Pitt Finishes Ranked in Top 50 for 2024 Season

The Pitt Panthers finished in the top 50 teams this past season.
Oct 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Phillip O'Brien Jr. (5) celebrates an interception against the Syracuse Orange during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Oct 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Phillip O'Brien Jr. (5) celebrates an interception against the Syracuse Orange during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers had some incredible moments and some terrible ones as well throughout the 2024 season, making for a wild campaign.

Pitt started the season 7-0 for the first time since 1982, when Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino was a senior.

They blewout Kent State, 55-24 in the season opener at Acrisure Stadium in Week 1. They then made two comebacks, down 21 midway through the third quarter to take down Cincinnati, 28-27, on the road in the River City Rivalry in Week 2 and down 10 with five minutes remaining, with two late touchdown drives to defeat rival West Virginia at home, 38-34 in Week 3.

Pitt also dominated FCS opponent Youngstown State, 73-17, the first game they scored more than 70 points since they defeated another FCS opponent, New Hampshire, 77-7 on Sept. 25, 2021 at home.

The Panthers took down the North Carolina Tar Heels, 34-24, in Week 6 on the road, giving them their first ever win in Chapel Hill.

Pitt used their defense to win the next two matchups, outlasting Cal in Week 7, 17-15, and then forcing five interceptions and returning three for touchdowns in the 41-13 blowout of Syracuse in Week 9, with both games at home.

The Panthers would enter the rankings for the first time since 2022 and also made the initial College Football Playoff Rankings.

Pitt then suffered a string of injuries to quarterback Eli Holstein and offensive tackle Branson Taylor, which wrecked their season.

They would lose their final five regular season games of 2024, making it the first season since 2006 that they lost that many in a row to end a season.

Pitt lost on the road to then ranked No. 20 SMU in Week 10, 48-25, suffered close home defeats to Virginia in Week 11, 24-19, and then ranked No. 20 Clemson in Week 12, 24-20, then lost on the road to Louisville in Week 13, 37-9, and Boston College in Week 14, 34-23.

The Panthers also lost the GameAbove Sports Bowl to Toledo, 48-46 in six overtimes, ending their season 7-6.

Chris Vanini of The Athletic placed Pitt at No. 50 at his end of the season rankings. This was a 33-place improvement from the No. 83 mark at the start of the season, as Pitt finished 3-9 in 2023.

Vanini gave Pitt the No. 50 ranking thanks to their great start, but also with the six straight defeats and accounted for injuries.

The Panthers will look to improve upon last season, with the return of Holstein, plus All-Americans in linebacker Kyle Louis and running back Desmond Reid.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Follow Dominic Campbell on Twitter.