By definition, Pitt’s game Saturday against Virginia Tech does not represent a must-win.

Pitt (3-2, 0-1 ACC) can lose to the Hokies and still rally to win the ACC Coastal. Remember: Pitt lost two within the conference and still went to the championship game in 2018. But a loss to another sub-.500 team could damage confidence in the locker room, further irritate a fan base that already has forgotten about last year’s championship and knock the unranked Panthers down another notch in national relevancy.

“We know as a team we have to pick it up,” defensive tackle Calijah Kancey said. “Every game from here on out is a championship game. We can’t slip up. Everybody knows, all right, this is the run for the ACC championship.”

Here are some thoughts to ponder before the 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Acrisure Stadium.

1. How to deal with adversity

Pitt’s resolve in the face of adversity will be tested for the second consecutive season. An early-season loss to Western Michigan in 2021 prompted a meeting among players, and the team responded by winning nine of its next 10 games.

This year, there was no meeting after the loss to Georgia Tech, but players said intensity increased at practice. Perhaps raw physicality can replace a sit-down meeting as a motivator.

“It’s a similar feel from what we experienced last year,” senior wide receiver Jared Wayne said. “There wasn’t a meeting. I don’t think it’s necessary. Guys get the message (that losing) is unacceptable.”

2. Who wants it more?

If Kancey was accurate this week when he said “Georgia Tech wanted it more than us,” that can be troubling. But he added, “We learned from that.”

Tight end Gavin Bartholomew said the buzz at practice is different this week.

”Coach Duzz said Georgia Tech woke a beast,” he said. “You’re going to see a ticked-off team ready to go on Saturday. We’re excited. We’re ready to roll.”

3. Needed: A sack full of sacks

Pitt’s road to a championship last season was cleared by Kenny Pickett and Jordan Addison. But the defense was special, too, disrupting the opposing quarterback with 54 sacks (first in the ACC, second in the nation).

Without a dynamic passing game this season, the defense shoulders a heavier load. So far, Pitt is close to last year’s pace with 16 sacks in five games, compared to 18 at the same point in 2021. Pitt is 13th in the nation and shares the conference lead with Louisville.

Injuries, double-teams on Kancey, inexperienced linebackers and quick-release quarterbacks have been the hurdles. The defensive line is healthy now, Kancey is eager to face those double-teams, and the linebackers believe they are getting better.

“I have to work on being double-teamed more. I know I’m going to have more attention,” said Kancey, who shares the team lead in sacks with SirVocea Dennis (three). “That just frees up other guys on the D-line, and if someone gets a one-on-one, I know they’re going to win. If I get a double-team, I’m going to fight to win.

“For us to get there (to a championship), we have to get sacks.”

Virginia Tech (2-3, 1-1) has allowed only six sacks this season — second-best in the ACC — but quarterback Grant Wells is 11th in completion percentage (60.5%) and 12th in yards passing per game (196.6). Meanwhile, the Hokies were outscored 74-20 by West Virginia and North Carolina in the past two games.

Wells is more of a threat running than passing, but that’s no solace. Georgia Tech quarterback Jeff Sims falls into the category. How did that work out for Pitt?

4. A week’s worth of Nits

Assuming Pat Narduzzi doesn’t have annoying flashbacks, he hoped to gain valuable information about Virginia Tech by watching recent Pitt-Penn State games.

Hokies coach Brent Pry was the Nittany Lions defensive coordinator from 2016-2021, including all four games (three victories) against Pitt. Offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen was Penn State’s tight ends coach from 2018-2020 and co-OC his final season there before spending 2021 in the NFL coaching the same position for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Old Penn State guy,” Narduzzi said of Pry. “You’ll see some of that flavor defensively. You’ll see some Penn State offensive stuff as well. (Pry) has got his mark on defense. They’re playing really good defense, which he did when he was at Penn State. That’s why he got that job down there, because of the consistency, the type of defensive product he put on the field.”

Virginia Tech’s defense is third in the ACC, allowing an average of 310.2 yards per game. But the Hokies climbed on that lofty perch based largely on their first three games.

In games against Old Dominion (a 20-17 loss), Boston College and Wofford, Virginia Tech surrendered a total of 603 yards. The past two weeks, WVU and the Tar Heels haven’t been as kind, amassing 948 yards.

5. Slovis stepping up

When Pitt needed a lift last season, Narduzzi could count on Kenny Pickett to rally his teammates.

The coach said Kedon Slovis, Dennis and Carter Warren are among his most vocal leaders this season. But he added, “Nobody says anything at halftime. It’s me. I’m waiting for somebody to step up. We’ll find out.

“That was nice when Kenny would say, ‘Hey, let’s go.’”

Narduzzi said Slovis, a stranger to his teammates until he arrived nine months ago, is starting to grow as a leader.

He’s a member of the team’s Eagles council, a group of players who act as a bridge between the locker room and the coach’s office. They meet with Narduzzi on Friday mornings.

“I asked them a bunch of tough questions (last week),” the coach said. “Kedon brought up some great points.”

That’s a good sign, just as important as the quarterback finding a rhythm in the passing game.

The best teams have great leaders who can grab the attention of others in and out of the huddle. It’s important for Slovis, the field general, to assume that role.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)