Pitt
Kent State
Game Week: Pitt Kicks Off 2024 Slate with Kent State
8/26/2024 11:55:00 AM | Football
PITT (0-0, 0-0 ACC) vs. KENT STATE (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
August 31, 2024 • Noon
Acrisure Stadium (68,400/Natural Grass) • Pittsburgh, Pa.
ESPNU • 93.7 The Fan • Pitt Panthers Radio Network
GAME STORYLINES
- The Panthers open their 135th season of intercollegiate football when they host Kent State of the Mid-American Conference at Acrisure Stadium.
- Pitt has won each of the prior seven meetings with Kent State. The most recent encounter was a 43-3 decision on Sept. 6, 2003.
- Pitt is 33-5 (.868) all-time against MAC foes.
- The 2024 season marks Pat Narduzzi's 10th as head coach of the Panthers.
- Narduzzi is Pitt's longest tenured head football coach since John Michelosen spent 11 seasons leading the Panthers from 1955-65.
- Narduzzi's 65 victories rank second all-time at Pitt, trailing only the legendary Jock Sutherland, who compiled 111 wins from 1924-38.
- Pitt is 88-44-2 (.664) all-time in openers.
- Since the 2000 season, Pitt is 18-6 (.750) in its initial game, including 8-1 (.889) under Narduzzi.
- The Panthers will open the season with a new starting quarterback for the third consecutive year.
- Kenny Pickett started four consecutive openers for Pitt from 2018-21, and was followed by Kedon Slovis (2022) and Phil Jurkovec (2023).
- Pitt returns a combined 58 starts among its offensive linemen, led by tackle Branson Taylor's 15 career starting assignments.
- Safety Donovan McMillon paced the Panthers last year with 105 tackles, the most by a Pitt defender since 2015 (Jordan Whitehead, 109).
SERIES IN BRIEF
Series Began: 1970
Series Overall: Pitt leads 7-0
At Pittsburgh: Pitt leads 7-0
At Kent State: DNA
Last Meeting: Sept. 6, 2003 (Pitt 43, Kent State 3)
Current Series Streak: Pitt has won 7 (1970-2003)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 7 (1970-2003)
Longest Kent State Series Win Streak: DNA
Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 41 points (51-10, 1992)
Largest Kent State Victory Margin: DNA
COACHING MATCHUP
Pitt's Chris Bickell '97 Head Football Coach Pat Narduzzi
Overall (season): 65-50 (10th)
At Pitt (season): same
Alma Mater: Rhode Island, 1990
Record vs. Kent State: 0-0
Kent State Coach Kenni Burns
Overall (season): 1-11 (second)
At Kent State (season): same
Alma Mater: Indiana, 2006
Record vs. Pitt: 0-0
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television • ESPNU
Matt Schumacker (play-by-play), Dustin Fox (analyst)
93.7 The Fan & Pitt Radio Network (937thefan.radio.com)
Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play), Pat Bostick (analyst), Larry Richert and Dorin Dickerson (reporters)
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
SiriusXM 139 or 194 and on the SiriusXM App
WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM
GAME WEEK MEDIA SESSIONS
Head Coach Pat Narduzzi - Monday, August 26
Defensive Coordinator Randy Bates - Tuesday, August 27
DL #44 Jimmy Scott - Tuesday, August 27
OL #78 Branson Taylor - Tuesday, August 27
TE #87 Jake Overman - Tuesday, August 27
DB #15 Rashad Battle - Tuesday, August 27
Offensive Coordinator Kade Bell - Wednesday, August 28
