All sorts of misfortune struck Pitt in the first half of its game at Duke on Saturday.
—A safety was finally called, but this time it went against the Panthers.
—Heisman Trophy candidate Kenny Pickett was sacked and lost a fumble in the first quarter.
—Duke’s Jaylen Stinson returned a short Pitt kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by an ACC Coastal team this season.
But normalcy finally settled over the No. 25 Panthers, and they rolled to a 54-29 victory at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C., behind Pickett’s 416 passing yards and three touchdowns, Sam Scarton’s four field goals on his 21st birthday, Jordan Addison’s two scores and six sacks by the defense.
One of those sacks in the first half injured Duke quarterback Gunnar Holmberg, who did not return after halftime.
Fueled by 636 total yards, the victory enabled Pitt (7-2, 4-1 ACC) to maintain its grip on first place in the ACC Coastal over idle Virginia (6-3, 4-2).
Pitt has surpassed 50 points in four games this season, the first time since 1905 that has happened.
‘”It was a little shaky at first, had some adversity, bounced back and finished strong,” Pickett told the ACC Network after the game.
Next up for the Panthers, who suffered several injuries during the game, is North Carolina on Thursday night at Heinz Field.
The quick turnaround allows Pat Narduzzi and his players little time to think about the victory, knowing the Tar Heels’ potent offense awaits. North Carolina handed Wake Forest its first loss of the season Saturday, 58-55.
“It’s a quick turnaround,” Pickett said. “Try to get as healthy as possible. We got guys banged up. It’s going to be kind of a mental week.”
Defensive tackle Keyshon Camp, cornerback A.J. Woods and offensive tackle Gabe Houy were among those who left the game with injuries. Plus, Pitt played without wide receivers Taysir Mack, Jaylon Barden and Melquise Stovall.
“The emphasis is getting healthy,” said coach Pat Narduzzi, who offered no updates on the injured players but expressed his disdain for short work weeks.
“The NCAA continues to like these Thursday night games. Not good for the health of our kids,” he said. “We have to get them in training room and get them healthy. We have the best doctors and trainers in the country.”
Linebacker John Petrishen, who led Pitt with 13 tackles and recorded his third interception of the season, might have an antidote for the short week.
“I don’t think anybody will be going out (Saturday night),” he said. “I think we made that a point in the locker room. Everyone’s going to get to sleep early and hydrate and fuel up and be ready to go to practice (Sunday).”
Narduzzi did allow himself a few moments to enjoy a victory that raised Pitt’s record to a 12-year high. The Panthers haven’t been 7-2 since 2009.
“It’s hard to go on the road and win football games in the ACC,” he said.
“A lot of good plays out there on the field,” he said. “A lot of ones we have to clean up for Thursday night. That kickoff return for a touchdown, not good.”
But Pickett continued putting his teammates on his shoulders. He completed 28 of 43 passes and didn’t throw an interception for the seventh time this season.
“We go as Kenny goes,” he said. “Can’t say enough words about him.”
After a slow start that put the Panthers in a 12-7 hole at the end of the first quarter, Pitt rallied for a 30-19 lead at halftime.
Duke (3-6, 0-5) marched 82 yards to within 1 yard of the goal line on its first possession, but running back Mataeo Durant muffed a handoff, and Pitt defensive end John Morgan picked it up. When Morgan fumbled, safety Brandon Hill recovered for the Panthers at the 24.
Pitt quickly took a 7-0 lead on Pickett’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Jared Wayne. It was Pickett’s first of three, making him the first Pitt quarterback with multiple scoring throws in the first nine games of a season.
After Pickett was sacked and lost a fumble on the Pitt 23, Duke moved to the 1, but Holmberg and Durant were stopped for no gain on consecutive third-and fourth-down plays. Adversity continued to emerge, however, and Pitt running back Vincent Davis was tackled in the end zone for a safety.
That led to the Blue Devils’ go-ahead touchdown, a 32-yard reception by Jalon Calhoun from Holmberg, the nephew of former Mt. Pleasant graduate and Penn State linebacker Rob Holmberg.
Duke came out in the second half with former fourth-string quarterback Riley Leonard running the offense and managed only an additional field goal and touchdown.
But the message within the locker room was to quickly let this one go. Pitt left Durham as quickly as possible, knowing tougher tests lay ahead.
“As soon as I jump on that plane, I’ll be downloading North Carolina tape,” Narduzzi said.
