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Mason Heintschel threw for 304 yards and tied his season-high with three touchdown passes, leading Pittsburgh to a 35-20 win over Stanford on Saturday. Pitt's first true freshman starting quarterback since Kenny Pickett in 2017, Heintschel completed 23 of 38 passes and had a rating of 143.3 while guiding the Panthers (7-2, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) to their fifth consecutive victory. Ja'Kyrian Turner ran for a season-high 127 yards while Kenny Johnson, Raphael Williams Jr. and Jake Overman each caught touchdown passes for Pitt in its first game at Stanford since 1922.

Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi was appreciative of the win but was more concerned with Pitt's jittery finish in the fourth quarter when Heintschel committed two turnovers in the red zone. "That's probably the most disappointing thing but you live and learn," Narduzzi said. "Young quarterback, he's gotta learn how to just take what they're giving you and not try to force things." Shawn Lee Jr. scored on a 30-yard interception, one of four turnovers forced by the Panthers. That was part of a dominant day by Pitt's defense, which had five sacks and limited Stanford to minus-4 yards rushing and twice forced turnovers on downs. "That was big, especially because we knew how they wanted to start the game," Panthers defensive end Jimmy Scott said. "We were scheming that play up all week." Ben Gulbranson completed 17 of 30 throws for 228 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions for Stanford (3-6, 2-4) before getting benched in the second half. "Obviously today was not our best offensive outing," Stanford coach Frank Reich said. "There were eight possessions where it was still a two-score game, and we just couldn't do anything on offense." The Panthers never trailed, scoring their first touchdown four plays after dropping Stanford for a two-yard loss on 4th-and-1 from the Cardinal 37 on the game's opening drive. - Pittsburgh/AP College Football

(DS#8 QB) Fr/2029

QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pittsburgh/AP College Football
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10/25/25 - Mason Heintschel, Fr/2029, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 215 (DS#8 QB) + More +

Mason Heintschel set a freshman school record by passing for 423 yards and Pittsburgh pushed its winning streak to four by racing past North Carolina State 53-34 on Saturday night. The Panthers (6-2, 4-1 ACC) are unbeaten since Heintschel replaced Eli Holstein following a loss to Louisville in late September. Heintschel completed 28 of 48 for three scores, including an 84-yard strike to Blue Hicks in the third quarter that blew it open. Hicks finished with four receptions for 120 yards. Kenny Johnson added seven catches for 112 yards and a 10-yard score late in the second quarter in which he shook off a tackle, spun, and then fended off a Wolfpack defender while diving across the pylon.

The victory kept Pitt in the thick of a wide-open ACC but also came at a potentially high cost. Panther running back Desmond Reid, an all-conference player a year ago, exited late in the third quarter with an apparent left leg injury. Reid missed two games earlier this season with an injury to the same leg. Hollywood Smothers, the ACC's leading rusher, darted for a 65-yard touchdown in the second quarter but finished with just 86 yards on eight carries as the Wolfpack (4-4, 1-3) spent most of the afternoon trying and failing to keep pace with the Panthers. CJ Bailey passed for 225 yards and three scores for N.C. State and wide receiver Teddy Hoffmann lobbed a 59-yard touchdown to tight end Justin Joly - who limped the last 20 yards after tweaking his left leg - on a double-pass, but the Wolfpack lacked the firepower to keep up. Pitt scored on four of its first six possessions of the first half and its first four of the second half with Heintschel looking perfectly comfortable running offensive coordinator Kade Bell's up-tempo attack. Trey Butkowski kicked four field goals for the Panthers. - Pittsburgh/AP College Football

(DS#8 QB) Fr/2029

QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pittsburgh/AP College Football
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10/19/25 - Mason Heintschel, Fr/2029, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 215 (DS#8 QB) + More +

Quarterback Mason Heintschel ran for one score, Kenny Johnson returned a punt 66 yards for another, Trey Butkowski kicked three field goals and Pittsburgh beat Syracuse 30-13 on Saturday night. Pitt (5-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) won its third straight with true freshman Heintschel, while the Orange (3-4, 1-3) dropped their third straight, all with LSU transfer Rickie Collins as the starter quarterback following a season-ending injury to Steve Angeli. With the win, Pitt continued its dominance over the Orange. Pitt has won seven of eight and 20 of the last 24 games in the series that has been played since 1955. Pitt and Syracuse struggled on offense, combining for 28 first downs and 472 yards. The teams combined for 25 penalties. "Our kids weren't very excited after they came to the locker room. I had to get them going. I had to do a dance just to get them fired up because it's hard to win on the road," Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. But Narduzzi acknowledged his team "did not play as well as we needed to play." "I think we sputtered. We didn't protect the quarterback at all...We didn't get the run game going." Heintschel was 13 of 24 for 143 yards passing with one pick and was sacked seven times. Ja'Kyrian Turner had 42 yards rushing for the Panthers. "We've got to clean that up," Narduzzi said of the pass protection. Collins was 16-of-32 passing for 126 yards and threw two touchdown passes but had three interceptions to go with a team-leading 37 yards on the ground.

Johntay Cook had seven receptions for 66 yards for the Orange. Each team took advantage of quarterback miscues in the first half. Following an interception by Pitt cornerback Tamon Lynum, Heintschel ran the ball up the gut untouched for a 36-yard score for the first points of the game. Late in the first quarter, Syracuse cornerback Davien Kerr picked off a Heintschel pass and returned it to the Pitt 12. Two plays later, Collins hit Darrell Gill Jr. with an 11-yard touchdown strike tying the game at 7. It was all Pitt after that. Pitt delivered a knockout blow to close the half. Following a three-and-out, Johnson returned a Jack Stonehouse punt 66 yards to paydirt with just two seconds remaining, giving the Panthers a 17-7 lead at intermission. - Pitt/AP College Football

(DS#8 QB) Fr/2029

QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pitt/AP College Football
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10/16/25 - Mason Heintschel, Fr/2029, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 215 (DS#8 QB) + More +

WEEK 7 ASSOCIATED PRESS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORABLE MENTION: Pittsburgh QB Mason Heintschel threw for 321 yards and two TDs in a 34-31 win over Florida State. - AP College Football

(DS#8 QB) Fr/2029

QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh
News Source: AP College Football
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10/13/25 - Mason Heintschel, Fr/2029, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 215 (DS#8 QB) + More +

WEEK 7 ACC QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK: Mason Heintschel, Fr., QB, Pitt (Oregon, Ohio),...Completed 21-of-29 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns in just his second career start as Pitt upset No. 25 Florida State on the road, 34-31...Rushed for a career-high 64 yards on 16 attempts, including a career-long 30-yard run in the fourth quarter...Was one of just three FBS players - and the only ACC player - with 320+ passing yards and 60+ rushing yards for the week...Led the ACC last week in passing yards (320), yards per attempt (11.07), and total offense (385), which also ranked sixth nationally...Among FBS true freshmen last week, he was first in passing yards, yards per passing attempt, passing touchdowns and QBR...Eclipsed 320 passing yards in each of his first two starts, while posting a 73% completion percentage and six total touchdown passes...Second consecutive ACC weekly honor after winning ACC Rookie of the Week last week. - ACC Football

(DS#8 QB) Fr/2029

QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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10/13/25 - Desmond Reid, Sr/2026, Pittsburgh, 5-08, 175 (DS#5 RB) + More +

WEEK 7 ACC RECEIVER OF THE WEEK: Desmond Reid, Sr., RB, Pitt (Miami Gardens, Florida),...Led all players with 200 yards from scrimmage (155 receiving, 45 rushing) and caught two touchdown passes in his return from injury as Pitt beat No. 25 Florida State on the road...Matched his career highs with 155 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, scoring on receptions of 16 and 24 yards...His 200 scrimmage yards led the ACC and ranked third nationally for Week 7...Led the ACC in receiving yards and receptions, was second in receiving touchdowns and third in scrimmage yards per touch on the week...Was the only FBS player in Week 7 with at least 45 rushing yards and 155 receiving yards...Led FBS running backs in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in Week 7. - ACC Football

(DS#5 RB) Sr/2026

RB Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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10/13/25 - Kyle Louis, rJr/2027, Pittsburgh, 6-0, 220 (DS#5 OLB) + More +

WEEK 7 ACC LINEBACKER OF THE WEEK: Kyle Louis, R-Jr., LB, Pitt (East Orange, New Jersey),...Tallied 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles-for-loss in the road win over No. 25 Florida State...His 11 tackles ranked third in the ACC and led all ACC linebackers for the week...Was the only ACC linebacker with at least 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles-for-loss over Week 7...His second ACC Linebacker of the Week honor this season. - ACC Football

(DS#5 OLB) rJr/2027

OLB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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10/11/25 - Mason Heintschel, Fr/2029, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 215 (DS#8 QB) + More +

Mason Heintschel threw for 321 yards and connected with Desmond Reid on a pair of touchdown passes as Pittsburgh defeated No. 25 Florida State 34-31 on Saturday. A true freshman, Heintschel completed 21 of 29 passes and tossed a pair of second-quarter interceptions. But he has surpassed 300 passing yards in both of his starts, building off a rout of Boston College last week with a road upset of the Seminoles. Reid had eight catches for 155 yards and 10 carries for 38 yards for Pittsburgh (4-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Tommy Castellanos completed 16 of 23 passes for 245 yards for Florida State, including a pair of touchdowns to Micahi Danzy - 58 yards in the fourth quarter and 33 yards in the second quarter. But after the Seminoles (3-3, 0-3) went ahead 24-21 on Jake Weinberg's 34-yard field-goal attempt, Florida State fumbled at midfield and then went three-and-out. Later, while trailing 34-24, came Castellanos' 58-yarder to Danzy. The Panthers finished with a pair of field goals and then Ja'Kyrian Turner's 3-yard touchdown run capped an eight-play, 75-yard drive with 2:28 left. - Pittsburgh/AP College Football

(DS#8 QB) Fr/2029

QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pittsburgh/AP College Football
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10/08/25 - Mason Heintschel, Fr/2029, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 215 (DS#8 QB) + More +

WEEK 6 ACC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Mason Heintschel, Fr., QB, Pitt (Oregon, Ohio),...Became the first true freshman quarterback at Pitt to win his first career start since Kenny Pickett in 2017, when he defeated No. 2 Miami...Completed 30-of-41 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns in Pitt's 48-7 win over Boston College...Became the first ACC true freshman with 300 passing yards and four touchdowns in his first career start since Deshaun Watson in 2014...Became the first Pitt freshman to throw for 300 yards and four touchdowns in a game without an interception since at least 1995, and the first Pitt quarterback overall to do so since Kenny Pickett against Georgia Tech in 2021. - ACC Football

(DS#8 QB) Fr/2029

QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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09/06/25 - Eli Holstein, rSo/2028, Pittsburgh, 6-3, 225 (DS#11 QB) + More +

Eli Holstein passed for 304 yards and four touchdowns, including a pair to Raphael Williams Jr. as Pittsburgh surged past Central Michigan 45-17 on Saturday. Holstein hit Williams for a 3-yard touchdown in the first quarter. The two connected again on a pretty 48-yard score late in the third to give the Panthers (2-0) some breathing room after the Chippewas had drawn within seven. Williams later hauled in a 40-yard grab that set up Juelz Goff's 2-yard touchdown run as Pitt avoided the upset after Central Michigan (1-1) hung around deep into the third quarter. Williams finished with six receptions for 121 yards and the two scores.

Holstein completed 21 of 28 but wasn't perfect. He was picked off for the second time in as many weeks when Central Michigan's Jordan Kwiatkowski had an interception that allowed the Chippewas to pull within 24-10 late in the first half. Central Michigan (1-1) got within 24-17 late in the third quarter when Joe Labas found Decorin Temple for a 6-yard touchdown at the end of a long drive in which the Chippewas converted a pair of fourth downs. Pitt responded immediately. Kenny Johnson's 47-yard kickoff return gave the Panthers good field position and two plays later Holstein made a perfect pass while on the run to Williams to restore Pitt's lead to 14. Central Michigan's three-quarterback rotation of Labas, Jadyn Glasser and Angel Flores combined to go 20 of 27 for 177 yards, but the Chippewas couldn't duplicate a second straight impressive road win after knocking off San Jose State last weekend in first-year coach Matt Drinkall's debut. - Pittsburgh/AP College Football

(DS#11 QB) rSo/2028

QB Eli Holstein, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pittsburgh/AP College Football
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09/02/25 - Kyle Louis, rJr/2027, Pittsburgh, 6-0, 220 (DS#5 OLB) + More +

WEEK 1 ACC LINEBACKER OF THE WEEK: Kyle Louis, R-Jr., LB, Pitt (East Orange, New Jersey),...Opened the season with six tackles, three tackles-for-loss and two sacks against Duquesne...Matched his single-game career-high with two sacks, previously done against Clemson in 2024...His pair of sacks leads the ACC and ranks third nationally after Week 1...His three tackles-for-loss also lead the ACC and rank fourth nationally. - Atlantic Coast Conference

(DS#5 OLB) rJr/2027

OLB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
News Source: Atlantic Coast Conference
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08/30/25 - Eli Holstein, rSo/2028, Pittsburgh, 6-3, 225 (DS#11 QB) + More +

Eli Holstein threw a career-high four touchdown passes, including two to sophomore wide receiver Cataurus Hicks, and Pittsburgh eased past crosstown rival Duquesne 61-9 on Saturday. Desmond Reid returned a punt 88 yards for a score and added another on a 53-yard sprint as the Panthers (1-0) made sure the Dukes (0-1) never threatened to pull a stunner in the renewal of the “City Game” following an 85-year hiatus. Holstein, whose breakout freshman season a year ago was blunted by injuries that contributed to Pitt's second-half freefall, completed 15 of 23 passes for 215 yards and ran for another 41.

While the Panthers weren't particularly sharp early on - Pitt's first drive ended with a punt and its third with Holstein throwing a pass that was picked off by Duquesne's Dallas Harper - they eventually wore down the Dukes with their depth and their significant advantage at the line of scrimmage. Pitt reached the end zone on four straight drives spanning the end of the second quarter and the start of the third. Hicks, part of a group of receivers trying to establish themselves alongside Kenny Johnson, hauled in a 4-yard pass from Holstein for a score then later needed just one arm to corral a 16-yard rainbow from Holstein for another. Duquesne's Tyler Riddell passed for 154 yards and a 7-yard score to B.J. Alexander. Joey Isabella caught eight passes for a game-high 120 yards as the Dukes, who play in the smallest stadium in the FCS (Rooney Field, which has a capacity of just over 2,000) had a couple of moments to remember while playing at Acrisure Stadium (capacity 68,400). - AP College Football

(DS#11 QB) rSo/2028

QB Eli Holstein, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pitt/AP College Football
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09/10/24 - Eli Holstein, rSo/2028, Pittsburgh, 6-3, 225 (DS#11 QB) + More +

WEEK 2 ACC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Eli Holstein, Pitt, QB, Zachary, Louisiana,...Holstein earned his second consecutive ACC Rookie of the Week honor after orchestrating Pitt's dramatic 28-27 comeback at Cincinnati. Holstein completed 20-of-35 passes for 302 yards with three touchdowns, adding 36 rushing yards. Showing no signs of being phased by pressure, Holstein directed Pitt's game-winning drive, completing two passes for 42 yards and adding a key seven-yard run to set up the clinching 35-yard field goal with 17 seconds left. Holstein became the first Pitt freshman, true or redshirt, to pass for 300 yards in consecutive games since Alex Van Pelt in 1989. - ACC Football

(DS#11 QB) rSo/2028

QB Eli Holstein, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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09/10/24 - Ben Sauls, rSr/2025, Pittsburgh, 5-10, 182 (DS#3 K) + More +

WEEK 2 ACC SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK: Ben Sauls, Pitt, K, Tipp City, Ohio,...Sauls kicked three field goals, including the game-winning 35-yard try with 17 seconds left, to help Pitt complete its largest comeback win in 53 years. Sauls connected on field goals of 47, 53, and 35 yards, while adding a PAT. The Tipp City, Ohio, native has yet to miss this season, going 5-for-5 on field goals and 8-for-8 on PATs for a team-leading 23 points. - ACC Football

(DS#3 K) rSr/2025

K Ben Sauls, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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09/10/24 - Konata Mumpfield, rSr/2025, Pittsburgh, 5-11, 186 (DS#38 WR) + More +

WEEK 2 ACC RECEIVER OF THE WEEK: Konata Mumpfield, Pitt, WR, Hoschton, Georgia,...Mumpfield played a crucial role in Pitt's 28-27 comeback victory at Cincinnati, logging five catches for a game-high 123 receiving yards. While the Panthers were trailing 27-6 in the third quarter, Mumpfield hauled in touchdown catches of 11 and 38 yards on consecutive drives to bring Pitt within eight points. On Pitt's final possession, the Hoschton, Georgia, product caught a 34-yard pass to set up the Panthers' game-winning field goal. His performance lifted Pitt to its largest comeback win since October 9, 1971, when the Panthers rallied from a 25-point deficit to defeat Navy, 36-35. - ACC Football

(DS#38 WR) rSr/2025

WR Konata Mumpfield, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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