Football hosts Syracuse in 2014 home season finale on Saturday

Nov. 17, 2014

PITT (4-6, 2-4 ACC) vs. SYRACUSE (3-7, 1-5 ACC)
Date	Saturday, November 22 at 3:30 p.m. (ET)
Location	Heinz Field (65,500/Natural Grass) / Pittsburgh, Pa.
Television	ESPNU (Adam Amin and John Congemi)
Radio	93.7 The Fan and the Pitt IMG Sports Radio Network
Online	Live Stream on Panthers All-Access \|
Game Notes / Stats	Notes \| Stats
Promotions	Senior Day \| Boy Scout Day \| Youth Football Day
Social Media	@GoPittFootball - Twitter / Instagram / #PITTvsSU

GAME STORYLINES

• Pitt renews one of its oldest rivalries when Syracuse visits Heinz Field. The Panthers and Orange have played every year since 1955, when both schools were Eastern independents. This week's game also marks the final Heinz appearance for 11 Pitt seniors.

• Although Pitt has won 10 of the past 12 games against the Orange, the series has been filled with tight affairs. The teams have split the past two meetings with both games decided by a single point.

• The Panthers earned bowl eligibility with a 17-16 win in the Carrier Dome last year, the result decided by an Aaron Donald blocked extra point. The 2012 game, also in the Dome, was won by Syracuse, 14-13.

• With a 4-6 overall record, Pitt will need victories in each of its final two games to become eligible for a bowl.

• The nation's third-leading rusher, Pitt sophomore running back James Conner is making a strong case for ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Conner leads the ACC in four different categories: rushing yards (1,562), rushing yards per game (156.2), rushing touchdowns (21) and scoring (12.6 ppg.).

• James Conner is taking aim at two longstanding Pitt single-season records held by the legendary Tony Dorsett: rushing touchdowns (22) and total touchdowns (23). Dorsett established both records during his 1976 Heisman Trophy year. Conner has 21 rush TDs this season, already tying the ACC record.

• Pitt is fielding one of its youngest rosters in memory. The Panthers' roster is comprised of 81 underclassmen (53 freshmen and 28 sophomores), the highest total of any Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team in the country.

PITT-SYRACUSE HISTORY IN BRIEF

Series Began: 1916

Series Overall: Pitt leads 35-31-3

At Pittsburgh: Pitt leads 20-11

At Syracuse: SU leads 18-15-3

At Neutral Sites: SU leads 2-0

OT Games: SU leads 2-0

Last Meeting at SU: Nov. 23, 2013 (Pitt 17, Syracuse 16)

Last Meeting at Pitt: Dec. 3, 2011 (Pitt 33, Syracuse 20)

Current Series Win Streak: Pitt has won one (2013)

Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 11 games (1973-83)

Longest SU Series Win Streak: 11 games (1991-2001)

Largest Pitt Margin of Victory: 38 points (38-0, 1975)

Largest SU Margin of Victory: 48 points (55-7, 1996)

PITT-SYRACUSE SERIES NOTES

Pitt and Syracuse have met every year since 1955…Pitt holds a 35-31-3 advantage in the all-time series, which began in 1916...this will be the teams' second meeting as members of the ACC...the Panthers have won eight of the past nine games against the Orange, and 10 of the past 12...the teams split the past two meetings with each game decided by a single point...Syracuse snapped a seven-game series losing streak with a 14-13 win in 2012...last year, the Panthers triumphed, 17-16, with an Aaron Donald blocked extra point being the difference...the teams met 20 times as Big East members from 1993-2012 and Syracuse had an 11-9 edge over Pitt in those contests...since 1972 (42 seasons), 18 games have been decided by single digits (excluding a 20-20 tie in 1990)...the teams have played two double-overtime games and Syracuse won both (24-17 in 2000 and 38-31 in 2004)...both overtime contests were played in the Carrier Dome...Pitt is 20-11 against Syracuse in Pittsburgh...that record includes a 5-1 mark at Heinz Field...the Orange's only victory at Heinz came in the stadium's inaugural season, a 42-10 decision in 2001...the Orange holds an 18-15-3 advantage in games played in Syracuse...the Orange is also 2-0 against Pitt in neutral site games (the last coming at Shea Stadium in 1965)...Pitt is 7-10-1 all-time in the Carrier Dome, which opened in 1980...however, the Panthers have won five times in their last seven visits to the Dome.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Television • ESPNU

Adam Amin, play-by-play

John Congemi, analyst

Pitt Radio • 93.7 The Fan & the Pitt IMG Sports Network

Larry Richert, play-by-play

Pat Bostick, analyst

SiriusXM Satellite Radio

Sirius Channel 138, XM Channel 204

WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM

Pitt IMG Sports Network Online Audio Options

PittsburghPanthers.com via CSLive

Pitt LiveWire Gameday App