Pitt Gets Low Preseason Ranking From The Athletic

The Athletic is not optimistic about where the Pitt Panthers are starting 2023.

PITTSBURGH -- The significant turnover that the Pitt Panthers went through this offseason has some skeptical that Pat Narduzzi's program can maintain the 10-win pace they've set over the past two seasons. 

The Athletic's Chris Vannini ranked every team in the FBS prior to the official start of Week 0 this weekend and he has the Panthers slotted at No. 59 nationally - slotted right in between conference foes Wake Forest and Miami. 

Seven ACC teams No. 8 Florida State, No. 11 Clemson, No. 20 North Carolina, No. 31 Duke, No. 38 NC State, No. 39 Louisville and No. 58 Wake Forest all earned higher positioning than the Panthers. That would make them the No. 8 team in the conference, a ways away from where they were in the ACC Preseason Media Poll, which had Pitt tied for sixth with Duke. 

The Panthers did lose their leading passer, rusher, receiver and tackler from a season ago, along with three starting offensive linemen, a host of productive defensive linemen and two starting safeties. 

But internally, Pitt believes the addition of Boston College and Notre Dame transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec, plus some steps forward from veteran reserves will help them account for some of the bigger losses from this past offseason. 

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