Getting to Know Pitt Ahead of Stanford's Season-Defining Matchup

On Saturday, Stanford football has a season-defining game which will dictate their entire season. The Cardinal host the Pitt Panthers for an ACC battle, and with a win, their hopes of a bowl game live on for another week. With a loss, the Cardinal will be left hoping to secure that elusive fourth win for the first time since the 2020 campaign.

Despite a slow start, Pitt has revived their season and has turned it into a great one. They started with wins over Duquesne and Central Michigan, but faced their first true test against West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers lost, which looks quite embarrassing now that the Mountaineers have had a trainwreck of a season.

The Panthers followed that by losing to a tough Louisville program, putting them at 2-2 on the season. But then, everything changed. Even when starting quarterback Eli Holstein suffered an injury, backup Mason Heintschel has led the Panthers attack. They have won four straight, with wins over Boston College, Florida State, Syracuse, and NC State.

Stanford also has wins over Boston College and Florida State this season, while Syracuse and NC State aren't on the schedule in 2025.

At 6-2, the Panthers are still competitive in the ACC and could be a conference championship team. Holstein’s injury has put Heintschel into the starting role, where he has looked strong. He's racked up 1,243 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions during his early run of success.

Surprisingly, their run game has been very underwhelming. Star back Desmond Reid was expected to be one of the best in the country, but has struggled all season, gaining 266 yards on 55 carries. Reid is listed as questionable heading into Saturday's game. Ja'Kyrian Turner has also racked up 272 yards on 66 attempts, while Juelz Goff is a third option (54 carries, 192 yards).

Stanford/Pitt injury report pic.twitter.com/JjeMDBcjID
— Jason Burke (@ByJasonB) October 31, 2025

Wide Receiver Kenny Johnson is Pitt’s most dynamic offensive talent, getting 502 yards and three touchdowns this season. Raphael Williams is a close second with 488, but he has five touchdowns to show for it.

Overall, their best position is their WR room, with Johnson and Williams getting most of the targets. With safety Jay Green and CB Collin Wright listed as questionable, that could spell trouble for the Cardinal, especially with Pitt possessing the best offense in the ACC, collecting 40.3 points per game.

Defensively, everything is built in the linebacker room. The trio of Rasheem Biles, Braylan Lovelance, and Kyle Louis have combined for 144 tackles and four sacks, and all have an interception each. Even the defensive backs have been great as well, and the standouts seem to come all around the secondary.

Stanford’s gameplan needs to revolve around stopping the pass game. If the Cardinal can return healthy in the defensive back room, they should be able to slow the Pitt attack to give themselves a chance.

Offensively, Stanford needs to make sure that their quarterback is on target. Ben Gulbranson was not listed on the injury report, so he should be good to go for this one. Him making big plays at crucial moments has been the key in all three of Stanford's wins this season.

This game is a massive one, and Pitt will be a tough opponent on The Farm this weekend.

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