Pitt vs UCLA Takeaways: Next Man Up Becomes More Than Mentality
PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers pulled off a stunning upset of the No. 18 UCLA Bruins in the Sun Bowl, coming back from deficit after deficit that each seemed insurmountable.
Put at a disadvantage from opt-outs, transfers and injuries, the Panthers rallied to make history and won one of the greatest bowl games in this program's proud history.
Pitt Proves It's Here to Stay
The statistic has been repeated over this week as Pitt took aim at a record set when Dan Marino was starting at quarterback - the Panthers hadn't won 20 games over a two-season span since 1981-82. Well, move over Marino, because teams led by Kenny Pickett, Kedon Slovis, Nate Yarnell and Nick Patti have combined to match one of the defining marks of your career at Pitt. The Panthers won 11 games in 2021 and earned their ninth win of 2022 in the most dramatic fashion possible.
It was easy to chalk last season up to lighting in a bottle. Centered around some of most talented and productive players in program history, almost everything went right. When the Panthers had fallen to 4-4 at the end of October, everything was going wrong.
Instead of folding, Pitt rattled off five straight wins to end the year and have given them a shot at starting and ending the year in the AP top-25 for the first time since 1989. That is proof that "stability" and "patience" - things preached over and over again through the leaner years of Pat Narduzzi's tenure - were not excuses for mediocrity but key pillars of a program climbing up the ladder of college football.
Nick Patti Rides Off into Sunset
Like a cowboy at the conclusion of a western movie befitting the setting which surrounded him, redshirt senior Nick Patti rode off into the sunset a winner.
Anyone who has followed this program for the past three years - or even for just the past week - knows just how deeply Patti loves his team and school and how much that love has been reciprocated. Over the course of five years, he had to sit behind an all-time great in Pickett, suffered injuries every time he finally got a chance and lost a quarterback competition in his final season.
But Patti was able to cap his time as a Panther with one of the most memorable wins in program history - one where his own heroics, toughness and creativity were the story. He didn't have to stay as loyal as he did - no one would have blamed him if he transferred to seek out another opportunity to play - but Pitt rewarded his faith in them with faith in him and the payoff for his patience couldn't have been sweeter.
Next Man Up
Pitt was down nine starters in this game while UCLA was at nearly full strength. Betting lines moved further and further in the No. 18 Bruins' favor and for good reason - not many expected the Panthers to be competitive with such little time to prepare and a strong opponent waiting on the other sideline.
But the Panthers rejected that narrative, claiming from the jump they would be ready to meet the moment and that is exactly what they did.
Javon McIntyre came up with an interception while filling in for the opted-out safety Brandon Hill and was Pitt's leading tackler. Rodney Hammond rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns with Israel Abanikanda out. Patti threw for 220 yards, a touchdown and an interception and rushed for 72 yards as well while replacing Slovis. Shayne Simon, Bangally Kamara and Tylar Wiltz were also outstanding as three of the team's top five tacklers while filling in for SirVocea Dennis.
The Panthers have a special group of young players ready to fill the void left by so many established starters. I'm sure Narduzzi wished the 2023 season started tomorrow so his team could capitalize on this momentum immediately.
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