University of Pittsburgh Athletics
10/21/2013 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 21, 2013
Pitt (4-2, 2-2 ACC) vs. Navy (3-3)
Oct. 26, 2013 • 1 p.m., ET • CBS Sports Network
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000/FieldTurf) • Annapolis, Md.
Pitt Game Notes Link: Navy Game
Pat Bostick Previews Pitt vs. Navy
Game Storylines
• Pitt and Navy renew ties for the first time since 2009 — and the 39th time overall — when the Panthers visit Annapolis this Saturday. The Panthers are looking to take another step toward bowl eligibility by earning their fifth win on the year.
• The Midshipmen once again rank among the country's most prolific rushing teams. Navy averages 304.2 rush yards per game to rank sixth nationally. In their double-overtime loss at Toledo last week, the Midshipmen piled up 419 yards and five TDs on the ground.
• Pitt's efforts to slow down Navy's running game will be led by defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The senior All-America candidate has been a fixture in the opponent's backfield this season and leads the country in sacks per game (1.33 avg.) and tackles for loss per game (2.08 avg.).
• Aaron Donald is the nation's active leader in career sacks with 26.5, which ranks tied for fourth all-time at Pitt. Donald is a viable candidate for no fewer than five national defensive awards this season.
• After sitting out last week's game due to injury, senior receiver Devin Street eyes a return to action and the chance to make history. Street needs only two receptions to become the all-time leading pass catcher in Pitt history. Street has 177 career catches and is looking to surpass Latef Grim, who had 178 from 1998-2000.
• Some of the most famous moments in Pitt football history have taken place at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium. On Oct. 23, 1976, Tony Dorsett set the NCAA career rushing mark on a breathtaking 32-yard touchdown run as Pitt rolled past the Midshipmen, 45-0. Dorsett would win the Heisman Trophy that season and Pitt would claim the national championship with a 12-0 record.
• This year's Pitt-Navy game will be played on the 50th anniversary of the teams' famed 1963 matchup. On Oct. 26, 1963, the Midshipmen and Heisman-winning quarterback Roger Staubach defeated Pitt, 24-12, in Annapolis. It was the Panthers' only loss that year as they finished 9-1 and ranked as high as No. 3 nationally. Navy finished 9-2 and ranked No. 2.
Pitt-Navy History in Brief
Series Began: 1912
Series Overall: Pitt leads 22-13-3
At Pittsburgh: Pitt leads 12-4-2
At Navy: Pitt leads 10-6-1
At Neutral Sites: Navy leads 3-0
OT Games: Navy leads 1-0
Last Meeting at Pitt: Sept. 19, 2009 (Pitt 27, Navy 14)
Last Meeting at Navy: Oct. 18, 2008 (Pitt 42, Navy 21)
Current Series Streak: Pitt has won 2 (2008-09)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 6 games (1914-16; 1933-34; 1954)
Longest Navy Series Win Streak: 4 games (1965-68)
Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 46 points (52-6, 1988)
Largest Navy Victory Margin: 23 points (32-9, 1962)
Pitt-Navy Series Notes
Pitt holds a 22-13-3 advantage over Navy in a series that began in 1912...the Panthers have won each of the past two encounters, including 27-14 at Heinz Field in 2009...in the last game played in Annapolis, Pitt defeated the Midshipmen, 42-21, in 2008...Navy's last win in the series occurred in 2007, a 48-45 decision that took two overtimes...the '07 encounter marked the first meeting between the two teams since 1989...Pitt and the Midshipmen played 19 consecutive times between 1961-79, followed by seven consecutive meetings from 1983-89...Pitt's longest win streak in the series is six games (1914-16; 1933-34; 1954), while Navy's is four games (1965-68)...two of the most famous games in the Pitt-Navy series took place in Annapolis...on Oct. 23, 1976, Tony Dorsett set the NCAA career rushing mark on a breathtaking 32-yard touchdown run in a 45-0 Pitt victory...Dorsett would win the Heisman Trophy that season and Pitt would claim the 1976 national championship with a 12-0 record...on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum from a Pitt perspective, the Panthers suffered their only loss of the 1963 season with a 24-12 setback to the host Midshipmen and quarterback Roger Staubach, who would win the Heisman that year...the 2013 Pitt-Navy game falls on the same date — 50 years later — as that famed '63 encounter.
Pitt-Navy Broadcast Information
Television • CBS Sports Network
Brad Johansen, play-by-play
Randy Cross, analyst
Sheehan Burch, reporter
Pitt Radio • 93.7 The Fan & the Pitt IMG Sports Network
Bill Hillgrove, play-by-play
Pat Bostick, analyst
Gregg Giannotti, reporter
Larry Richert, reporter
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
Sirius Channel 93, XM Channel 196
Internet Audio • Panthers All-Access
PittsburghPanthers.com
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