Pitt Rolls into the Backyard Brawl 2-0 for the Second-Straight Season

The West Virginia Mountaineers (1-1) host the Pitt Panthers (2-0) for the 108th Backyard Brawl Saturday afternoon. Kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. EST and the action will broadcast on ESPN.

The Panthers have started 2-0 for the second consecutive season, capturing wins over Duquesne (61-9) and Central Michigan (45-17).

Eli Holstein leads the Panthers offense and is off to a stellar paced this season. The sophomore quarterback threw for 2,225 yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 appearances, and for his efforts, he was voted a Shaun Alexander Freshman Award semifinalist.

Holstein left Panther fans wondering “what could have been” after exiting his final two games of the season with un injuries.

Holstein has racked up 519 through the air through the first two games and his four touchdown performance in each of the first two games is the first Pitt quarterback to hit the achievement since Rod Rutherford in 2003.

Running back Desmond Reid has 288 all-purpose yards on the season. The senior opened the ‘205 campaign with a pair of touchdowns against Duquesne, busting a 53-yard touchdown run and an 88-yard punt return for a score, the longest punt return in Acrisure Stadium history and the longest by a Pitt player since 1945.

Receiver Raphael Williams Jr. hauled in five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns last week against Central Michigan and redshirt sophomore Cataurus Hicks opened the season with four receptions for 55 yards and two touchdowns against Duquesne.

The Panthers have a loaded tight end room. Leading the unit is Josh Altman with four receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown, Justin Holmes has a pair of receptions for 25 yards and a touchdown, and Malachi Thomas has a 34-yard touchdown reception.

The Pitt defense has featured on of the top pass rushes in the country, finishing in the top two nationally in sacks per game in four of the past six seasons (2019-24). The Panthers had 41 total sacks last season. Its average of 3.15 sacks per game ranked six nationally (second in the ACC). The defense has totaled nine sacks in the first two games this season.

Linebackers Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles, and defensive lineman Jimmy Scott are the team’s top sack getters from a year ago.

Louis tallied 100 tackles and led the team in sacks (7) and interceptions (4) last season. The redshirt junior has recorded a team-best two sacks thus far this season.

Biles racked up 81 tackles and six sacks, an interception for a touchdown and a team-high nine receptions, while Scott posted six sacks in ’24. The junior currently leads the team in tackles with 15.

Although the Panthers lost its leading tackler, Donovan McMillon, the secondary returns the bulk of its production. Redshirt senior Javon McIntyre, who has 11 tackles in the first two games. Also returning in sixth year seniors Tamon Lynum and Rashad Battle along with sophomore Cruce Brookins.

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