Inside The Panthers

Final Injury Report Revealed for Pitt vs. Syracuse

The Pitt Panthers will be without a key starter vs. Syracuse, and there are more than a few game-time decisions to keep an eye on.
Karl Ludwig|
Oct 11, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) is held back as he reacts to a big play in the first quarter against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) is held back as he reacts to a big play in the first quarter against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH - The Pitt Panthers arrived at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. a little shorthanded.

The ACC revealed the final injury report before Pitt vs. Syracuse tonight, and the most notable change is linebacker Rasheem Biles being moved from questionable to out. It's a big loss for the Panthers - and it might not be the only one.

Aside from the players who have already been announced out for the season, Biles, defensive end Blaine Spires (who was also listed as questionable) and offensive lineman Jeff Persi are out.

Running back Desmond Reid, defensive back Cruce Brookins, defensive back Rashan Murray, defensive end Joey Zelinsky, long snapper Nilay Upadhyayula, offensive lineman Jackson Brown and tight end Justin Holmes are all listed as game-time decisions.

With Biles out, it appears likely that fellow linebackers Nick Lapi and Cam Lindsey will step into a more promiment role alongside stars Kyle Louis and Braylan Lovelace. Lapi should have the first crack at filling in, but Lindsey can be used across both outside linebacker spots.

Reid was a game-time decision last week vs. Florida State, and he put up 200 all-purpose yards in an upset win. While he struggled with cramps, and was throwing up on the sideline in the second half, he appears likely to give it a go.

Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid
Sep 6, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) carries the ball against the Central Michigan Chippewas during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Fellow running backs Ja'Kyrian Turner and Juelz Goff will likely have a role to play even if Reid is active, as they did last week.

Brookins was active last week against Florida State, but he didn't receive any snaps. He left the win vs. Boston College a couple of weeks ago with an undisclosed injury, and it appears that he's still working back to 100% health. Fellow safeties Kavir Bains-Marquez and Josh Guerrier would be in line for big roles (with Bains-Marquez playing a lot the last couple of weeks) with Brookins out.

The defensive ends unit is still very banged up, with Spires, Zach Crothers and Jaeden Moore all out, and if Zelinsky is able to play, he should have a prominent role. If he's not, flex player Isaiah Neal will feature more prominently.

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Karl Ludwig
KARL LUDWIG

Karl Ludwig is a Pittsburgh Panthers on SI sportswriter. He has spent the past three years covering the Pitt Panthers for a couple of platforms. While he did not attend Pitt, he grew up in the Pittsburgh area, attending North Allegheny Senior High School and Slippery Rock University. As a student at SRU, he served as the sports editor of SRU’s student-run newspaper, The Rocket, and provided award-winning coverage in football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer. It was at SRU that his love for sports journalism blossomed. Karl spent three seasons as the Pitt football beat writer for Pittsburgh Sports Now, following time as an intern for the Sports Now Network. His most recent coverage of the University was for Pitt Sports News of the On3/Rivals network. He’s also contributed to Athlon Sports and SB Nation’s Behind the Steel Curtain.

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