Pitt Game Day: Miami races past Panthers to state its case for a CFP berth
BUT THERE IS ONE MORE STORM BREWING OVER PITTSBURGH’S THREE RIVERS. PASS IS INTERCEPTED. IT’S PICKED OFF BY LOVELACE. HE MIGHT RUN IT BACK. WE’RE PLAYING TO WIN. YOU KNOW WE’RE GOING TO BE AGGRESSIVE. THE PITT PANTHERS PLAYING FOR A SPOT IN NEXT WEEK’S ACC CHAMPIONSHIP. THESE ARE THE GAMES THAT YOU LOOK FORWARD TO. YOU KNOW COMING INTO COLLEGE FOOTBALL. THE MIAMI HURRICANES STILL WITH A SHOT AT THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF. TEAMS THAT TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS. EVERYTHING ELSE TAKES CARE OF ITSELF. BOTH TEAMS ARE FIGHTING FOR THE SAME THING IN AN AWESOME SETTING ON AN AWESOME SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SO THAT’S WHAT WE’RE REALLY FIRED UP ABOUT. IT’S A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED REGULAR SEASON FINALE. NUMBER 12 MIAMI. NUMBER 22 PITT. LIVE FROM ACRISURE STADIUM. THIS IS PITT. GAME DAY. GOOD MORNING. HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY WEEKEND. AND WELCOME TO PITT GAME DAY LIVE FROM STADIUM HERE ON PITTSBURGH’S NORTH SHORE. I’M ANDREW STOCKEY AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WE’RE ON OUR WAY FROM THE REGULAR SEASON FINALE FOR THE PITT FOOTBALL TEAM AS THEY HOST THE MIAMI HURRICANES. AND OF COURSE, IT’S ALSO SENIOR DAY HERE AT SCHAFER STADIUM. A LOT GOING ON AND YOU’LL SEE IT ALL RIGHT HERE ON WTAE-TV CHANNEL FOUR, BEGINNING AT NOON FOLLOWING PITT GAME DAY LIVE. AND THE STAKES TODAY COULD NOT BE HIGHER. WITH THAT, LET’S TAKE A LIVE LOOK AT THE FIELD RIGHT NOW. BOTH TEAMS ON THE FIELD GETTING READY FOR THIS MOST IMPORTANT CONTEST. AS YOU SEE A WIDE SHOT OF THE FIELD PEOPLE STILL FILING INTO THEIR SEATS, THE PANTHERS AND THE HURRICANES BOTH WARMING UP FOR THIS NOON KICKOFF ON THE LINE TODAY FOR BOTH TEAMS, A POSSIBLE BERTH IN THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN CHARLOTTE A WEEK FROM TODAY, AND MAYBE A SPOT IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF. WELL, OUR TEAM IS READY TO GET YOU SET FOR KICKOFF. JOINING ME TODAY IS METEOROLOGIST JILL SZWED BACK IN THE STUDIO WITH YOUR FOUR QUARTER FORECAST. AND LET YOU KNOW HOW LOW THE TEMPERATURES WILL GO DURING TODAY’S CONTEST. ALSO JOINING ME TODAY, ASHLEY OTIS, WHO TAKES US INSIDE PITT FOOTBALL AND GOES ONE ON ONE WITH THE LINEBACKER WHO JUST LAST WEEK RETURNED A PICK SIX FOR A TOUCHDOWN, THE LONGEST INTERCEPTION RETURN FOR A TOUCHDOWN IN OVER 100 YEARS OF PITT FOOTBALL. AND OUR DIORIO, HE’S OUT IN THE PARKING LOT RIGHT NOW TAKING THE PULSE OF PANTHER NATION. ALSO TAILGATING WITH THE FANS, TASTING ALL THE FOOD AS THOSE FANS ARE GETTING READY TO COME INSIDE THE STADIUM TO ENJOY TODAY’S FOOTBALL GAME. OKAY, WITH THAT, WHAT IS AT STAKE TODAY? LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS FOR PITT AND MIAMI. ONCE AGAIN, A POSSIBLE TRIP TO THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. BOTH TEAMS NEED HELP NOW AS THE PANTHERS, IF THEY WIN TODAY OVER 12TH RANKED MIAMI, THE 22ND RANKED PANTHERS WOULD NEED TO EITHER SOUTHERN METHODIST TO LOSE TO CAL THIS EVENING OR VIRGINIA TECH TO BEAT VIRGINIA. IF THE CHIPS FALL IN THE PANTHERS FAVOR, THEY’LL HAVE A CHANCE TO PLAY IN THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP IN CHARLOTTE. ONCE AGAIN. THAT GAME IS NEXT WEEK. ALSO, THESE PANTHERS WILL BE SCOREBOARD WATCHING ONCE THIS GAME IS OVER. ASSUMING THEY DO WIN THE CONTEST. NOW, WHILE YOU, THE PANTHER FAN, KNOWS ALL THE SCENARIOS FOR THE PANTHERS TO GET TO THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM, THE PANTHER COACHES, THE PANTHER PLAYERS TELL ME THEY’RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THOSE OTHER SCENARIOS. THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT VIRGINIA, VIRGINIA TECH. THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT SMU, CAL. THEY CARE ABOUT THIS GAME AND THIS GAME ONLY BECAUSE THEY REALIZE IF THEY DON’T WIN THIS GAME, THERE IS NO TOMORROW. NOTHING MATTERS EXCEPT A WIN ON SATURDAY AT NOON. I MEAN, NOTHING MATTERS. I MEAN, WE CAN’T CONTROL WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO. WE COULD HAVE CONTROLLED IT EARLIER IN THE YEAR. YOU KNOW, IN ONE OF OUR OTHER ACC GAMES. BUT ALL WE CAN DO IS CONTROL AND FOCUS ON ONE THING. WE START WORRYING ABOUT OTHER THINGS OUT THERE. IT DOESN’T MATTER. SO IT WON’T BE TALKED ABOUT. IT WON’T BE ADDRESSED. IT WILL BE ABOUT WINNING A FOOTBALL GAME. OKAY, THE SAME SCENARIO FOR THE MIAMI HURRICANES, ALTHOUGH THEIR ROAD TO THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IS LONG, IT IS VERY CONFUSING AND IT’S NOT GOING TO BE EASY. BUT THEY ALSO REALIZE THAT IF THEY DO WIN TODAY, MIAMI LIKELY COULD GET AN AT LARGE BERTH IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF. NOW, ONCE AGAIN, THEY COULD GET IN AS AN AT LARGE TEAM. IF THEY DO PULL OFF THE WIN OVER THE PITT PANTHERS. TODAY, WE SPOKE WITH MIAMI HEAD COACH MARIO CRISTOBAL EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND HE TOLD US FOR BOTH THE PITT PANTHERS AND THE MIAMI HURRICANES, THE PLAYOFFS ACTUALLY START TODAY. EVERYBODY KNOWS THE VALUE, THE IMPORTANCE OF A GAME LIKE THIS AND THEREFORE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, TO FOCUS ON ALL THE PROCESSES THAT LEAD TO WINNING, RIGHT? DON’T GET CAUGHT UP IN THINKING ABOUT OUTCOMES AND OTHER STUFF. EVERY OUNCE OF FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ON THE DETAILS OF TECHNIQUE, FUNDAMENTALS, COMMUNICATION, EFFORT, PHYSICALITY, RIGHT BLOCKING, TACKLING THE THINGS THAT WIN BIG TIME GAMES IN NOVEMBER. SO WE KNOW THEY THEY HAVE A TREMENDOUS ROSTER. THEY’RE VERY WELL COACHED AND HAVE EXPLOSIVE PLAYERS EVERYWHERE. SO WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO JUST PREPARING TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES AND GETTING UP THERE. THAT’S MIAMI HEAD COACH MARIO CRISTOBAL NOW. THE LATEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RANKINGS WERE REVEALED EARLIER THIS WEEK. MIAMI COMES TO THIS GAME AT NUMBER 12. THE PITT PANTHERS, WHO WERE OUT OF THE TOP 25 BECAUSE THEY LOST TO NOTRE DAME AFTER BEING GEORGIA TECH THIS PAST WEEK, ARE BACK IN AT NUMBER 22. AND REMEMBER, THE TOP 12 TEAMS WILL MAKE THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF FIELD. NOW, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT TODAY, WHILE THE MIAMI HURRICANES ARE FAVORITES AND YES, THEY ARE, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS TIME AROUND. WHEN THE PANTHERS HOSTED THE THE NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH, PITT WAS A DOUBLE DIGIT UNDERDOG. TODAY, THOUGH, THE PANTHERS ARE A TOUCHDOWN UNDERDOG TO THE MIAMI HURRICANES. THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF JUST HOW CLOSE THIS CONTEST IS. OKAY, WITH THAT, LET’S HEAD INSIDE THE WARM STUDIOS AT WTAE-TV IN WILKINSBURG. I’M JOINED BY METEOROLOGIST JILL SZWED. WITH YOUR FOUR QUARTER FORECAST FOR THIS FOOTBALL GAME. AND JILL, I WOULD THINK BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER THAT WOULD FAVOR THE PITT PANTHERS OVER OUR VISITORS TODAY FROM SOUTHERN FLORIDA. YEAH, ANDREW, I DON’T KNOW MANY HURRICANES THAT CAN SURVIVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES. WE ARE DEALING WITH THOSE COLD WINDS ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HERE. AS WE’RE WORKING THROUGH THE SATURDAY. BUT CERTAINLY NICE TO SEE THE SUNSHINE. HOPEFULLY WARMING PITT PANTHER FANS IN FROM THE INSIDE AND OUT AS WE TAKE A LIVE LOOK OVER ACRISURE STADIUM HERE, AS WE ARE JUST AN HOUR AWAY FROM KICKOFF TEMPERATURE RIGHT NOW. 31 JUST A LIGHT BREEZE COMING IN ON THE SOUTHWEST, KNOCKING THOSE FEELS LIKE TEMPERATURES DOWN INTO THE MID 20S RIGHT NOW. AND JUST THAT SUBTLE BREEZE AGAIN WILL MAKE IT FEEL LIKE THE 20S FOR THE BULK OF THE GAME. BUT AT LEAST WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE DEALING WITH THE GUSTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. OVER TO SATELLITE AND RADAR, THINGS ARE A LOT QUIETER. SOME CLOUDS, THOUGH, STILL NORTH OF THE CITY, CONTINUING TO MOVE OUT. WE ARE SEEING SOME CLOUDS BACK ACROSS EASTERN OHIO THAT EVENTUALLY WILL SHIFT IN AS WE GET DEEPER INTO THIS BIG CONTEST. OF COURSE. NOON KICKOFF TODAY BETWEEN THE PITT PANTHERS AND MIAMI HURRICANES. TEMPERATURES ONLY CLOSE TO THE FREEZING MARK WILL MANAGE ABOUT 36 AS THOSE CLOUDS MOVE IN A LITTLE LATER ON TODAY. BUT STILL, NICE TO SEE THE SUNSHINE THERE AT SHAW STADIUM. ANDREW. JOE, YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. BEING IN THE SUN MAKES THINGS A WHOLE LOT EASIER WHEN YOU’RE ENJOYING THIS FOOTBALL GAME. AND BY THE WAY, THE SUN IS CONTINUING TO RISE IN THE SKY, SO HOPEFULLY A SUN DRENCHED DAY HERE AT STADIUM. WE’LL CHECK BACK WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER. YOU GET THE GAME DAY FORECAST JUST BEFORE KICKOFF, AND WITH PITT, GAME DAY CONTINUES LIVE HERE AT STADIUM. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE YOU BACK IN TIME TO A MEMORABLE MOMENT BETWEEN THE PANTHERS AND THE HURRICANES. WHEN A FRESHMAN MADE HIS DEBUT AND SHOCKED THE WORLD. ALSO COMING UP, WE’RE GOING TO GO BACK OUTSIDE ARKANSAS STADIUM AND ENJOY THE TAILGATING AS THE FANS ARE WRAPPING THINGS UP, ENJOYING DESSERT BEFORE THEY HEAD ON IN TO SEE THE PANTHERS AND THE MIAMI HURRICANES. THAT GAME RIGHT HERE ON WTAE-TV CHANNEL FOUR BIG GAME DAY. WE’LL BE BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS. YEAH. YOU NEVER REALLY EXPECTED COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. YOU DON’T THINK YOUR FIRST START GOING TO BE AGAINST NUMBER TWO TEAM IN THE COUNTRY, AND YOU’RE GOING TO UPSET THEM AT HOME? LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT’S AN UNBELIEVABLE FEELING. I’M REAL HAPPY WE GOT IT DONE FOR THE SENIORS. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, A FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK NAMED KENNY PICKETT MADE HIS FIRST COLLEGIATE START. IT WAS A 2414 WIN OVER MIAMI ON SENIOR DAY HERE AT ACRISURE STADIUM. PIT, ENDING THE HURRICANES HOPES OF A PERFECT 2017 REGULAR SEASON. AND OF COURSE, FOUR YEARS LATER, KENNY PICKETT LED PITT TO THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. WELCOME BACK TO PANTHER GAMEDAY LIVE HERE AT ACRISURE STADIUM. AS WE COUNT YOU DOWN TO THE PANTHERS AND THE MIAMI HURRICANES. AND HERE WE ARE EIGHT YEARS AFTER THAT AMAZING UPSET. COULD IT BE DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN? AFTER ALL, HERE WE ARE EIGHT YEARS LATER AND A FRESHMAN STARTING AT QUARTERBACK FOR PITT. PITT, OF COURSE, IS THE UNDERDOG TO MIAMI. YOU HAVE TO WONDER, CAN LIGHTNING STRIKE TWICE HERE ON THE NORTH SHORE? WE’LL FIND OUT IN ABOUT 3.5 HOURS. YOU’LL SEE IT RIGHT HERE ON WTAE-TV CHANNEL FOUR. WELL, WE TOLD YOU THE PARTY IS GOING ON HERE. OF COURSE, DURING THE GAME. BUT THERE’S A PARTY GOING ON OUT IN THE PARKING LOTS ALL MORNING LONG. RIGHT NOW WE’RE JOINED BY ED DIORIO, WHO IS TALKING TO A MAN WHO REALLY HAS THE INSIDE TRACK ON TODAY’S GAME. HE’S THE FATHER OF QUARTERBACK MASON HEINZ FIELD. ED HEINZ FIELD AND ED DIORIO HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO. THE THING ABOUT THE PANTHERS SEASON AND WHY WE’RE SEEING A LOT OF INTEREST IN PEOPLE HERE, IT’S, OF COURSE, A LOT OF SENIORS CONTRIBUTING ON THE FIELD, BUT THERE’S BEEN ONE FRESHMAN THAT’S BEEN DOING SOME REALLY IMPRESSIVE THINGS. IN HIS FIRST SEASON AS A PANTHER, MASON HEINZ FIELD, THE STARTING QUARTERBACK FOR THE PANTHERS. AND AS WE’RE GOING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT TO IT JUST HAPPENED TO RUN INTO HIS DAD, ERIC AND ERIC. THANKS FOR TAKING SOME TIME WITH US THIS MORNING. I JUST GOT TO ASK IF I WERE TO TELL YOU THAT BY GAME 12, THAT YOUR SON WOULD BE STARTING FOR A TEAM THAT HAS A CHANCE TO MAKE THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP AND POTENTIALLY THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE SAID BACK TO ME? I WOULD HAVE SAID, I WOULD HAVE SAID, YOU’RE CRAZY, QUITE FRANKLY. I MEAN, HE’S HE’S BEEN BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS. OBVIOUSLY, WE ALWAYS KNEW THAT HE WAS DOING GREAT THINGS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE INTENT WAS FOR HIM TO COME HERE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, LEARN AND GO THROUGH HIS FIRST YEAR, BUT JUST BEEN THRILLED WITH WHAT HE’S BEEN ABLE TO DO AND WHAT THE TEAM’S BEEN ABLE TO DO AROUND HIM AND PUT US IN A POSITION TO MAYBE WIN AN ACC CHAMPIONSHIP. YOU SAID BEYOND EXPECTATION. IS THAT A WAY YOU CAN DESCRIBE THE PITT FAN BASE AND WHAT IT’S BEEN LIKE TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF, YOU KNOW, PANTHER NATION AND ALL THE FAN BASE HERE FOR WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FIRST SEASON? IN MASON’S FIRST SEASON AS A PANTHER? OH, WE’VE BEEN THRILLED. I JUST IT FEELS LIKE FAMILY EVER SINCE WE COMMITTED HERE. AND THE COACHING STAFF NOW GETTING TO KNOW ALL THE PLAYERS, FAMILIES AND THE PLAYERS THEMSELVES, WE’VE WE’VE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF OUR TIME HERE IN PITTSBURGH AND JUST ENJOYING THE SEASON. IT’S BEEN A SHORT TIME, BUT YOU’RE ALREADY SEEING SOME CUSTOM MERCHANDISE. TAKE A LOOK HERE. I DON’T THINK YOU CAN GET THIS EVERYWHERE, BUT THAT’S A THAT’S A MASON HIGH HAT. IF I’VE EVER SEEN ONE. OKAY. THAT’S RIGHT. DIORIO TALKING TO YOU, ERIC. HIGH SCHOOL. MY APOLOGIES. THE FATHER OF MASON HIGH SCHOOL, WHO IS SIX AND, OH, AGAINST THE ACC AS A STARTING QUARTERBACK. WE’LL SEE IF HE CAN EXTEND THAT TO SEVEN AND ZERO TODAY AGAINST THE MIAMI HURRICANES. HEY PLAY STILL TO COME HERE ON PITT. GAME DAY LIVE HERE AT ARKANSAS STADIUM. COMING UP I’M GOING TO GO ONE ON ONE WITH THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, ALAN GREEN, TO TALK ALL THINGS PITT, INCLUDING A PRETTY EXCITING FINISH LAST NIGHT FOR THE PITT BASKETBALL TEAM AT THE PETERSEN EVENTS CENTER. IT IS PITT GAME DAY AS WE COUNT YOU DOWN TO KICKOFF. COMING UP AT NOON RIGHT HERE ON WTAE CHANNEL FOUR. WELCOME BACK TO PITT GAME DAY LIVE. AND YOU’RE LOOKING LIVE AT THE FIELD HERE AT ACRISURE STADIUM. AND THOSE TWO GUYS RIGHT THERE, YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THE GUY, YOU KNOW, CLOSER TO THE CAMERA IN THE BLACK JACKET. YOU CERTAINLY KNOW THE GUY IN THE BLUE. AS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR ALAN GREEN. LET ME BRING HIM IN. NOW JOINING US LIVE HERE ON THE FIELD AS WE COUNT YOU DOWN TO KICKOFF THE PANTHERS AND THE MIAMI HURRICANES AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR HERE ON CHANNEL FOUR. ALAN, BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT I KNOW YOU WANT TO TALK BASKETBALL. SURE. I KNOW YOU’RE IN THAT MOOD, RIGHT. TALK ABOUT IT ALL. WE CAN TALK ABOUT BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, VOLLEYBALL. WE DON’T HAVE NO TIME. LET’S FOCUS ON TODAY’S GAME. FIRST OF ALL, I MEAN, WE DIDN’T KNOW IT’S GOING TO BE A NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAME. YEAH. WHEN IT WAS ON THE SCHEDULE, YOU DIDN’T KNOW IT WOULD BE FOR MAYBE A SHOT. THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY IN THE SEASON FINALE FOR THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT. AND REALLY, THE SCHOOL WASN’T BIG. YEAH, IT MEANS A LOT. I MEAN, WE WERE ON TOGETHER FOR THE NOTRE DAME GAME, BIG GAME, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT IT MEANT FOR PITT. WE HAD AN INFOMERCIAL WITH WITH GAME DAY BEING HERE, AND THIS IS VERY SIMILAR. THE WORLD IS GOING TO BE WATCHING BECAUSE THERE’S SO MUCH THERE’S SO MANY IMPLICATIONS ON THIS GAME TODAY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING OUR GUYS COMPETE. WELL, LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS FOOTBALL TEAM. SIX STRAIGHT ACC WINS. THEY MADE THE SWITCH AT QUARTERBACK AND THEY’VE BEEN ON A ROLL EVER SINCE. I THINK THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THING IS LOSING AT HOME TO NOTRE DAME. AND THE WAY THEY BOUNCE BACK AT GEORGIA TECH WAS REMARKABLE. YES, I’M REALLY PROUD OF OUR GUYS, I TOLD COACH NARDUZZI AFTER THE GAME AT GEORGIA TECH HOW PROUD I WAS OF HE AND HIS STAFF AND THE PLAYERS. WE PLAYED REALLY GOOD FOOTBALL AND IF WE CAN CARRY THAT GOOD FOOTBALL AND THAT EXECUTION OVER TO TODAY, I LIKE OUR CHANCES. LET’S TALK ABOUT SENIOR DAY TOO. YOU’VE GOT A NUMBER OF SENIORS WHO WILL BE PLAYING THEIR FINAL GAME HERE AT ARKANSAS STADIUM. YOU’RE GOING TO BE GREETING ALL OF THEM, OF COURSE. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO SEE THESE YOUNG MEN HAVE THAT FINAL OPPORTUNITY? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN THEY TALK TO YOU, WHAT DO THEY SAY ABOUT THIS FINAL GAME? SENIOR? SENIOR DAY IS MY I DON’T KNOW, MY FAVORITE, BUT IT’S THE MOST EMOTIONAL MOMENT FOR ME TYPICALLY. RIGHT. YOU HAVE THESE KIDS COME IN AS RECRUITS AND THEN YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THEM FOUR YEARS LATER OR FIVE YEARS LATER. NOW IT’S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT THING, BUT YOU STILL GET A CHANCE TO BE THERE AND WATCH THEM GROW OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. SO IT MEANS AN AWFUL LOT. IT MEANS A LOT TO THEM AS WELL. THIS IS THE LAST TIME THEY’RE GOING TO BE PLAYING IN OUR UNIFORM, AND THEY’VE SACRIFICED A LOT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, SO IT’S GREAT FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILY, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY GO AFTER. IF THEY GO TO THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, WHETHER THEY GO TO THE PLAYOFF OR NOT, HOW IMPORTANT IS BEING IN THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME FOR THE UNIVERSITY? I MEAN, IT’S WHAT WE IT’S WHAT WE DO. IT’S WHY THEY COMPETE. IT’S WHY THEY WORK HARD IN THE OFF SEASON. IT’S WHY THEY WEIGHTS AROUND THE WAY THEY DO. IT’S THE WHY. IT’S WHY THEY SACRIFICE ALL YEAR LONG IS FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY FOR A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP. AND WE POSITIONED OURSELVES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH A GOOD GAME TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY A COUPLE OF THINGS FALLING OUR WAY TONIGHT. ALL RIGHT. LET’S TALK ABOUT A BIG WEEKEND HERE AT PITT LAST NIGHT. BASKETBALL WHICH JUST HAD A REAL UP AND DOWN WEEK. LOST TO QUINNIPIAC. THEN AHEAD AGAINST OHIO STATE. IT COMES DOWN TO THAT FINAL SHOT AT THE BUZZER. YEAH. AND THEY SINK THE SHOT AT THE BUZZER AND WIN THE GAME I MEAN THAT HAD TO BE A HUGE PICK ME UP FOR THE WHOLE PROGRAM. IT’S IT’S RESILIENCY. WE PUT OURSELVES IN POSITION. OBVIOUSLY IT’S A CLOSE GAME. AND OHIO STATE’S A REALLY GOOD BASKETBALL TEAM. AND YOU’RE RIGHT WE’VE HAD OUR UPS AND DOWNS. BUT TO BE ABLE TO STICK WITH IT AND HAVE THE FORTITUDE AND BE IN POSITION TO MAKE THAT LAST SHOT TO CELEBRATE ANOTHER BUZZER BEATER AGAINST OHIO STATE IS CRAZY. BUT I’M HAPPY FOR OUR GUYS. THEY DESERVE IT. THEY NEED TO KEEP ON WORKING HARD AND KEEP GETTING BETTER. MEANTIME, LATER TODAY WILL BE THE PITT VOLLEYBALL TEAM PLAYING FOR ANOTHER ACC CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE REGULAR SEASON. I MEAN, I’VE FORGOTTEN HOW MANY CHAMPIONSHIPS THEY’VE WON. THEY’VE DONE IT SO OFTEN. BUT IS THIS YEAR ABOUT WINNING THAT CHAMPIONSHIP OR IS IT ABOUT FINALLY TAKING THAT STEP, GETTING THE FINAL FOUR AND FINALLY GETTING TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP? YES. YEAH, IT’S KIND OF LIKE IT’S KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE ALL DID WITH TURKEY AND STUFFING LAST NIGHT. LIKE WE ATE AND ATE UNTIL OUR HEART WAS CONTENT. WE WANT TO WIN A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP. WE WANT TO WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. AND AGAIN, THIS IS ALL PART OF THE PROCESS AND PART OF THE PLAN TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS. SO OUR HOPE IS THAT THE LADIES DO A GREAT JOB TONIGHT. GET THAT DUB, AT LEAST BE CO-CHAMPIONS AND THEN CONTINUE TO PLAY REALLY GOOD VOLLEYBALL IN POSTSEASON. LET’S HOPE FOR A DOUBLE CELEBRATION TODAY WITH PITT VOLLEYBALL AND PITT FOOTBALL. I’M GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME TONIGHT, THAT’S FOR SURE. I’M SURE YOU WILL. ALAN GREEN, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY PITTSBURGH. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU SO MUCH ANDREW. HAIL TO PITT. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE COUNTING YOU DOWN TO KICK OFF THE PANTHERS AND THE MIAMI HURRICANES. GETTING READY TO PLAY AT NOON HERE ON CHANNEL FOUR. UP NEXT I’M GOING TO GO ONE ON ONE WITH HEAD COACH PAT NARDUZZI. HE’S GOING TO EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY THIS IS A MUST WIN GAME FOR HIS TEAM. AND THE TEAM’S MINDSET GOING INTO THIS REGULAR SEASON HOME FINALE. STAY WITH US. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME BACK TO PITT GAME DAY LIVE HERE AT ARKANSAS STADIUM. A LITTLE MORE THAN A HALF HOUR AWAY FROM KICKOFF BETWEEN THE PITT PANTHERS AND THE MIAMI HURRICANES. SO MUCH ON THE LINE. OF COURSE WE SHOWED YOU THE FORMULAS FOR THE PANTHERS AND THE HURRICANES TO GET TO THE ACC TITLE GAME FOR PITT. THEY GOT A WIN TODAY, AND THEN THEIR SCOREBOARD WATCHING TONIGHT. NOW IN PART ONE OF MY EXTENDED CONVERSATION WITH PITT HEAD COACH PAT NARDUZZI, I ASKED HIM IF THERE’S ANY CHANCE HIS TEAM MIGHT NOT BE FOCUSED ON THIS PARTICULAR GAME AND WORRY ABOUT OTHER THINGS AS THEY GET READY FOR A VERY BIG DAY. IT COULD BE A DAY WHERE THEY END UP IN THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP BY SUNSET. IT IS NOT HARD AT ALL. I MEAN, I THINK IT’S IT’S SIMPLE AS COULD BE. THEY CAN’T BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT GAME BECAUSE THERE WON’T BE ONE FOR A MONTH IF YOU DON’T WIN IT. RIGHT. BUT THESE YOU KNOW, IT’S THIS IS THE EASIEST GAME OF THE SEASON TO FOCUS ON JUST THIS ONE BECAUSE THERE’S NOTHING AFTER IT UNLESS YOU GET IT DONE. SO YOU KNOW, WE FOCUS ON REALLY YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS, NOT THE OUTCOME. YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS AND HOW WE’RE GOING TO GET THERE. THE DETAILS THAT WE PUT IN DURING THE WEEK AND THEN WHAT WE DO DURING THOSE FOUR HOURS OF THAT GAME. EVERYBODY THIS WEEK IS KIND OF MADE THE ANALOGY OF BACK IN 2017, WHEN YOU CLOSE OUT THE SEASON AGAINST MIAMI FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK, COME UP WITH A BIG WIN. ARE THERE ANY PARALLELS BETWEEN 2017 AND KENNY PICKETT’S STARS OF FRESHMEN AND MASON HIGH SCHOOL THIS TIME AROUND? NO, I THINK MIAMI THIS YEAR IS NUMBER 11. THEY WERE NUMBER TWO BACK THEN. YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SIMILARITY IF THEY WERE NUMBER TWO IN THE COUNTRY. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE’S NOTHING THAT YOU CAN MAKE OF ANY GAME THAT’S BEEN PLAYED PRIOR TO THIS. THIS IS 2025. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THIS TEAM WILL PLAY MIAMI IN 2025. YOU KNOW, THERE’S DIFFERENT DIFFERENT NUMBERS OUT THERE, DIFFERENT JERSEY NUMBERS, DIFFERENT PLAYERS, DIFFERENT FACES. THIS PAST WEEK YOU TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAKE PUNT IN THE GEORGIA TECH GAME. MY QUESTION IS THAT BALANCE BETWEEN BEING AGGRESSIVE AND BEING SMART. IS THAT IS THAT TOUGH TO STRIKE? IT’S TOUGH TO STRIKE. YOU KNOW BEING AGGRESSIVE IF IT WORKS, I’M A GENIUS. IF IT DOESN’T, YOU KNOW, AND THEY’RE NOT YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AGAIN I’M GOING TO TAKE THE FALL FOR EVERYTHING OFFENSIVELY DEFENSIVELY SPECIAL TEAMS. IT DOESN’T MATTER IF IT’S IF IT DOESN’T WORK IT’S MY FAULT ANYWAY. SO I’LL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. AND AND ULTIMATELY I’M THE GUY THAT MAKES THAT CALL ON THAT PLAY. I DON’T MAKE ANY OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE CALLS. SO, YOU KNOW, I’LL TAKE THE FALL. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I TRUST OUR DEFENSE. IT’S ANOTHER SUDDEN CHANGE. NO DIFFERENT THAN A TURNOVER ON DOWNS OR A TURNOVER. IT’S A IT’S AN AGGRESSIVE PLAY THAT WE GO FOR IT ON FOURTH DOWN. WHETHER IT’S OFFENSE IS ON THE FIELD OR DEFENSE IS ON THE FIELD. WELL WE TALK ABOUT THE ACC AND ALL THE BALANCE. I MEAN IT’S PROVING OUT RIGHT NOW. THEY’RE STILL LIKE FIVE TEAMS I BELIEVE OR SIX WITH A SHOT. STILL GETTING THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME NO MATTER HOW REMOTE. IS THIS KIND OF PROVE YOUR POINT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ACC TOP TO BOTTOM BEING THE MOST COMPETITIVE CONFERENCE IN THE COUNTRY, THERE’S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, IT TELLS YOU THAT THERE’S PARITY IN THIS CONFERENCE AND EVERYBODY HAS A SHOT. THAT’S WHY I CAME TO PITTSBURGH BECAUSE I KNEW WE HAVE A CHANCE TO PLAY IN THIS GAME EVERY YEAR. AND HERE WE ARE PLAYING AT THE END OF NOVEMBER WITH ANOTHER SHOT TO BE IN CHARLOTTE IN DECEMBER, WHICH IS WHERE WE WANT TO BE. AND FINALLY, THIS IS SENIOR DAY, SAYING GOODBYE TO ANOTHER CLASS. IN FACT, YOU HAVE SOME SIX YEAR PLAYERS WHO GO BACK TO WHEN THIS WAS HEINZ FIELD AND NOT SCHAFER STADIUM. IS THERE ANYTHING UNIQUE ABOUT THIS GROUP OF YOUNG MEN? THIS WILL BE THE 10TH SENIOR CLASS THAT YOU’VE COACHED. YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, I THINK WE DO HAVE A PLAYER THAT’S SEVEN YEARS. ANDREW NATE TEMPLE I THINK IS SEVENTH YEAR, BUT IT’S A SPECIAL CLASS IN EVERY SENIOR GROUP IS. BUT THIS IS SPECIAL BECAUSE OF WHAT WE’VE DONE THIS YEAR, WHAT WE’VE COME THIS FAR. AND YOU KNOW, WE DIDN’T COME THIS FAR TO JUST, YOU KNOW, GO THIS FAR. WE WANT MORE. AND THIS GROUP IS SPECIAL. AND I’VE SAID THIS ALL YEAR, THEY LISTEN, THEY’RE COACHABLE. AND WE GOT A GREAT GROUP OF GUYS ON THIS FOOTBALL TEAM. IS THAT THE REASON? MAYBE THEY ARE SPECIAL BECAUSE THEY THEY DO LISTEN THE COACHING AND THEY THEY TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE AND THEY TAKE IT TO HEART. YEAH. I THINK, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN WHEN I SAY, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERY TEAM I’VE HAD LISTENS BUT LIKE THESE GUYS ARE QUIETER THAN THE OTHER ONES. WHEN THERE’S TEAM MEETINGS IT SEEMS LIKE, AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THEY HANG ON EVERY WORD. THEY’RE NOT, YOU KNOW, HEARING SOME OF THE WORDS AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT HEARING THE WORDS THAT THEY DON’T WANT TO HEAR. THESE GUYS, IT SEEMS LIKE WHATEVER I SAY, THEY BELIEVE AND THEY SAY, I GOT YOU, COACH, WE GOT YOUR BACK. LET’S GO. BACK LIVE. AND YOU’RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE POINT FROM ACROSS THE ALLEGHENY ON A COLD BUT SUNNY DAY HERE IN PITTSBURGH AS WE’RE GETTING READY FOR FOOTBALL ON THIS SENIOR DAY FOR THE PITT PANTHERS. AS WE PULL OUT AND SHOW YOU THE STADIUM. AND EVERYBODY FIRED UP FOR THIS ONE, PITT COULD PUNCH HIS TICKET TO THE ACC TITLE GAME BY THE END OF THE DAY. STILL AHEAD ON PITT GAME DAY LIVE. WE’RE GOING TO GO ONE ON ONE WITH ONE OF THE TOP LINEBACKERS IN THIS FOOTBALL TEAM, A GUY WHO MADE A PLAY THAT HASN’T BEEN SEEN IN OVER 100 YEARS OF PITT FOOTBALL. WE’LL CONTINUE TO COUNT YOU DOWN TO KICKOFF RIGHT HERE ON WTAE-TV CHANNEL FOUR. GOOD MORNING. AND IF YOU’RE JUST JOINING US, WELCOME TO PITT GAME DAY LIVE FROM ACRISURE STADIUM. WE’RE 30 MINUTES AWAY FROM KICKOFF HERE ON CHANNEL FOUR. THE PITT PANTHERS AND THE MIAMI HURRICANES. AS YOU SEE, THE PITT QUARTERBACKS ARE WARMING UP, INCLUDING MASON HIGH SCHOOL, THE FANTASTIC FRESHMAN SIX AND ONE AS A STARTING QUARTERBACK HERE AT PITT, HE’S GOING TO TRY AND PULL OFF THE UPSET AGAINST THE MIAMI HURRICANES, RANKED 12TH IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RANKINGS. PITT COMES THIS GAME RANKED 22ND. YOU’LL SEE IT ALL RIGHT HERE ON WTAE-TV CHANNEL FOUR. NOW, ONE OF THE REASONS THIS IS A BIG GAME TODAY IS BECAUSE OF WHAT PITT DID LAST WEEK. THEY CAME OFF THAT LOSS TO NOTRE DAME AND THEY COMPLETELY STUNNED GEORGIA TECH A BIG GAME. AND THE BIG PLAY OF THE GAME WAS MADE BY LINEBACKER RAYLEN LOVELACE, A PICK SIX OF 100 YARDS, THE LONGEST INT RETURN FOR A TOUCHDOWN IN OVER 100 YEARS OF PITT FOOTBALL. EARLIER THIS WEEK, OUR ASHLEY DOUGHERTY WENT ONE ON ONE WITH BRAYLON TO TALK ABOUT THAT BIG PLAY AND THE BIG CHALLENGE AHEAD FOR THE PANTHERS THIS AFTERNOON AGAINST MIAMI. BRAYLON LOVELACE TURNED HEADS AROUND THE LEAGUE LAST WEEK WITH HIS PICK SIX. NOW PITT IS LOOKING TO FIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS ONCE AGAIN AS THEY FACE ANOTHER RANKED OPPONENT. I GOT TO REWIND. WE GOT TO START WITH LAST WEEK’S PICK SIX. TAKE ME THROUGH KIND OF HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO MAKE THAT READ AND WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND THERE RUNNING DOWN THE FIELD. SO I, YOU KNOW, I DROPPED BACK INTO COVERAGE, YOU KNOW, KNEW THERE WAS THE HOOK AND CURL BEHIND ME. SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST READ THE QUARTERBACK’S EYES SEEING IT JUMPED IT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE STORIES IT FROM THERE. DID YOU FEEL THE MOMENTUM SHIFT IN THE GAME AFTER THAT? YEAH. YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE OUR TEAM JUST GOT LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A BIG JUMP IN ENERGY. AND YOU KNOW, WE WERE READY TO GO AND LOCKED BACK IN THIS DEFENSE. WHAT KIND OF UNIT IS IT. KIND OF WHO ARE YOU GUYS ON THE FIELD AND OFF THE FIELD TOO? I MEAN, WE’RE JUST HARD WORKERS AND EVERYTHING WE DO, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? LIKE, WE’RE PITTSBURGH PEOPLE, ALL BLUE COLLAR. WE JUST, YOU KNOW, GET DOWNHILL AND JUST WORK. THAT’S JUST WHAT WE DO ALL THE TIME. WE’RE A VERY CLOSE TEAM, YOU KNOW? WE’RE ALWAYS HANGING OUT WITH EACH OTHER. ALWAYS. YOU KNOW, JUST SEEING WHAT’S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, AND EVERY TIME WE GO ON BREAKS, ALWAYS CHECKING ON EACH OTHER, JUST MAKE SURE EVERYBODY’S DOING GOOD AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE’RE VERY CLOSE TEAM I THINK YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CLOSEST TEAMS IN THE NATION TO BE HONEST. YOU MENTIONED THE OFFENSE. YOU GO UP AGAINST MASON EVERY DAY IN PRACTICE. WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN OUT OF HIM THIS YEAR JUST FOR THE FIRST TIME? I MEAN, HE’S A GUY THAT’S HE’S REALLY NOTHING MUCH ELSE TO IT. YOU KNOW, HE’S A HE’S A GREAT LEADER AND HE’S JUST A GOOD PERSON IN GENERAL, WHICH I THINK IS SOMEBODY THAT’S, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE AROUND. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT’S JUST HELPING US KEEP CLIMBING THE LADDER. WHENEVER HE MADE HIS FIRST START, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE IMPRESSED. YOU KNOW, BEING A FRESHMAN, WERE YOU IMPRESSED OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU KNEW WHAT THIS GUY WAS MADE UP OF EVERY DAY UP UNTIL THEN? THAT’S SOMETHING I SEE ALL THE TIME. SO, YOU KNOW, I WAS YOU KNOW, I WAS IMPRESSED, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE’S A FRESHMAN DOING THAT AT THIS LEVEL. BUT YOU KNOW, I’VE, I FIGURED THAT’S WHAT HE’S GOING TO DO. I EXPECTED NOTHING ELSE. SO YEAH. WHAT HAS IMPRESSED YOU THE MOST FROM THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW HIM STEP FOOT IN PRACTICE UP UNTIL NOW? ANYTHING COME TO MIND JUST BEING THE LEADER THAT HE IS? YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? AND BEING THE PERSON THAT HE IS, I THINK THAT HE’S A VERY GOOD ENERGY TO HAVE AROUND ALL THE TIME. YOU KNOW, NO MATTER. HE WAS JUST GUY HERE, YOU KNOW, JUST FRESH OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. AND, YOU KNOW, HE’S UP THERE LEADING GUYS AND TEAM RUN AND THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, LEADING ALL THE SENIORS, ALL THE OLDER GUYS. HE’S TELLING THEM LIKE COME ON, LET’S GO. SO I THINK THAT’S SOMETHING THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME. YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT NOTRE DAME GAME, WHERE A LOT OF TEAMS MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. DO YOU GUYS CREDIT? YOU KNOW, THE TEAM, THE PLAYERS OR HIM OR KIND OF COLLECTIVELY LIKE WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO IN BETWEEN THAT WEEK TO KIND OF JUST FLUSH THAT QUICK AND GET BACK ON TRACK? YOU KNOW, I, I REALLY CREDIT THIS WHOLE BUILDING, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? SO I THINK THAT WE JUST EVERYBODY FOCUSED ON FLUSHING IT OUT. YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING. THAT GAME’S BEHIND US. AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY FOCUS ON OUR FUTURE FROM NOW ON. EVERY GAME IS IMPORTANT. SO WE CAN’T, YOU KNOW, WE CAN’T BE FOCUSED ON A GAME THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK WHEN WE GOT A GAME COMING UP RIGHT NOW. SO I THINK THAT WE DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF JUST FLUSHING IT OUT AND GETTING BACK TO WORK. SO YOU GUYS HAVE ANOTHER RANKED OPPONENT COMING IN THIS WEEK. YOU KNOW, NO GAME TO LOOK AHEAD SUPER CLOSE AFTER THAT. BUT HOW DO YOU STAY FOCUSED ON JUST THIS GAME THIS WEEK WITH MIAMI COMING INTO TOWN? I THINK EVERYBODY JUST KNOWS HOW BIG OF A GAME IT IS. YOU KNOW, I’M SAYING THIS THIS GAME DEPENDS ON THE REST OF OUR SEASON. SO I THINK EVERYBODY JUST GOT TO HONE IN TO WHAT THIS GAME MEANS, WHICH I THINK WE’RE DOING GREAT ON AND NOT, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON WEEK BY WEEK. YOU KNOW, WE’VE BEEN SAYING THAT SINCE OFF SEASON. YOU GOT TO FOCUS ON ONE PLAY AT A TIME, ONE WEEK AT A TIME. IS IT HARD TO BLOCK OUT THE NOISE IN A WEEK LIKE THIS? NO. NOT REALLY. YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I ALWAYS THINK IT’S JUST IT’S FOOTBALL. I’M SAYING EVERYBODY PUTS ON THE PUTS ON THEIR PANTS JUST LIKE WE DO. SO I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S JUST FOOTBALL IS PERSON AGAINST PERSON ONE ON ONE ALL THE TIME. SO WE JUST GOT TO WIN OUR ONE ON ONES. IF YOU GUYS OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED TO WIN THIS GAME TO GET TO THE TITLE, BUT YOU STILL NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HELP FROM A COUPLE OTHER TEAMS. BUT IF YOU IF YOU GET TO THAT GAME DOWN IN CHARLOTTE, WHAT WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR THIS TEAM TO MAKE IT THERE? I MEAN EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW THAT’S THAT’S WHAT WE WORK. THAT’S WHAT WE WORK FOR. YOU KNOW WE BREAK DOWN ON ACC CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE JANUARY. YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING. THAT’S THAT’S BEEN OUR GOAL SINCE DAY ONE. SO IT’S REALLY EVERYTHING TO THIS TEAM. YOU KNOW WE’RE READY TO DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THERE. WE’LL SEE IF LOVELACE CAN MAKE ANOTHER SPLASH TODAY AGAINST THE HURRICANES. ANDREW. ALL RIGHT ASHLEY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND DEFENSE WILL BE HUGE TODAY IF BRAYLAN LOVELACE, RASHEEN BAEZ AND KYLE LEWIS CAN GET THE KIND OF PRESSURE ON CARSON BECK. THEY GOT HAYNES KING LAST WEEK AGAINST GEORGIA TECH. COULD BE AN INTERESTING GAME FOR THE PITT PANTHERS. MEANTIME, THE PARTY IS WINDING DOWN. THE TAILGATE HAS BEEN GOING ON ALL MORNING LONG, FANS NOW WINDING DOWN TRYING TO GET INSIDE THE STADIUM. OUR EDITOR, DIORIO, IS OUT THERE WITH THE TAILGATERS AND TAKING THE PULSE OF PANTHER NATION EDITOR COULDN’T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER DAY OUTSIDE OF ACRISURE STADIUM IN WHAT IS GOING TO BE A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MATCHUP BETWEEN THE PANTHERS AND THE HURRICANES, WITH A SPOT FOR THE ACC TITLE GAME BERTH ON THE LINE. POTENTIALLY. IT HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE EXCITED. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LOTS ARE CONTINUING TO FILL UP OUTSIDE WITH PEOPLE, ELDERS, MAYBE SOME SENIORS FROM COLLEGE, KIDS GOING IN, BUT EVEN SOME YOUNG PANTHERS FANS. I CAUGHT UP WITH A FEW OF THEM OVER HERE. GUYS, I GOT TO ASK AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EASY ANSWER. DO WE THINK IT’S GOING TO WIN TODAY? YES. HOW ARE THEY GOING TO WIN TODAY? THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO RUN THE BALL. HOW DO YOU THINK PITS GOING TO BEAT MIAMI? I SAY DAD’S READ RUNS THE BALL. DEZ READ RUNS THE BALL. MAYBE WE GET A LITTLE. DO YOU THINK MATSON HEINZ FIELD YOU THINK HE’S GOING TO HAVE SOME SUCCESS THROWING THE BALL. YEAH YEAH YEAH I THINK KYLE LEWIS IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN CARSON BECK. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. ON DEFENSE IT’S GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF THE GAME. WELL DEFENSIVE TALK FOR MY GUY. BUT I TELL YOU WHAT I THINK YOU’RE WHAT HAVE YOU GOT THERE I THINK YOU GOT A BALL OF OUR OWN HERE. YOUR ALL TIME QUARTERBACK. YEP. ALL RIGHT. WELL LET’S SEE YOU GUYS RUN OUT FOR A PATTERN. LET’S SEE WHO’S GOING TO GET IT. LET’S GO. SOMEBODY GO OUT FOR ONE. LET’S SEE MY MAN. THROW IT. OH, NO. WHY DON’T WE GO EMINEM. NO. JUST GO THROW IT. DID SOMEBODY GO DEEP. LET’S SEE IT. RIGHT DOWN THERE. LOOK AT THAT. LET’S SEE IF THE PANTHERS CAN DO A LOT MORE OF THAT TODAY. LET’S GO BACK INSIDE THE STADIUM FOR MORE. ALL RIGHT. LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF FUN OUT THERE. A LOT OF FUN IS TO BE HAD HERE IN JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. COMING UP NEXT, WE’RE GOING TO GO ONE ON ONE WITH THE MAN WHO ENGINEERED MAYBE THE BIGGEST UPSET IN PITT HISTORY, 13 NINE AGAINST WEST VIRGINIA. PAT BOSTICK JOINS US AS WE COUNT YOU DOWN TO KICKOFF. PANTHERS AND HURRICANES AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR RIGHT HERE ON CHANNEL FOUR. ALL RIGHT WELCOME BACK PITT GAME DAY LIVE. AND WE ARE LIVE ON THE FIELD. AS YOU CAN SEE WE’RE WITH A GUY WHO KNOWS HOW TOUGH AN UPSET IN A BIG GAME. PAT BOSTICK, THE ENGINEER OF 13 NINE OVER WEST VIRGINIA MANY YEARS AGO. NOW AN ANALYST ON THE PITT RADIO NETWORK. AND, PAT, WE GOT TOGETHER A FEW WEEKS AGO. TALK ABOUT MATSON HEINZ FIELD FACED HIS FIRST REAL ADVERSITY, BUT THE WAY THIS TEAM BOUNCED BACK LAST WEEK WAS REMARKABLE. AGAINST GEORGIA TECH. IT WAS A BIG WIN, ANDREW, TO GO ON THE ROAD AND THAT ENVIRONMENT OBVIOUSLY WAS A BIG TIME OPPORTUNITY FOR TECH TO GET A WIN AND GET IN THE TITLE GAME. HAYNES KING HIS FINAL GAME, PITT CAME OUT, SNATCHED MOMENTUM EARLY AND KEPT ON IT 28 NOTHING. THEY WITHSTOOD THE ADVERSITY IN THE GAME, CAME BACK AND OBVIOUSLY NOT ONLY MASON BUT JAKARI AND TURNER ULTIMATELY PUT THE CAPPER ON THE GAME AND THE PANTHERS HAD A BIG ROAD WIN. WELL, PAT, THAT DEFENSE I THOUGHT WAS REMARKABLE. I MEAN, THE WAY THEY GOT PRESSURE ON HAYNES KING EARLY, FORCING THE TURNOVER. OF COURSE. LOVELACE 100 YARD INTERCEPTION RETURN. IS THAT THE KIND OF EFFORT THEY’RE GOING TO NEED TODAY IF THEY’RE GOING TO BEAT THIS MIAMI TEAM? THERE’S NO QUESTION. I MEAN, IT’S GOING TO TAKE 60 MINUTES OF DISCIPLINE. IT’S GOING TO TAKE 60 MINUTES OF PHYSICALITY. I THOUGHT THEY HIT HARDER THAN GEORGIA TECH IN THAT GAME. THEY GOT TO BRING THE INTENSITY AND BE MORE INTENSE THAN MIAMI. IN THIS GAME. SPECIAL TEAMS WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS GAME TODAY. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. LAST WEEK DOWN IN ATLANTA YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH A SENIOR DAY. SO YOU KNOW THE EMOTIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED FOR THESE YOUNG MEN WHO ARE PLAYING THEIR FINAL GAME ACRISURE STADIUM. WHAT ARE THEY FEELING? WHAT ARE THEY THINKING. THEY’RE FEELING THE FINALITY OF IT. IT FEELS LIKE A NORMAL GAME UNTIL YOU WALK OUT THERE AND SEE YOUR PARENTS, AND THEN YOU REALIZE IT’S THE END OF ONE CHAPTER FOR YOU, AND THEN THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, THOUGH, IS YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT YOUR SENIOR DAY IS WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE. AND TO GET A WIN TODAY WOULD BE A CAP ON A GREAT CAREER FOR THESE, THESE YOUNG MEN. AS WE WATCH THOSE SENIORS HAVING THEIR MOMENT RIGHT NOW WITH THEIR PARENTS AND THE FANS. OF COURSE, IN A GAME LIKE THIS, DO YOU PUT ALMOST TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON YOURSELF AS YOUR FINAL GAME? YOU WANT TO DO REALLY WELL, AND THE STAKES ARE SO HIGH THAT PERHAPS YOU FORCE THINGS. I THINK YOU LEARNED NOT TO DO THAT FROM THE NOTRE DAME GAME. I THOUGHT WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF THAT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AGAINST THE FIGHTING IRISH. I THINK YOU CARRY THAT LESSON INTO TODAY. PLAY WITH THE FREEDOM, PLAY WITH RECKLESS ABANDON, PLAY DISCIPLINED, BUT PLAY HARD AND HAVE FUN. I MEAN, THIS IS A GET TO PLAY A GAME, GET TO PLAY ON NATIONAL TV HERE IN PITTSBURGH IN FRONT OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN A NINTH GAME. I MEAN, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT? WOULDN’T THAT BE SOMETHING? HEY, PAT BOSTICK, GREAT SEEING YOU. YOU’LL SEE. WE’LL LISTEN TO YOU ON THE RADIO NETWORK AND HOPEFULLY WE’LL TALK NEXT WEEK IN CHARLOTTE. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU DOWN THERE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PAT BOSTICK JOINING US. MEANTIME, WE’RE GONNA HEAD BACK OUTSIDE. WE KNOW THE TAILGATE IS STILL GOING ON, ALTHOUGH THOSE FOLKS HAVE BEEN WRAPPING UP AND GETTING IN HERE BECAUSE WE GOT A GAME TO PLAY. ED DIORIO TALKING WITH PITT FANS. AS WE’RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO KICKOFF. WELL, GUYS, WHILE WE ARE JUST UNDER AN HOUR AWAY FROM KICKOFF BETWEEN THE PANTHERS AND THE HURRICANES AND THIS MUCH ANTICIPATED MATCHUP, THE ACTION HAS STARTED HOURS BEFORE THAT BALL GETS KICKED OFF THE TEE. HERE IN THE PARKING LOT ON THE NORTH SHORE. I’M DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW. IT IS SENIOR DAY TODAY, AND THAT HAS A LOT OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR FANS TOO, INCLUDING THESE TWO RIGHT HERE, INCLUDING MY MAN OVER HERE. MY MAN. WHAT’S YOUR NAME? WALT DEL GAUDIO FROM DALLAS, PENNSYLVANIA, FROM DALLAS, PENNSYLVANIA. YOUR SON IS GOING TO BE ENJOYING SENIOR DAY. YOU AS WELL, RIGHT? YEP. LUKE HAS BEEN HERE FOR SIX YEARS SINCE HE’S A SUPER SENIOR. HE’S ON SPECIAL TEAMS, BUT HE’S ALSO A LINEBACKER. WE’RE VERY PROUD OF HIM. IT’S GOING TO BE EMOTIONAL ON THE FIELD BEFORE THE GAME, BUT VERY EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. ABSOLUTELY. I THINK EVERYBODY LOVES THE FACT THAT THIS IS SUCH A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED GAME BETWEEN MIAMI AND AND PITT, BUT SENIOR DAY IS SO MEANINGFUL NO MATTER WHO THEY’RE PLAYING, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. AND COACH NARDUZZI REALLY BROUGHT THE PARENTS TOGETHER FOR A SLIDESHOW LAST NIGHT. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. WE JUST LOVED IT. YEAH. IT’S GREAT. WE’RE VERY PROUD OF IT WAS THAT WAS LAST NIGHT. BUT YOU ARE HERE IN THE MORNING WEE HOURS. WHAT TIME DO YOU GET IN? 7 A.M., 7 A.M. LOTS OPEN AND YOU ARE READY. AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TO SEE HOW MUCH LOVE THIS PITT TEAM HAS GOTTEN? THE ONE YOUR SON HAS BEEN ON FOR SO MANY YEARS, BUT THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY THIS YEAR. YOUR SON’S A SUPER SENIOR. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THIS? OH, IT’S BEEN INCREDIBLE. WE SAW FIVE, FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER. WHEN WE WON THE ACC, WE’RE GOING TO WIN IT AGAIN THIS YEAR. ALL RIGHT. WE’LL SEE IF THAT PLAYS OUT HERE IN JUST UNDER AN HOUR. WE’VE GOT CONTINUING HAIL TO PITT RIGHT. CONTINUING COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE MORNING HERE FROM OUTSIDE THE STADIUM. AND ANDREW, LET’S GO BACK TO YOU INSIDE ACRISURE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND JUST BEHIND ME, THE SENIOR DAY ACTIVITIES CONTINUE. THE BAND IS ON THE FIELD. WE’RE GETTING CLOSE TO KICKOFF ABOUT 15 MINUTES AWAY RIGHT HERE ON CHANNEL FOUR. BUT COMING UP, A FINAL WORD FROM HEAD COACH PAT NARDUZZI ABOUT THIS BIG GAME BETWEEN PITT AND MIAMI AS OUR COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF CONTINUES RIGHT HERE ON WTAE-TV CHANNEL FOUR. HEY, WELCOME BACK TO ARKANSAS STADIUM. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PITT BAND GETTING READY TO PERFORM THAT KICKOFF IS GETTING CLOSE. THE CHEERLEADERS ARE PERFORMING HERE ON THE SIDELINES. THE FANS ARE FILLING THE STANDS. IT IS A BIG FOOTBALL DAY IN PITTSBURGH AND A BIG DAY FOR PITT FOOTBALL AS THEY HOST THE MIAMI HURRICANES. THAT KICKOFF COMING UP IN ALMOST TEN MINUTES RIGHT HERE ON WTAE-TV CHANNEL FOUR. AND WITH THAT WELCOME BACK TO FIELD LEVEL. I’M ANDREW STOCKEY. YOU KNOW IT HAS ACTUALLY GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT WARMER HERE ON THE FIELD. IT WAS CHILLY THIS MORNING. BUT THINGS HAVE BEGUN TO GET A LITTLE BIT WARMER. OF COURSE WE ARE STAYING IN THE SUN, BUT TO GET THE OFFICIAL WORD ON THE FORECAST, LET’S HEAD BACK TO STUDIOS METEOROLOGIST JILL SZWED WITH YOUR CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FORECAST. AND JILL, YEAH, I’M WEARING A JACKET RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK I MIGHT EVEN WANT TO TAKE THIS OFF BECAUSE IT FEELS KIND OF WARM OUT HERE. HEY, GOOD FOR YOU, ANDREW. I MEAN, THE SUN OBVIOUSLY IS DOING WONDERS ON A CHILLY LATE NOVEMBER DAY HERE ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. IT IS GOING TO STAY A LITTLE BIT ON THE BRISK SIDE AS WE GET CLOSER TO COUNTDOWN. WE’RE COUNTING DOWN TO KICKOFF AT NOON TODAY. TEMPERATURES RUNNING CLOSE TO THE FREEZING MARK, BUT WE ARE EXPECTING THOSE READINGS TO TOP OFF INTO THE MID 30S AGAIN. GETTING BASKING IN THAT FULL SUNSHINE. SHOULD CERTAINLY HELP FANS AS WE CONTINUE ON THROUGH THE COURSE OF THIS AFTERNOON, AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT WINDS ACROSS THE AREA STARTING TO KICK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, GENERALLY ON THE LIGHT SIDE, COMING IN OUT OF THE WEST TO SOUTHWEST RIGHT NOW, COMING IN AT SIX MILES PER HOUR IN PITTSBURGH. INTERNATIONAL CLOUDS CONTINUE TO MOVE OUT, BUT WE ARE SEEING SOME MORE CLOUDS STARTING TO BUILD IN FROM THE WEST. AND THAT IS GOING TO BE THE SCENE AS WE CONTINUE ON THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. SO SOAK UP THE SUN WHILE YOU HAVE IT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, AS WE GO FORWARD IN TIME HERE ON FUTURECAST, YOU CAN SEE SKIES TRENDING PARTLY CLOUDY AS WE GO THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE GAME, TEMPERATURES STILL HANGING OUT LOW TO EVEN MID 30S ALL ACROSS. NOT JUST THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH, BUT ALSO ALL OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. NOW THESE CLOUDS GETTING EXCEPT FOR OUR STORM SYSTEM TO CAP OFF THIS THANKSGIVING WEEKEND AS WE’RE HOPEFULLY ALL OUT CELEBRATING A BIG VICTORY LATER ON THIS EVENING, THERE WILL BE SOME SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS ARRIVING AS EARLY AS 9:00 THIS EVENING. COULD BE A LITTLE HIT OR MISS ACROSS ALLEGHENY COUNTY, BUT THE BULK OF THE ACTION IS GOING TO BE SETTLING IN NORTH OF TOWN. HERE’S 4:00 AS WE GO INTO AN IMPACT DAY TOMORROW, WE ARE EXPECTING MORE. THOSE SCATTERED BURSTS OF LIGHT SNOW TRAVEL COULD BE A LITTLE BIT TRICKY, MAYBE FOR THE FANS THAT CAME INTO TOWN TODAY FOR THIS BIG MATCHUP AGAINST MIAMI, EARLY FLIGHTS COULD BE A LITTLE BIT TRICKY ON THE ROADS YOU’RE TRAVELING TO THE AIRPORT AS YOU FAST FORWARD TOWARDS ABOUT TEN 11:00 TOMORROW MORNING, WE’LL SEE A LINE OF COLD RAIN SHOWERS COMING IN, BUT RATHER QUICKLY THAT MOVES OUT IS GOING TO TURN A LITTLE BIT BRISK AND BLUSTERY ON THE BACK SIDE AS WE CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON SUNDAY, BUT STILL LOOKING DRY AS WELL. IF YOU’RE MAYBE GOING TO MAKE THIS A DOUBLE FEATURE THERE ON THE NORTH SHORE AND TAKING THE STEELERS AND BILLS GAME TOMORROW. SO 36 IS WHERE WE’RE HEADED AS WE GO THROUGH THE COURSE OF THIS GAME BETWEEN PITT AND MIAMI. STILL KEEPING IT DRY. WON’T SEE THOSE IMPACTS FROM THE SNOW UNTIL MUCH LATER ON THIS EVENING. AND AGAIN AS WE CONTINUE ON INTO NEXT WEEK WITH YOUR 4-DAY PLUS 4 MORE, YOU’LL NOTICE THOSE TEMPERATURES STAY ON THE COLD SIDE. ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME LIGHT SNOW WILL BE COMING IN ON TUESDAY, BUT I’M GLAD YOU’RE ENJOYING THE SUNSHINE FOR NOW. ANDREW, I’VE GOT TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT BEFORE THE SNOW FLIES A LITTLE LATER ON THIS EVENING. WELL, JILL, I GUESS I WILL KEEP THE COAT CLOSE. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. MEANTIME, HERE AT THE STADIUM, THE PITT BAND IS ON THE FIELD PERFORMING, GETTING EVERYBODY FIRED UP FOR TODAY’S GAME. MEANTIME, WE’RE GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO OUR ANALYSIS OF THIS GAME. THE SECOND HALF OF MY CONVERSATION WITH PITT HEAD COACH PAT NARDUZZI. AND THIS HALF WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT COACH NARDUZZI EXPECTS TO SEE FROM THE 12TH RANKED MIAMI HURRICANES. LET’S TALK ABOUT MIAMI, A TEAM THAT OFFENSIVELY, THEY GOT A QUARTERBACK NAMED CARSON BECK, A GUY WHO’S HAD EXPERIENCE IN BIG GAMES. DO YOU HAVE TO APPROACH HIM DIFFERENTLY THAN PERHAPS YOU APPROACH HEINZ KING LAST WEEK? NOT REALLY. I MEAN, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT QUARTERBACKS, TWO DIFFERENT GAMES, TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS. HE’S A GREAT QUARTERBACK. BUT YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST 11 YEARS WE’VE FACED A LOT OF GREAT QUARTERBACKS AND YOU KNOW A BUNCH OF THEM IN THE NFL. SO WE FACED YOU KNOW DANIEL JONES I MEAN YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO DANIEL JONES. SO WE’VE SEEN A BUNCH OF NFL QUARTERBACKS. AND AND CARSON IS ANOTHER NFL QUARTERBACK THAT WE JUST GOT TO PLAY WELL AGAINST. MEANTIME THEIR DEFENSE NUMBER ONE AGAINST THE RUN AND THE PASS IN THE ACC I BELIEVE THEIR DEFENSE. WHAT IS THE KEY TO THEIR SUCCESS. WHY HAVE THEY BEEN SO GOOD THIS YEAR. THEY’VE GOT SOME GUYS UP FRONT THAT YOU KNOW. AND AGAIN THEY’VE GOT 11 TALENTED GUYS ON DEFENSE. SO I DON’T TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM THE BACK END OF THOSE LINEBACKERS BECAUSE THEY’RE ALL GOOD. BUT YOU KNOW IT STARTS WITH THE FRONT. YOU KNOW I SAY THAT IN OUR GAMES FOR OUR OFFENSIVE LINE OUR DEFENSIVE LINE. SAME THING FOR THEM. I THINK MARIO CRISTOBAL HAS BUILT THAT TEAM ON THE FRONT LINES. I THINK, YOU KNOW, HE UNDERSTANDS WHERE IT STARTS BECAUSE HE’S AN OFFENSIVE LINE COACH BY TRADE. HE UNDERSTANDS WHERE IT STARTS AND HE’S HE’S GOT A MASSIVE OFFENSIVE LINE AND HE’S GOT, YOU KNOW, JUST A REALLY ATHLETIC. AND THEY’RE BIG AS WELL. IT’LL BE THE BEST D-LINE THAT WE FACE THIS SEASON. HOW ABOUT YOUR DEFENSE I MEAN YOU STARTED OFF FAST THIS PAST WEEK. A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE QUARTERBACK. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU THINK YOU CAN REPEAT WHEN YOU PLAY MIAMI? I MEAN, YOU GUYS WERE IN THE BACKFIELD ALMOST ON THE SNAP OF THE BALL. YEAH, IT’LL BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW DIFFERENT GUYS OUT ON THE FIELD. DIFFERENT GAME PLAN DIFFERENT RUN SCHEME. SO YOU KNOW I THINK YOU KNOW OUR DEFENSE HAS PLAYED WELL ALL YEAR. WE JUST NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER COMPLETE GAME OUT OF THEM FOR FOUR QUARTERS, NOT JUST TWO QUARTERS OR THREE QUARTERS. YOUR DEFENSE ALSO HAS PRODUCED TURNOVERS AND TURNED THEM INTO TOUCHDOWNS THE PAST TWO WEEKS. IS THAT THE PLAN? DO YOU WANT TO TURN TURNOVERS INTO TOUCHDOWNS OR JUST ABOUT GETTING THE BALL BACK? IF YOU CAN SCORE ON OFFENSE, YOU YOU WANT TO DO THAT? YEAH, I MEAN TURNOVERS ARE CRITICAL. OBVIOUSLY ONCE WE GET ONE, WHETHER IT’S A FUMBLE OR AN INTERCEPTION, YOU KNOW WE WANT TO GET AS MANY YARDS AS WE CAN MAKE A SHORT FIELD FOR THE OFFENSE. AND IF SCORING TOUCHDOWNS HAPPENS THAT’S GREAT. YOU KNOW I DON’T THINK OUR GUYS ARE GOING TO BE UPSET ON THE SIDELINE WHEN THEY DIDN’T SCORE. BUT EVERY TIME WE CATCH THE BALL OR SCOOP ONE UP, WE EXPECT TO SCORE WITH IT. AND IT DOESN’T ALWAYS HAPPEN. BUT I THINK REALLY THE LAST THREE WEEKS WE’VE HAD TOUCHDOWNS ON DEFENSE. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, NOTRE DAME HAD ONE. OBVIOUSLY RAHEEM WE HAD KEVIN BAINES HAD ONE. EXCUSE ME STANFORD PROBABLY MESSING THIS WHOLE INTERVIEW UP. BUT YOU CAN CUT IT OUT I GUESS. BUT STANFORD SEAN LEE AND THEN YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY LAST WEEKENDS. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WORK ON IN PRACTICE OKAY. LET’S TURN DEFENSE INTO OFFENSE. NO, NOT AT ALL. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE WORK ON GETTING TURNOVERS. BUT YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT GETTING A BLOCK AND MAKE SURE THE BLOCKS ARE HIGH AND IN FRONT. YOU KNOW NOBODY CLIPS EVERYBODY IN THE BACK. FIRST THING I WAS DOING WHEN LOVELACE WENT DOWN THE FIELD I’M LOOKING BEHIND GOING MAKING SURE THERE’S NO, YOU KNOW, NO LAUNDRY ON THE FIELD BECAUSE WE WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO WIN THAT GAME. SO SOMETIMES LAUNDRY SHOWS UP WHERE IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO. AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS IMPRESSIVE. OKAY. BACK LIVE HERE AT ARKANSAS STEAM, THE PITT BAND ON THE FIELD, A NUMBER OF SINGERS IN THE PITT BAND PERFORMING FOR THE FINAL TIME IN FRONT OF THE HOMETOWN FANS. AS THE TEAMS ARE IN THE LOCKER ROOM RIGHT NOW, THEY’LL BE COMING OUT SHORTLY TO GET READY FOR THIS CONTEST, AND ONCE AGAIN, YOU’LL SEE IT RIGHT HERE ON CHANNEL FOUR AT 12:00. I CAN TELL YOU THAT A LOT OF FAMOUS FACES HERE ON THE SIDELINES. I’VE SEEN DAMAR HAMLIN. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW HIM. ALSO, I SAW JASON TAYLOR, THE NFL PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMER WHO GREW UP IN PITTSBURGH. ANOTHER FAMOUS FACE THAT’S HERE IS A MAN WHO IS A LEGEND HERE AT PITT. AS AN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, WENT ON TO PLAY WITH THE CHICAGO BEARS IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. HE’S IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, HE’S A WESTERN PA NATIVE. JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO, I WENT ONE ON ONE WITH JIM COVERT. I THINK IT’S GREAT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, NOTRE DAME, I THINK, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DROPS AT THE BEGINNING AND I THINK WE SCORE EARLY MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT GAME. AND AND I THINK THEY PLAYED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL AGAINST GEORGIA TECH LAST WEEK. SO I’M LOOKING FOR THEM TO BE VERY COMPETITIVE TODAY. AND MIAMI’S A HELL OF A FOOTBALL TEAM. SO WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. BUT IT’S GOING TO BE A FUN GAME. HOW ABOUT THIS FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK MASON HEINZ FIELD I MEAN WHAT HE’S DOING IS EXTRAORDINARY. HE’S INCREDIBLE. YOU KNOW HE HAS A BASEBALL BACKGROUND. HE SLINGS IT AROUND AND YOU KNOW HE’S FEARLESS. SO I I WISH HE COULD STAY IN THE POCKET A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT HE MAKES SOME PLAYS THERE. YOU KNOW WE CAN’T AFFORD TO GET HIM HURT. SO HE’S HE’S A GREAT PLAYER JIM THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. ENJOY THE GAME TODAY. ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU. GREAT SEEING YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS. SPOKEN LIKE A TRUE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN JIMBO COVERT. WELL THE PANTHERS ARE ABOUT READY TO TAKE THE FIELD. IN FACT, THEY’RE PLAYING THE HYPE VIDEO RIGHT NOW BEFORE THEY TAKE THE FIELD. AS WE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT WHAT’S GOING ON JUST BEHIND ME HERE AT ARKANSAS STADIUM. ONCE AGAIN AT STAKE FOR THE PITT PANTHERS, PERHAPS A SPOT IN THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO TODAY IS WIN THIS GAME. AND THEN AFTER THEY WIN THIS GAME, IF THEY DO THAT, THEN EITHER SMU HAS TO LOSE OR VIRGINIA HAS TO LOSE BOTH GAMES. BOTH THOSE GAMES ARE TONIGHT. THERE’S ROCK THE PANTHERS IN FRONT OF THE TUNNEL. THE TEAM IS GOING TO BE TAKING THE FIELD SHORTLY. MEANTIME A BIG DAY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL RIGHT HERE ON CHANNEL FOUR. IT BEGINS AT NOON WITH MIAMI AND PITT. OF COURSE, THEN AT 330 FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE. LSU AND OKLAHOMA, THEN PRIME TIME AT 730. IT IS THE IRON BOWL. ALABAMA AGAINST AUBURN, ONCE AGAIN A COLLEGE FOOTBALL TRIPLEHEADER DAY RIGHT HERE ON WTAE-TV CHANNEL FOUR. AND WITH THAT, WE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR GAME DAY. STAY TUNED. THE PANTHERS AND THE MIAMI HURRICANES RIGHT HERE ONLY ON CHANNEL FOUR.
Pitt Game Day: Miami races past Panthers to state its case for a CFP berth
Updated: 4:16 PM EST Nov 29, 2025
Carson Beck passed for 267 yards with three touchdowns and an interception as No. 13 Miami beat No. 24 Pittsburgh 38-7 on Saturday to keep its slim hopes for a spot in the ACC title game alive, at least for a few hours.WATCH WTAE’S PREGAME COVERAGE IN THE PLAYFINDER ABOVEThe Hurricanes (10-2, 6-2 ACC) need several other outcomes across the league to go their way later Saturday to earn a spot in the conference championship next week in Charlotte.The more long-range — and far more pressing — matter for Miami is whether it has done enough to earn one of the at-large berths in the College Football Playoff. The Hurricanes ripped off four straight wins by an average of 27.5 points to close the regular season.Miami’s resume also includes a victory over No. 6 Notre Dame in the season opener. A lot has happened over the last three months, though the Hurricanes hope their play down the stretch puts them back in the position they thought they’d be to start the season: in the mix to play for a national title.Beck connected on 23 of 29 passes to finish the regular season with a 74.7% completion percentage, tops in the FBS and a new program record.The Georgia transfer added an exclamation point at the end, a 33-yard heave to CJ Daniels in the final minute with victory well in hand in hopes of adding some style points against a team ranked No. 22 in this week’s CFP rankings.Malachi Toney caught 13 passes for 126 yards and added a 9-yard lob to Elija Lofton for a score in the second quarter that gave the Hurricanes a lead they never came close to squandering.Pitt (8-4, 6-2) came in with its own hopes of reaching the ACC championship. They evaporated in the late November chill as Miami hounded Panthers freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel and wore Pitt’s defense down in the second half.Heintschel, whose promotion to starter in early October coincided with the start of Pitt’s six-game ACC winning streak, was sacked on the game’s first play, and the Hurricanes never really let up. He shook off a leg injury late in the first half to return for the second but completed just 22 of 32 for 199 yards with a touchdown and an interception.The TakeawayMiami: The Hurricanes needed a “leave no doubt” performance to give the CFP selection committee something to think about. After a sluggish start, Miami had little trouble asserting itself, scoring the final 35 points of the game and keeping a Pitt offense that had 412 yards last week at Georgia Tech firmly in check.Pitt: Heintschel’s overall play since taking over and Pitt’s impressive response to consecutive losses to West Virginia and Louisville to end September made 2025 a positive season overall. Yet, the Panthers were also outclassed at home by Notre Dame and Miami in November and the talent gap — particularly in the trenches — between Pitt and the nation’s elite remains sizable.Up nextMiami: At least one more game this season, though the when, the where and the stakes are very much up in the air.Pitt: A bowl game for the eighth time in Narduzzi’s 11 seasons with the program.
PITTSBURGH —
Carson Beck passed for 267 yards with three touchdowns and an interception as No. 13 Miami beat No. 24 Pittsburgh 38-7 on Saturday to keep its slim hopes for a spot in the ACC title game alive, at least for a few hours.
WATCH WTAE’S PREGAME COVERAGE IN THE PLAYFINDER ABOVE
The Hurricanes (10-2, 6-2 ACC) need several other outcomes across the league to go their way later Saturday to earn a spot in the conference championship next week in Charlotte.
The more long-range — and far more pressing — matter for Miami is whether it has done enough to earn one of the at-large berths in the College Football Playoff. The Hurricanes ripped off four straight wins by an average of 27.5 points to close the regular season.
Miami’s resume also includes a victory over No. 6 Notre Dame in the season opener. A lot has happened over the last three months, though the Hurricanes hope their play down the stretch puts them back in the position they thought they’d be to start the season: in the mix to play for a national title.
Beck connected on 23 of 29 passes to finish the regular season with a 74.7% completion percentage, tops in the FBS and a new program record.
The Georgia transfer added an exclamation point at the end, a 33-yard heave to CJ Daniels in the final minute with victory well in hand in hopes of adding some style points against a team ranked No. 22 in this week’s CFP rankings.
Malachi Toney caught 13 passes for 126 yards and added a 9-yard lob to Elija Lofton for a score in the second quarter that gave the Hurricanes a lead they never came close to squandering.
Pitt (8-4, 6-2) came in with its own hopes of reaching the ACC championship. They evaporated in the late November chill as Miami hounded Panthers freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel and wore Pitt’s defense down in the second half.
Heintschel, whose promotion to starter in early October coincided with the start of Pitt’s six-game ACC winning streak, was sacked on the game’s first play, and the Hurricanes never really let up. He shook off a leg injury late in the first half to return for the second but completed just 22 of 32 for 199 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
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The Takeaway
Miami: The Hurricanes needed a “leave no doubt” performance to give the CFP selection committee something to think about. After a sluggish start, Miami had little trouble asserting itself, scoring the final 35 points of the game and keeping a Pitt offense that had 412 yards last week at Georgia Tech firmly in check.
Pitt: Heintschel’s overall play since taking over and Pitt’s impressive response to consecutive losses to West Virginia and Louisville to end September made 2025 a positive season overall. Yet, the Panthers were also outclassed at home by Notre Dame and Miami in November and the talent gap — particularly in the trenches — between Pitt and the nation’s elite remains sizable.
Up next
Miami: At least one more game this season, though the when, the where and the stakes are very much up in the air.
Pitt: A bowl game for the eighth time in Narduzzi’s 11 seasons with the program.