Well folks, we’ve officially reached Q4 (the final 3 regular season games) and it’s CRUNCH TIME when it comes to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team achieving their 2025 full-year objectives. The Irish are currently ranked 9th in the weekly College Football Playoff Committee rankings, and with a road matchup against the 22nd-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday followed by two games against Syracuse and Stanford teams with a combined record of 6-14, this weekend is absolutely huge for the Irish to make
one final statement against a decent opponent as they look to enhance their resume and win out in order to secure a spot in the big dance.
Pitt comes into this game with a weird season so far, having started 2-2 with losses to West Virginia and Louisville to cause most to write them off, only for them to win 5 straight (against some not-good teams, but still) to climb into the rankings and manage a current tie in 1st place in the ACC with 3 other teams. The Panthers have changed QBs to start an exciting true freshman, have some really nice talent at offensive skill positions and on defense, and although they don’t seem to care if they win this game, it sure would be nice for Pat Narduzzi to knock his favorite opponent to hate out of the Playoff race (even though he apparently doesn’t care if they lose by 100). The question is, can they do it?
Normally, this is the moment I’d introduce a Pittsburgh writer whom I reached out to to get some answers, but unfortunately all my contacts for Pittsburgh Q&As were either unavailable or completely refused to respond to me, and so I’m forced to ask all our lovely Pitt-related and Pitt-adjacent questions out loud, to myself, and then type out my best responses as if I were a Pittsburgh beat writer/blogger (I am most certainly not).
So, let’s not waste any more time, as you’ll wanna get this one over with ASAP — here’s what I, Pat Rick of One Foot Down, had to say to myself about this Pitt/ND matchup.
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1. Alright Pat the Pitt Expert Novice, what should we know about this Pitt team, the season they’ve had to-date, and what they’re good at and bad at?
Pat Rick, One Foot Down: Pat Narduzzi’s team is out here Pat Narduzzi-ing around yet again, but with some new wrinkles. The Panthers opened the year with easy wins over Duquesne and Central Michigan, but then quickly started to show some flaws in a 7-point overtime loss at West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl in which they led 24-14 with ~9 minutes to play before surrendering 17-straight without scoring a single further point.
They followed that up by jumping out to a 17-0 lead on Louisville early, quickly surrendering that lead, retaking a 10-point lead into halftime, and then scored a huge goose egg in the second half as the Cardinals scored 17 unanswered to win 34-27.
At 2-2 and needing a spark, the Panthers turned to true freshman backup signal called Mason Heintschel in the next game vs. BC, and he exploded for 323 yards and 4 TDs against a hapless Eagles team that gave the Irish everything they could handle a couple weeks ago. Since then, Pitt’s offense has really found its footing and they’ve also benefited from a who’s-who of not-good ACC opponents, as Narduzzi’s squad has since taken down Florida State, Syracuse, NC State, and Stanford en route to the 7-2 record they carry into their matchup with ND.
This offense seems to not totally be the kind of offense Narduzzi prefers, as Heintschel has helped lead them to being a high-scoring (#6 in the country at 39.7 PPG), pass-first offense (#11 in passing yards per game at 302.6, T-23rd in pass attempts per game, #27 in yards per attempt, #39 in passer rating). But that’s worked out pretty well for them, as Pitt is a top-40 offense in yards per game and #41 in the country in yards per play, and they’ve been pretty darn explosive considering they’re top 25 in the nation in scrimmage plays of 30+ yards. That’s largely what they’ve had to be to find success, considering they’re 101st in 3rd down conversion % (converting just 36.6% of 3rd downs), 75th in red zone score %, and 98th in red zone TD % — they need those big plays to put up points, considering their inability to maintain drives and score more methodically in the red zone.
It hasn’t helped that they’ve been banged up at running back, but the Panthers have NOT been a good running team (#104 in rushing offense, #112 in yards per carry), and it’s likely driven by an offensive line that isn’t exactly stellar at anything (#120 in the country in sacks allowed per game, T-100th in tackles for loss allowed per game).
So, it’s pretty clear that the ND defense is going to be tested vertically and largely through the air — Pitt may see a boost on the ground if Desmond Reid is healthy enough to help freshman Ja’Kyrian Turner carry the load running the football, but ultimately this game is going to come down to ND’s secondary staying with Pitt’s wideouts, and whether the Irish can rattle the true freshman QB with some pressure. Considering Pitt is T-113th in turnovers lost, the Irish should be able to grab a pick or two if they play their cards right.
On the other side of the ball, the Panthers are much more like the normal Pat Narduzzi defense. They’ve got some #dudes on the defensive line, some talented linebackers, and a slew of solid DBs who will play physical, man defense and dare you to beat them and/or throw a pass interference flag.
This particular group is #43 in scoring (21.8 PPG allowed), #25 in total defense, and #16 in yards per play allowed — they’re not quite elite (especially considering the competition they’ve faced most of the year), but they’re fully capable of making this a tough test for Mike Denbrock’s offense. They’ll especially look to do that by limiting the ND rushing attack’s potency (#3 rush defense, #1 in yards per carry allowed) and in getting to CJ Carr when he drops back to pass (T-18th in sacks, T-11th in sack yards, 5th in TFL, 8th in TFL yards). They’re also T-20th in interceptions per game and 32nd in turnovers gained, meaning they will be able to take advantage of a forced throw or a duck of a pass if Carr gets hit or has his pass tipped as he throws.
Pitt’s also really good at getting off the field on 3rd downs (#26 in the country, allowing just 34.1% conversion on 3rd down), and is somewhat of a don’t-bend-because-we-will-break defense, considering they’ve been abysmal at stopping teams once they get into the red zone (131st in red zone score % at 95.7%, T-112th in red zone TD % at 69.6%). So they’ll look to bring it early in drives and force lots of punts, because they know once ND gets into the red zone, it will likely end in points (even if ND isn’t always great about their own red zone scoring).
If the Irish can give Carr time, though, ND’s suddenly potent passing attack can find success here. Pitt is #96 in the country in passing defense, #60 in yards per attempt allowed, #72 in passer rating allowed, and #71 in completion % allowed. They are also decidedly mediocre at stopping big plays, sitting at 61st in the nation in scrimmage plays of 30+ yards allowed. That might not bode well for them while playing ND, who’s tied for 6th in the nation in that stat with 30 plays of 30+ yards this year.
Final note: Pitt has a pretty solid kicker in Trey Butkowski, who’s 40/41 on extra points this year and more importantly is 19/21 on field goals, going 13-for-13 from fewer than 40 yards away and 6-of-8 from 40+, with his long being 47 yards.
2. Let’s talk about this freshman phenom QB Mason Heintschel — what’s he done, what’s he done well, and what flaws does he have that ND could take advantage of?
Pat Rick, One Foot Down: This is the type of question that I would normally ask the opposing team’s writer and they would have way more insight to provide, as they would have actually watched the QB play. I, unfortunately, have only been able to watch some highlights and thus can’t provide a TON of insight here.
However, what I CAN tell you is that Alabama transfer Eli Holstein won the starting job entering this season, but quickly showed he wasn’t the man for the job. His numbers on the surface for the year aren’t entirely horrible at 1,058 yards, 62% completion, 8.9 YPA, 11 TDs, and 6 INTs (with a passer rating of 157.3), but he threw 5 of his 6 picks in those 4 games he was the starter, and was also sacked 9 times in those 4 games, showing an inability to navigate the pocket and escape from danger very well.
Heintschel is reportedly a biiiiit better at that, although the Pitt offensive line appears to not discriminate and still give up sacks regardless of how nimble the QB can be scrambling away from pressure (he’s been sacked 16 times in his 5 games as the primary QB, including 5 times against FSU and a wild SEVEN times against Syracuse).
Still, Heintschel clearly seems to fit Pitt’s offensive system better and has a lot more potential considering how young he is, so the Panthers have been rolling with him and it’s largely paid off. He’s thrown for 1,547 yards and 8.4 yards per attempt while completing 64% of his passes, and has tossed 5 TDs while accumulating a rating of 150.8. He’s also added 143 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown to the equation (especially impressive considering the sacks and knowing QB sacks count against rushing yards in college football).
Heintschel has unlocked the explosiveness of the offense, no doubt, and people are already talking about if he can be better than former ACC Player of the Year and Heisman Finalist Kenny Pickett. But he’s still a freshman, prone to making freshman mistakes, tossing interceptions on ill-advised throws, etc. This is a veteran Irish defense who’s already faced Carson Beck, Marcel Reed, Taylen Green, CJ Bailey, Jayden Maiava, etc. — I have a feeling they can handle this kid too, especially if they can find similar success rushing the passer as other teams have.
3. Who are the other skill position guys to know for this Pitt offense?
Pat Rick, One Foot Down: There are three key receivers to know of for this passing attack. Kenny Johnson (37 catches, 573 yards, 4 TDs) and Raphael Williams Jr. (36 catches, 525 yards, 6 TDs) are the two studs/workhorses, while Cataurus Hicks is a big-play threat (19 catches, 353 yards, 4 TDs, 18.6 yards per catch). Those three are really going to test the Irish secondary, as we’ve seen them struggle at times against teams with multiple really good receivers (Miami, Texas A&M, USC). Johnson is also #10 in the country in average yards per punt return and has already housed one this year, so he’s clearly got some big play ability to watch for both on offense and on special teams.
In the backfield, Desmond Reid is their #1 back but he’s been hurt of late. It sounds like he will be able to play, which really helps Pitt’s running game considering how not-great it’s been. Reid has 266 yards on 4.8 YPC and 2 TDs in his limited time this year, and ran for 966 on 5.3 YPC and 5 scores in 2024. He’s also a dynamic receiver, with 17 catches for 254 yards and 2 TDs this season. Along with Reid, freshman Ja’Kyrian Turner has held down the fort as the team’s leading rusher (399 yards, 4.5 YPC, 6 TDs), and Juelz Goff has looked solid in reserve (200 yards, 3.6 YPC, 4 TDs).
4. What about this Pitt defense that’s so solid, especially against the run? Who are the names to know there?
Pat Rick, One Foot Down: Per usual, the Panthers have a really solid defensive line. Key guys to know include Jimmy Scott (4 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR) and Isaiah Neal (2.5 sacks, 22 tackles) coming off the edge at defensive end, and some really stout defensive tackles in the middle like Sean FitzSimmons (20 tackles, 1 sack) and Francis Brewu (24 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF).
At the second level, LB Kyle Louis is an All-American caliber guy, and although he’s reportedly a bit banged-up, he’s still a dangerous and talented guy at the STAR position of their defense — he’s got 52 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 PD, 2 INTs, 1 FF, and 2 FR on the season.
Joining him in the linebacker rotation are Braylan Lovelace (team-leading 55 tackles), Rasheem Biles (52 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 PD, 1 INT TD, 1 FF), and Cameron Lindsey (25 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 PD, 1 FF).
The secondary is where Pitt may be most vulnerable on defense, but names to know include corners Shawn Lee Jr. (22 tackles, 4 PD, 1 INT TD), Rashad Battle (27 tackles, 2 PD, 1 FR), and Shadarian Harrison (26 tackles, 1 PD, 1 INT, 1 FF), and safeties Cruce Brookins (37 tackles, 2 PD, 1 INT), Javon McIntyre (28 tackles, 1 PD, 1 INT), and rotational guys Josh Guerrier (true freshman with 8 tackles, 3 PD) and Kavir Bains-Marquez (39 tackles, 3 PD, 1 INT).
5. What are the best names on this 2025 Pittsburgh football roster/staff?
Pat Rick, One Foot Down: I’m really glad you asked, self! Here are my honorable mention and then Top-1o names on Pitt’s roster/staff this season:
Honorable Mention: Deuce Spann, WR; Zion Fowler-El, WR; Ja’Kyrian Turner, RB; Nilay Upadhyayula, LS; Amah Agwu, WR; Emory Fluhr, LB; Justice Rawlins, Director of Football Administration; Braylan Lovelace, LB; Kavir Bains-Marquez, DB; Jiavani Cooley, OL; Truitt Brown, TE; Tamon Lynum, DB; Shadarian Harrison, DB; Benny Haselrig, WR; Juelz Goff, RB
10. Jahsear Whittington, DL
9. Tai Ray, OL
8. Shep Turk, OL
7. Valdez Stuvaints, DB
6. Censere Lee, WR
5. Synkwan Smith, RB
4. Cataurus “Blue” Hicks, WR
3. Denim Cook, DL
2. Maverick Gracio, DL
1. Cruce Brookins, WR
6. FAN QUESTION:
Pat Rick, One Foot Down: Not sure I can truly speak to this, but I guess my response would involve asking you a question back — does the song “Black and Yellow” still come on? Who’s playing that song in the year of our Lord 2025? I guess probably Pittsburgh Steelers fans, but outside of that city I can’t imagine that song is getting streamed much these days.
I don’t think I’ve heard it since college, going to go listen to it now…shout out to Wiz Khalifa for his performance at Legends back in the day.
7. FAN QUESTION:
Pat Rick, One Foot Down: It’s obviously not the same method of impressing a potential love interest, but this story IMMEDIATELY gave me John Hinckley Jr. vibes. For anyone unaware, Hinckley attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan in 1981 and his reason for doing so was because he wanted to gain fame that would allow him to impress actress Jodie Foster, whom we all know would never have been interested in him romantically, no matter how many presidents he murdered.
Anyway, my only other reaction to this is that I SINCERELY hope his date stuck around for the entire 4 hours he was stuck between the walls and even more so I hope they ended up getting married, because I’m sure the wedding toasts referencing this incident would have been absolutely electric.
8. FAN QUESTION:
Pat Rick, One Foot Down: I have — this was one of the shows my wife and I consumed crazy-fast while on paternity/maternity leave right after our son was born back in the spring, and I can confirm the show is absolutely fantastic.
It’s wildly fast-paced, stressful, funny, emotional, sad, happy, scary, gory, and just a wonderful TV viewing experience. I never watched ER since it was a bit before my time, but this seems to be ER for a modern world and probably even better-made since it’s on HBO. Just a great show and I can’t wait for season 2 in January!
9. Alright, let’s get down to it — who wins, what’s the final score, and how does it happen?
Pat Rick, One Foot Down: I think the Irish won’t have it easy, and some of the same issues in the secondary may rear their ugly heads as Pitt has the wideouts and young gun at QB to convert on some big, explosive plays. I wouldn’t be surprised if ND fans are stressed and anxious watching this even late into the 3rd quarter.
With that said, I think Pitt’s pass defense and Pitt’s offensive line will be major weak spots that ND attacks, they’ll force the freshman QB to make some mistakes and turn the Panthers over, and in the 4th quarter the ND rushing attack will finally wear Pitt down after CJ Carr and co. carry the offense for a lot of the game.
Give me something like ND 37, Pitt 24 as the Irish pull away late and probably get a big play from Christian Gray in the 4th quarter after he gives up multiple long passing plays earlier in the day.
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Okay folks, I want to give a massive shout-out to myself for answering a Q&A on a team I haven’t watched more than a few highlights of this year. I think I provided a lot of random information that hopefully gives you some inkling of what to expect from ND’s final true test of the regular season. Or if not, hopefully I at least taught you/reminded you that Ronald Reagan’s attempted assassin was trying to impress Jodie Foster.
Either way, I highly recommend you check out all the other great content here on One Foot Down in anticipation of tomorrow’s game, and also please follow me and the site on Twitter for plenty of fun and stupid tweets.
With that all said, we’re done here for this week and I can confirm that the next two opponent Q&As will actually be completed by folks I’ve worked with on Syracuse and Stanford Q&As for several years now — thank God, you guys don’t want to hear from me again, I’m sure.
Per usual, GO IRISH, BEAT PANTHERS!!!
