Pitt vs. Cal Kickoff, TV Channel Announced

Pitt Panthers football vs. Cal Golden Bears Kickoff and TV Channel announced.

Dominic Campbell | Sep 30, 2024

Sep 21, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Raphael Williams (5) runs after a pass reception 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 will face off against the Cal Golden Bears on Oct. 12 in Week 7 at Acrisure stadium with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m., according to a release from the ACC.

This will serve as the third 3:30 p.m. game that Pitt has played this season, as they also had that kickoff against West Virginia on Sept. 14 and Youngstown State on Sept. 21.

ESPN or the ACC Network will broadcast the game, which would serve as the first time that Pitt played on either channel this season. They have three games on ESPN2, one game on ESPNU and one game on ACCNX/ESPN+. They also have the Syracuse game on Oct. 24 on ESPN for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Cal is 3-1 on the season, as they won their first three matchups against FCS opponent UC Davis, 31-13 on Aug. 31 at home, traveled to take down Auburn on Sept. 7, 21-14, and then dominated San Diego State, 31-10 on Sept. 14. Their lone loss came in their ACC opener on the road to Florida State, 14-9, on Sept. 21.

They will host No. 8 Miami at home this weekend and College Gameday will come along as well.

Pitt and Cal have played each other five times, with Pitt holding a 3-2 series lead. This will serve as the first matchup between the two schools in almost 60 years.

They faced off in a home-and-away in hte 1950s, with Pitt winning the first matchup, 27-7, at Pitt stadium in their 1955 home opener and Cal getting the 14-0 victory in 1956 in Berkeley, Calif.

The Panthers and Golden Bears played again a home-and-away in the early 1960s. The Panthers won both games, including a tight 26-24 victory on the road in 1962 and then a convincing, 35-15 victory at home in 1963.

Cal won the final matchup between both schools at home in 1966, 30-15, as Pitt would finish with a poor 1-9 record that season.

Pitt will also take on SMU on Nov. 2 in Week 10 in Dallas, playing two of the three ACC newcomers this season. They will travel to take on Stanford next season, completing the first games against each new conference member.

The Panthers are 4-0 after 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.

Pitt scored 70 points for the first time since a 77-7 blowout of FCS opponent New Hampshire on Sept. 25, 2021.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein completed 16-of-24 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns, while also making nine carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

He would have had 100 yards, if not for taking a 17-yard sack, but still finished with the most rushing yards for a Pitt quarterback since Chad Voytik, when he had 118 yards on 19 carries in a 21-16 win vs. Virginia Tech on Oct. 16, 2014.

The 4-0 record is the first time that the Panthers have finished undefeated in non-conference play and also the first 4-0 start since 2000.

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Published Sep 30, 2024

DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Follow Dominic Campbell on Twitter.