Inside The Panthers

College Football Insider Ranks Pitt Football No. 11 in Preseason Top 40

Phil Steele, the national college football insider, has yet more praise for the Pitt Panthers.

Stephen Thompson

College Football Insider Ranks Pitt Football No. 11 in Preseason Top 40
College Football Insider Ranks Pitt Football No. 11 in Preseason Top 40 /
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PITTSBURGH -- Last week, national college football insider Phil Steele offered a somewhat bold statement on 93.7 The Fan - that the Pitt Panthers have a real shot at making the 2022-23 College Football Playoff. He has yet more praise for the Panthers this week, as he shared his preseason top 40 teams in college football. 

Steele slotted Pitt at No. 11, just ahead of two ACC foes NC State (No. 13) and Miami (No. 12). The Panthers are the second-highest ranked team in his list, with perennial powerhouse Clemson slotted at No. 5, despite a lackluster 2021 season by their own standards. Lousiville (No. 33) and Wake Forest (No. 24) were the only other ACC teams in his rankings. 

Steele praised Pitt's linemen - both offensive and defensive - in particular, and thinks that they will be good enough in the trenches to overcome some major personnel losses on the offensive side of the ball. 

'Pittsburgh's star-studded offense from a season ago was gutted after Heisman finalist Kenny Pickett left for the NFL and Biletnikoff receiver Jordan Addison transferred to USC, but make no mistake — Pat Narduzzi has a team that believes they can win another league title,' Steele wrote. Especially dominant up front on both sides of the football, the Panthers are going to be a tough out in ACC play.'

Steele added that he's looking forward to the Panthers' week two contest against fellow top-40 team Tennessee at the venue formerly known as Heinz Field. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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