Pitt Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2020 season

After several years of challenging schedules, the 2020 lineup and a strong defense puts Pitt football in a strong position to return to Charlotte.

Pitt football has not finished in the top 25 or had a nine-win season since Dave Wannstedt’s team finished 10-3 and ranked No. 15 in 2009. After an 8-5 season in 2010 where the Panthers failed to meet preseason expectations, Pitt moved on from Wannstedt after six years. The Pitt football program has since struggled, going through five coaches in the past decade.

Pitt botched their 2010 coaching search, naming Michael Haywood head coach and terminating his contract two weeks later after he was charged for domestic violence. Todd Graham took over the program and then left Pittsburgh after just one 6-6 season for the Arizona State job. Paul Chryst brought more stability to the program, but left after three seasons and a 19-19 record.

Pat Narduzzi finished his fifth season with the program and despite being linked to Michigan State last winter, returned to Pittsburgh in what could be his best team. Narduzzi is 36-29 at Pitt and has not posted a record better than 8-5. The Panthers were ranked as high as No. 24 in the 2017 season with a 7-4 record but lost their final three games, including the ACC Championship Game to finish the year 7-7.

Pitt has had a notably challenging non-conference schedule the past decade with series against Notre Dame, Penn State, Oklahoma State, Iowa and UCF.

While the Panthers have struggled to break into the final rankings, a difficult schedule and notable NFL talent has marked the program as a “giant killer”. Pitt knocked off No. 3 Clemson in 2016, No. 2 Miami in 2017, No. 15 UCF in 2019, and defeated an unranked Penn State team in 2016 that would go on to win the Big Ten the same year. The Panthers have also come close to knocking off a No. 4 Notre Dame team in 2012 and a No. 5 Fighting Irish squad in 2018.

Narduzzi’s team looks to be more than just giant killers or makeshift Coastal division champions. The 2020 team looks to be led by one of the top defensive lines in the country with two potential first-round draft picks and a third year starting quarterback. Pitt’s front-seven should be enough to keep the Panthers in any ACC contest and Kenny Pickett can be an effective game manager at the very least.

While the offensive line struggled in 2019, the Panthers are returning four starters including fourth year starting center, Jimmy Morrissey. The Panthers return leading rusher A.J. Davis and sophomore Vincent Davis, who averaged 5.1 yards per carry as a freshman. While leading receiver Maurice Ffrench graduated, Pickett will have opens at receiver and a second year under coordinator, Mark Whipple.

Pitt’s defense will be led by defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman and defensive end Patrick Jones II. Pitt finished second in the nation in sacks, trailing only Ohio State despite playing one less game. The Panthers front seven should get an additional boost with the return of 2018 star linemen Rashad Weaver. While the Panthers will have some turnover at cornerback, safeties Paris Ford and Damar Hamlin should be one of the best combos in the conference.

The Panthers are returning plenty of talent and experience in 2020 and for the first time in years, have a manageable non-conference schedule. Septembers with Penn State, Oklahoma State, and UCF have been replaced with Miami (OH), Marshall, and Richmond. The Panthers still face Notre Dame in October, but the Irish will be visiting Heinz Field, giving Pitt what could be both the roster and schedule to put together their first top 25 season in eleven years.