Pitt's defense comes to life in blowout win over Syracuse, Panthers remain undefeated

Pitt's defense dominated Syracuse in a 41-13 victory at Acrisure Stadium, powered by an incredible performance in the secondary that saw Kyle McCord intercepted five times, four of those coming in a disastrous first half. The Panther defense took full advantage of McCord's struggles, returning three of those picks for touchdowns in a game that was effectively over before halftime.

The tone was set early, as Rasheem Biles picked off McCord on the game's second drive and returned it 35 yards to the end zone, giving Pitt an early 7-0 lead. Just minutes later, Kyle Louis added to the highlight reel with a 59-yard interception return for another score, pushing the lead to 17-0 midway through the first quarter.

McCord's nightmare continued into the second quarter. Pitt’s defense, led by Braylan Lovelace, snatched a third interception, which was promptly returned 33 yards for yet another pick-six, sending the Panthers into halftime with a commanding 31-0 lead.

Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein efficiently managed the offense, completing 11 of 15 passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns. The offensive highlight came on a 29-yard touchdown pass to Raphael Williams Jr. early in the fourth quarter to cap Pitt’s scoring.

McCord, despite throwing for 321 yards, could never find a rhythm, as Pitt’s relentless pass rush sacked him four times and forced poor decisions that led to his five interceptions. Syracuse only managed to get on the board late, with McCord himself running for a one-yard touchdown in the third quarter and Dan Villari adding a short touchdown run in the final period.

With the win, Pitt remains undefeated at 7-0 and 3-0 in the ACC, while Syracuse drops to 5-2 and 2-2 in conference play. The Panthers, already ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll, are poised to continue their movement in the rankings and are firmly in control of their own destiny in terms of the conference title race and even the College Football Playoff.

Pittsburgh is set to travel to SMU for a huge ACC showdown, likely between two ranked teams, next Saturday. The Panthers will then close out the season with Virginia and Clemson at home, before going on the road to face Louisville and Boston College.

Syracuse will play Virginia Tech next weekend before going on the road with two tests against Boston College and Cal. The Orange will then return home for their final two games, against UConn and Miami.

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