# Pittsburgh Panthers

Atlantic Coast · Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
Head coach: Pat Narduzzi · year 12 · 80-61 career over 12 seasons, all at PITT
Offense: Pro Style · Defense: 4-3

## 2026 outlook

- 2025 record: 8-5 (6-2 in conference)
- National title odds: +40000 (#37 on the futures board)
- Season win total: 7.5 (over priced -128)
- Returning starter games: 48%
- Schedule difficulty: 87th-hardest of 138 FBS teams

## Returning production by unit

| Unit | Returning games | Games back | Depth back |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Skill offense | 32% | 21/66 | 6/18 |
| Offensive line | 79% | 50/63 | 11/14 |
| Defensive front | 59% | 48/82 | 12/23 |
| Secondary | 18% | 10/57 | 8/13 |

## Roster movement

- Key returning: Mason Heintschel (QB), Cruce Brookins (DB), Jimmy Scott (DL), BJ Williams (OL), Ryan Baer (OL)
- Key departures (with destination): Kavir Bains-Marquez (DB), Rasheem Biles (LB) – TEX, Eli Holstein (QB) – UVA, Kyle Louis (LB), Lyndon Cooper (OL) – VAN
- Key arrivals (with previous school): La'Vell Wright (RB) – WKU, Elijah Lagg (TE) – UAB, Carson Kent (TE) – OKLA, Keylen Davis (OL) – AKR, Eliyt Nairne (DL) – TULN

## Depth chart

### Offense

- WR-X: Malik Knight, Tony Kinsler
- WR-Z: Blue Hicks, Censere Lee
- WR-SL: Bryce Yates, Cam Sapp
- LT: Kendall Stanley, Netinho Olivieri
- LG: Keylen Davis, Keith Gouveia
- C: Ryan Carretta, Isaiah Montgomery
- RG: BJ Williams, Torian Chester
- RT: Ryan Baer, Jiavani Cooley, Akram Elnagmi
- TE: Carson Kent, Elijah Lagg, Max Hunt
- QB: Mason Heintschel, Holden Geriner, Corey Dailey
- RB: Ja'Kyrian Turner, La'Vell Wright, Damon Ferguson Jr.

### Defense

- LDE: Isaiah Neal, Jaeden Moore, Reston Lehman
- NT: Nick James, Jeremiah Warren
- DT: Sean FitzSimmons, Eliyt Nairne
- RDE: Jimmy Scott, Zach Crothers
- MONEY: Alex Sanford Jr., DeMarco Ward
- MLB: Braylan Lovelace, Jeremiah Marcelin, Abe Ibrahim
- STAR: Cameron Lindsey, Emmanuel Taylor, Jayden Bonsu
- LCB: Shadarian Harrison, Kanye Thompson, D'Angelo Stocker
- SS: Josh Guerrier, Allen Bryant
- FS: Cruce Brookins, Cole Woodson
- RCB: Raion Strader, Shawn Lee Jr., Rashan Murray

### Special Teams

- PT: Gabe Russo, Kaemon Tijerina
- PK: Sam Hunsaker, Antonio Chadha
- KO: Sam Hunsaker, Antonio Chadha
- LS: Justin Schmidt
- H: Gabe Russo, Kaemon Tijerina
- KR: Blue Hicks

## 2026 schedule

| Week | Opponent | Site | TV | Spread |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Miami (OH) | Home | The CW | PITT -16.5 |
| 2 | UCF | Home | ESPN2 | – |
| 3 | Syracuse | Home | ESPN | – |
| 4 | Bucknell Bison (FCS) | Home | ACC Network Extra | – |
| 5 | Virginia Tech | Away | ESPN | – |
| 6 | North Carolina | Home | – | – |
| 7 | Boston College | Away | – | – |
| 8 | Miami (FL) | Away | – | – |
| 9 | Georgia Tech | Home | – | – |
| 11 | Florida State | Home | ESPN | – |
| 12 | Louisville | Away | – | – |
| 13 | California | Away | – | – |

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Source: SharpData OS – https://www.sharpdataos.com/cfb/teams/pittsburgh
Depth chart updated 2026-08-11. Odds shown are point-in-time snapshots.