Pitt's Place in New ACC Landscape Revealed

After a week of ACC play that included several upsets, the Pitt Panthers have the opportunity to surpass expectations.

Nov 1, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel (6) warms up before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

The ACC standings this season are shaping up to be a lot different than what was projected. The expected powerhouses of Miami and Clemson have been disappointing, neither even being in the top five currently. Meanwhile, the Virginia Cavaliers and the Pitt Panthers have shocked the college football landscape by being in the top three of the ACC.

A Crazy Week of ACC Play

The recent week of ACC play might have been the most shocking of this season so far. No. 10 ranked Miami fell to 5-3 SMU. SMU, while still a good team, isn't quite the team they were last year when they made the ACC championship.

Miami now sits at 6-2 in the season with a 2-2 ACC record, their other loss being to No. 16 ranked Louisville. Miami was projected to finish as No. 2 in the ACC, behind Clemson. Clemson had yet another loss, this time to Duke in an absolute shootout. Despite their efforts, Clemson now falls to 2-4 in ACC play.

All eyes on kickoff 🔜

The 2025 ACC Preseason Poll has arrived. pic.twitter.com/kGdWOF7mp6

— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) July 30, 2025

One team that has lived up to it's projections is Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets had an eight game undefeated streak, until matching up with NC State. A week after Pitt dominated the Wolfpack, NC State defended their home stadium and beat No. 8 Georgia Tech by a score of 48-36. Maybe Pat Narduzzi had a point about NC State being the most talented team Pitt has played so far.

Despite the loss, Georgia Tech sits at No. 2 in the ACC standings, right ahead of Pitt. Virginia remains at No. 1 in the ACC. Despite the Cavaliers also losing to NC State earlier in the season, it didn't count as ACC play, so Virginia remains a perfect 5-0 in the ACC after beating Cal.

Oct 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis (9) celebrates his fumble recovery with defensive back Javon McIntyre (7) against the Boston College Eagles during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

What This Means for Pitt

After back-to-back losses to West Virginia and Louisville, the season was looking lost for the Panthers. The high hopes of the preseason and the talent on the roster was seeming to be wasted. Luckily, the quarterback change to true freshman Mason Heintschel ignited a fire under the Panthers, and they haven't lost since.

The losses to West Virginia and Louisville still hurt, but, Louisville is currently ranked in the top 25 and West Virginia just beat the ranked Houston Cougars at home. So, those losses won't be quite as detrimental as they were in the moment.

Now, sitting at No. 3 in the ACC, their last three games of the regular season are the most important yet. Pitt was able to take care of business against Stanford. They will get to enjoy a bye week next week, and then play three straight ranked opponents.

First is playing No. 12 Notre Dame on Nov. 15 at home. Notre dame is 6-2, but they did have a close call in their recent game against Boston College, a team that Pitt dominated.

Next, the Panthers will go down to Atlanta on Nov. 22. to play Georgia Tech. This could end up being both teams' most important game of the season. This game could determine who gets the No. 2 seed in the ACC and a possible trip to the ACC championship.

Finally, the Panthers will end their regular season at home against Miami on Nov. 29. The ACC changes so fast every week, it's hard to say exactly what this matchup will mean. But, it will definitely be an important one for Pitt's chances in the ACC and being ranked nationally.

Despite the recent losses teams like Miami and Georgia Tech have faced, they obviously shouldn't be doubted. Pitt will have to play hard, and healthy, to carry their momentum and end the regular season off right.

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