Pitt's Place in the ACC Ahead of Georgia Tech Matchup

The Pitt Panthers suffered an embarrassing loss against Notre Dame on national TV. True freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel struggled, the defense couldn't stop Notre Dame's star running back Jeremiyah Love and the offense in general couldn't get anything going.

The good news is that this game doesn't count in ACC play. Notre Dame is in the ACC for most of their sports besides football, where they are an independent and don't belong to any conference. After another week of exciting ACC play, Pitt still has a shot at bigger postseason opportunities.

Updates Around the ACC

Georgia Tech and Virginia both occupy the top two spots of the ACC after wins over the weekend. Virginia crushed Duke as the away team, and Georgia Tech narrowly escaped with a win over Boston College.

While a win is a win for the Yellow Jackets, it's still a puzzling one. Boston College has a 1-10 record and is in last place in the ACC. Pitt absolutely dominated Boston College when they matched up, beating them 48-7 in Heintschel's first start.

Nonetheless, Georgia Tech and Virginia remain with a 6-1 conference record. The only other teams with the same conference record are Pitt, which is No. 3 in the conference, and SMU, which is No. 4.

The team that gave Pitt its sole ACC loss, Louisville, is now 4-3 in conference play after a loss to Clemson. Pitt won't have to worry about competing with the Cardinals anymore.

Despite them beating the Panthers earlier this season, Pitt fans should root for Louisville in their next game, as they match up with SMU. Despite their poor conference record, Louisville has been a ranked team for most of the season and can still clearly beat anybody.

LB Kyle Loui — Nov 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Rasheem Biles (3) reacts after scoring a pick-six touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitt's Remaining Schedule

Despite all of the attention around the Notre Dame matchup, this next matchup with Georgia Tech is the most important game of the season for the Panthers.

If the Panthers win, they could have a 6-1 conference record while Georgia Tech has a 6-2 record, likely guaranteeing a top two spot in the ACC going into the last game of the regular season. A victory is one giant step closer to competing in the ACC championship.

A win won't come easy. Georgia Tech will also know the importance of this game for its ACC standings implications. The game will be played at their home in Atlanta, Ga.

Against Notre Dame, Pitt went 0-for-13 on third down plays, suffered four sacks, and forced just one punt. Play like this won't cut it against Georgia Tech.

After Georgia Tech, Pitt plays Miami in Acrisure. Miami sits at 4-2 in the ACC and could theoretically still have a chance at the ACC Championship depending on how next weekend goes. They currently have an 8-2 overall record, which is better than Pitt's 7-3 despite Miami being No. 5 in the ACC.

For now, the Panthers should focus on having a huge bounce back game against the Yellow Jackets.

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