
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Syracuse faces Pitt in its rivalry game, but the rivalry hasn’t been very competitive recently. The Panthers have won 20 of the last 24 clashes, and the Orange haven’t beaten them on the road since 2001.
After SU lost a close one to Cal last Saturday, it’s staring at a 0-2 Atlantic Coast Conference record and slim bowl game hopes if it falls Thursday.
The Orange have a lot to correct in the truncated time. Quarterback Steve Angeli threw a career-high three interceptions against the Golden Bears. Kicker Tripp Woody missed two fourth-quarter field goals. The Orange amassed 14 penalties for 110 yards. After rushing for 56 yards on its first two plays, SU collected 62 on the ground the rest of the day.
“Just make one more play than they make at the end of the game,” Syracuse head coach Fran Brown said of what needs to change Thursday.
Here’s everything to know before Syracuse (1-1, 0-1 ACC) meets Pitt (2-0, 0-0 ACC) Thursday:
All-time series
Pitt leads 45-33-3.
Last time they played
Amid Syracuse’s 2025 late-season toothlessness, Pitt paid a visit to the JMA Wireless Dome on Oct. 18 and left with a comfortable victory. The Orange equivocated at quarterback between Rickie Collins and Luke Carney, resulting in a 30-13 defeat — the third of what would be eight straight losses. Collins’ two touchdowns were shadowed by three picks.
However, SU’s defense was a slight positive against the Panthers, compiling a season-high seven sacks and containing Pitt quarterback Mason Heintschel to 140 passing yards, zero touchdowns and one interception.
The Panthers report
Despite not playing a conference game yet, Pitt has delivered in the 2026 season. It romped Miami (Ohio) 59-14 in its opener, where Heintschel passed for 453 yards, a whopping seven touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Week 2 was more nervy. Amid a downpour, Pitt mucked its way to a 12-7 win over UCF Saturday, scoring on a field goal, safety and touchdown — all in the first half.
In the small sample, the Panthers lead the ACC with just 23.5 rushing yards allowed per game. Head coach Pat Narduzzi, in his 12th season, is synonymous with stifling defense and aggressive blitz packages. Pitt ranked second in the conference in rushing yards conceded per game last season and tied for third in 2024.
Heintschel took over the starting role midway through last season as a true freshman and went 6-3 as a starter. The Oregon, Ohio, native has spread the ball so far this season with seven receivers logging a touchdown. Wideout Cataurus Hicks, Heintschel’s third passing option last year, is Pitt’s leading returner with 422 yards and four scores in 2025.
Linebacker Braylan Lovelace leads the defense. He was an All-ACC Honorable Mention in 2025, recording 80 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions.
How Syracuse beats Pitt
Maybe you’ve wiped it from your memory, but the last time SU visited Acrisure Stadium to play Pitt, quarterback Kyle McCord had a Thursday night worth forgetting with five interceptions in a 41-13 loss.
Turnovers plagued Angeli Saturday. He can’t afford to have that same munificence with the ball Thursday. He’ll have to clean up his play and maximize the Orange’s offense.
Another galling trend over the first two weeks of SU’s season has been the punt return unit’s monster returns being nullified by penalties. After Syracuse’s improved defense records a stop, returners Demetres Samuel Jr. and Davien Kerr have shown they can take the ball quite a ways — even to the end zone — but penalties have erased that progress. Playing clean and letting the Orange reap the rewards of the punt returners’ ability would do wonders Thursday.
Stat to know: 35:04
Through two games, admittedly limited data, Pitt holds the highest time of possession in the ACC at 35:04 minutes. The Panthers’ defense is smothering, and its offense is deliberate, if, at times, languid.
Syracuse is fourth in the conference in time of possession at 33:20. What either team does with the ball will trump how long they have it come Thursday.
Player to watch: Mason Heintschel, quarterback, No. 6
After his breakout freshman campaign, Miami reportedly attempted to lure Heintschel to join the Hurricanes after reaching the national championship in January. However, Heintschel stuck with the Panthers after throwing for 2,354 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions in nine starts.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound signal-caller was a Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Semifinalist and has continued to improve. He began the 2026 campaign with seven touchdown passes, all versus Miami (Ohio), tying Pitt’s single-game record.
