Game Week: Pitt Travels to Tennessee for Rare SEC Showdown

PITT (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at TENNESSEE (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
The Johnny Majors Classic
September 11, 2021 • Noon, ET
Neyland Stadium (102,455) • Knoxville, Tenn.
ESPN • Pitt Panthers Radio Network

Game Storylines
• Pitt and Tennessee renew ties on the football field for the first time in 38 years when the Panthers visit Neyland Stadium. The game has been named the Johnny Majors Classic in honor of the legendary coach and player.

• This is the third meeting between the schools. The Panthers won both prior encounters: 13-3 in 1983 and 30-6 in 1980. Both of those contests were played in Knoxville.

• Both teams won their season openers last week. The Panthers rolled past Massachusetts, 51-7, while the Volunteers defeated Bowling Green, 38-6.

• Pitt is very familiar with first-year Vols coach Josh Heupel, who as head coach at UCF faced the Panthers twice. Pitt defeated UCF, 35-34, in 2019, while the Knights claimed a 45-14 win in 2018.

• Since 2015, Pat Narduzzi has directed Pitt to 29 victories in ACC play, the fourth-highest win total during that span. The Panthers trail only Clemson (46), Miami (32) and Virginia Tech (30).

• With 272 yards vs. UMass, Kenny Pickett became just the fifth player in Pitt history to eclipse 8,000 yards passing. Pickett has thrown for 8,256 over his 40-game career.

• The Pitt pass rush perennially ranks among the nation's best. The Panthers compiled 97 sacks over the 2019-20 seasons, the highest total in the country over those two years. Pitt had five sacks in its season-opening win over UMass.

• Pitt's 2021 roster has 13 players designated as "super seniors." Due to the pandemic, the NCAA did not count the 2020 season against a student-athlete's eligibility clock.

Series in Brief
Series Began: 1980
Series Overall: Pitt leads 2-0
At Pittsburgh: 0-0
At Tennessee: Pitt leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 3, 1983 (Pitt won, 13-3)
First Meeting: Oct. 25, 1980 (Pitt won, 30-6)
Current Series Win Streak: Pitt has won 2 (1980, 1983)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 2 games (1980, 1983)
Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 24 points (30-6, 1980)

Broadcast Information
Television • ESPN
Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst), Tom Luginbill (field analyst)

Pitt Radio • 93.7 The Fan & Pitt Panthers Radio Network
Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play), Pat Bostick (analyst), Larry Richert (reporter)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio
XM Channel 384, SXM App Channel 974

WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM

Online Audio
937thefan.radio.com

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Game Week: Pitt Travels to Tennessee for Rare SEC Showdown

Players Mentioned

Kenny Pickett

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