Syracuse football faces No. 19 Pittsburgh in a clash of high-powered offenses

After taking down No. 23 Georgia Tech and No. 25 UNLV earlier this season, Syracuse football (5-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) looks to grab another ranked win over No. 19 Pittsburgh (6-0, 2-0 ACC) Thursday night. The Orange haven’t beaten three ranked teams in the same season since 1998.

Syracuse is on the cusp of being ranked for the first time this year, receiving the second-most votes (15) of any unranked team. However, to break into the AP poll, Syracuse will need to take care of business on the road Thursday. The last time the Orange won at Acrisure Stadium was in 2001. Despite the challenge of handing the Panthers their first loss of the year, head coach Fran Brown isn’t concerned about outside factors.

“We are really just focusing on us,” said Brown. “The record doesn’t really matter in my opinion.”

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For the Panthers, however, the record certainly matters. This is Pitt’s best start to a season since 1982, when NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino led the team. But the Panthers haven't cruised through their first six games—they’ve been tied or trailed in the fourth quarter in all four of their Power Four matchups.

In game two against Cincinnati, Pitt was down by as many as 21 points before rallying for a one-point win. A week later, they pulled off another comeback, winning by four points over West Virginia. Two weeks ago, the Panthers struggled offensively, failing to score in the second half of a tight 17-15 win over California. Head coach Pat Narduzzi sees the offensive challenges as a positive.

“Walking out of that game with a win and not playing very good on offense… what’s better than that? I mean, there’s nothing better than that,” Narduzzi said.

Expect fireworks between these two offenses Thursday. Syracuse ranks sixth in the ACC, averaging 34 points per game, while Pitt ranks third, scoring over 40 points per contest.

Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein leads the offense with 1,700 passing yards and 260 rushing yards. The freshman has thrown three touchdown passes in four of his last five games. Syracuse’s Brown had high praise for the Louisiana native.

“He’s one of the better quarterbacks in the conference right now. He’s a playmaker—he can kill you with his legs or his arm,” Brown said

But the offense doesn’t run solely through Holstein. Running back Desmond Reid has exploded for over 800 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns. The junior ranks fourth in the ACC, averaging more than six yards per carry. Brown respects Reid’s toughness.

“He's a tough kid, from a tough background. He’s always been a good football player, and he plays with a chip on his shoulder. You can see it on film—you always have to know where he’s at because he’s such a tough runner,” Brown said.

Stopping the run could be a challenge for Syracuse, which allows over 120 rushing yards per game and will be without linebacker Marlowe Wax, according to Brown.

Offensively, Syracuse is expected to rely on a pass-heavy game plan from offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon. The Orange lead the nation in pass attempts, throwing the ball 47 times per game. Quarterback Kyle McCord has thrown for more than 300 yards in every game this season. Narduzzi isn’t underestimating the senior signal-caller.

“He’s smart and knows where to go with the ball. He’ll be the best quarterback to play here in a while,” Narduzzi said.

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McCord’s success can be attributed to a deep group of pass-catchers. Six Syracuse players have surpassed 100 receiving yards and 12 have caught at least one pass. Wide receivers Jackson Meeks and Trebor Pena, along with tight end Oronde Gadsden, lead the way, combining for 12 touchdowns and more than 400 receiving yards each.

Narduzzi knows the stakes for Thursday’s game.

“The 80th meeting between Syracuse and Pitt is going to be a big battle between a 6-0 and a 5-1 football team, so get your tickets—you don't want to miss it,” Narduzzi said.

But don’t worry if you can’t make it to Pittsburgh for the 7:30 p.m. kickoff, tune in to 88.3 FM or WAER.org for game coverage. Countdown to kickoff begins at 7 p.m.