Pitt Ranked in Both AP, Coaches Polls

Pitt Panthers football is now ranked in both the AP and Coaches Poll.

Sep 21, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Kenny Johnson (2) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Youngstown State Penguins during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers football team finally broke into the top 25 of both the AP and Coaches polls for the first time in 2024, af their ACC opener win on the road vs. North Carolina.

The Panthers came in at No. 24 in US LSBM Coaches Poll, receiving 170 points, and No. 22 in the AP Poll, receiving 196 points, both from Week 7. They moved up three spots from the Week 6 Coaches Poll, after they received just 51 points and moved up six spots from the last AP Poll, where they received 42 points.

Pitt made it into the Coaches Poll as previously ranked No. 15 USC, No. 22 Louisville and No. 23 UNLV all dropped out of the top 25 with losses this weekend.

This marks the first time the Panthers held a spot in the top 25 since the end of the 2022 season, when they finished No. 22 in both polls. It is also the first time that the Panthers held a ranking in either poll since Week 5 of the 2022 season, at No. 24.

Miami improved to No. 6 in the Coaches Poll after coming back from down 35-10 to Cal on the road, winning 39-38. Clemson moved up three spots to No. 11 after defeating Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla., and SMU improved 10 spots to join Pitt in making the top 25 in the Coaches Poll, giving the ACC four teams in the poll.

Clemson moving up to No. 10 was the only change for the ACC between the AP and Coaches Polls.

Pitt finished the non-conference 4-0 and undefeated for the first time ever, as they joined the Big East Conference in 1991, previously playing as an independent.

They blewout Kent State 55-24 in the season opener on Aug. 31 and FCS opponent Youngstown State, 73-17, on Sept. 21. They also made comeback victories over Cincinnati on the road on Sept. 7, 28-27, and rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl at home on Sept. 14, 38-34.

The win for the Panthers over the Tar Heels this past weekend gave them their first 5-0 start since 1991 and their first ever win in Chapel Hill, N.C., losing their previous seven games there.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein completed 25-of-42 passes for 381 yards and three touchdowns to one interception. He also led the Panthers on the ground with 10 rushes for 76 yards and one touchdown, giving him four scores in the victory.

The 381 yards is the most for a Pitt freshman quarterback in a single game, breaking the record of 366 yards that Alex Van Pelt set against then ranked No. 9 rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl in a 31-31 tie in Morgantown on Sept. 30, 1989.

Holstein has also completed three touchdown passes in his first five games of the season, the first Pitt quarterback to do so in program history.

He is also the first Pitt freshman quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards in four games since Van Pelt did it in 1989 and to have a 5-0 record since Dan Marino did in 1979.

Junior running back Desmond Reid also had a great game, with 10 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown. while senior wide receiver Konata Mumpfield made three catches for 111 yards for the Panthers.

Pitt faces off against ACC newcomer Cal next weekend at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 12, where they'll look to continue their great start into conference play and make a run at the ACC title.

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