Pitt Rises in ESPN Football Power Index

The Pitt Panthers rose in the ESPN Football Power Index after the win vs. UNC.

Oct 5, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Konata Mumpfield (9) catches the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Marcus Allen (29) defends in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers took down the North Carolina Tar Heels on the road, 34-24, to improve to 5-0 on the season, leading to a rise in the ESPN Football Power Index.

The Football Power Index predicts how teams will do in the future and the strength of each team every week of the season.

Pitt saw an improvement of their score from 6.7 last week up to 8.0 this week after the win vs. UNC. That ranks as No. 32 in the FBS, rising seven spots from No. 39 in Week 6.

They did fall one spot in the ACC to No. 6 from No. 5 last week, with Miami at No. 10, Clemson at No. 11, Louisville at No. 16, SMU at No. 18 and Virginia Tech improving 14 spots to jump Pitt to No. 28. Cal jumped to No. 7, Georgia Tech came in at No. 8, Boston College dropped to No. 9 and Syracuse improved to No. 10.

FPI predicts Pitt to have 8.6 wins and 3.5 losses, 0.4% to win the rest of their games, 99.2% to get one more victory to six wins and a bowl birth, a 2.6% chance to win the ACC, a 16.8% chance to make the College Football Playoff, 0.4% chance to make the National Championship Game and 0.1% chance to win it.

Pitt made it into both the AP Poll, at No. 22, and the Coaches Poll, at No. 24, for the first time since the end of the 2022 season, when they finished No. 22 in both polls. It is also the first time that Pitt held a ranking in either poll since Week 5 of the 2022 season, at No. 24.

The 5-0 start for the Panthers is the best start since 1991, when they had the same record. They also finished undefeated in non-conference play, which was the first time they ever acheived that since joining the Big East in that 1991 season, after historically playing as an independent previously.

They blewout Kent State 55-24 in the season opener at Acrisure Stadium on Aug. 31. 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 on Sept. 7, and down 10 with five minutes remaining, with two late touchdown drives to defeat rival West Virginia at home on Sept. 14.

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.

Cal will come to town this weekend, where Pitt will look to get that sixth win to earn bowl eligibility, something they didn't do in 2023, when they won only three games.

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