Pitt
NC State
Game Week: Pitt Hosts NC State for Homecoming
10/20/2025 11:55:00 AM | Football
PITTSBURGH – The Panthers (5-2, 3-1) return to Acrisure Stadium for Homecoming and their fifth ACC matchup of the season this week, playing host to NC State (4-3, 1-2) for the third consecutive time (2017 and 2020) in the series' history.
In a primetime ACC matchup, Pitt's defense and special teams provided much-needed sparks in their 30-13 road win at Syracuse. The Panthers have won each of their last three games.
PITT vs. NC STATE
October 25, 2025 • 3:30 P.M.
Acrisure Stadium (68,400/Natural Grass) • Pittsburgh, Pa.
ACCN • 93.7 The Fan • Pitt Panthers Radio Network
PittsburghPanthers.com • @Pitt_FB
GAME STORYLINES
- Pitt's defense snatched three interceptions against Syracuse, the Panthers' most in a game since recording five vs. the Orange on Oct. 24, 2024. CB Tamon Lynum opened the takeaway parade with a first-quarter pick and later helped force the third interception. S Cruce Brookins added his first of the season (third career) with two tackles, while S Kavir Bains-Marquez—coming off a career day at Florida State—recorded his first interception as a Panther and made five stops.
- In his first career start, LB Nick Lapi stepped in for All-ACC linebacker Rasheem Biles and led Pitt with 7 tackles, 2.0 TFL and 1.0 sack in the win at Syracuse. Lapi was one of only two ACC players last week—and the league's only linebacker—to record at least 7 tackles, 2.0 TFL and a sack, becoming just the seventh ACC linebacker to hit that line this season.
- He keyed a defensive effort that held Syracuse to 212 total yards, the Orange's lowest output since Dec. 21, 2023 (159 vs. USF), and limited them to 2.4 yards per rush and 3.2 yards per play.
- In his third career start, QB Mason Heintschel went 13-of-24 for 143 yards and capped the opening drive with a career-long 36-yard rushing touchdown. It was the longest rushing score by a Pitt quarterback since Kenny Pickett's 58-yard run in the 2021 ACC Championship Game vs. Wake Forest.
- When Pitt needed a spark, WR Kenny Johnson delivered it with a 66-yard punt-return touchdown with :02 left in the first half, stretching a three-point lead to 10 and flipping the game's momentum. He added 42 receiving yards to eclipse 100 all-purpose yards. Johnson's score was the ACC's only kick-return TD of any kind last week and one of just two return TDs in the conference (Omar Daniels FRTD). It also stands as the only punt-return TD in an ACC conference game this season.
- PK Trey Butkowski was perfect on six kicks, drilling field goals of 31, 32 and 42 yards and converting all three PATs. He's now 15-for-16 on career field goal attempts and is the first ACC kicker with at least 14 makes in his first seven games since Syracuse's Andre Szmyt in 2018; he's the first Panther to achieve that since at least 1995.
WHERE TO WATCH
National Television • ACCN
Chris Cotter (play-by-play)
Max Browne (analyst)
Kendra Douglas (reporter)
TUNE IN TO THE PANTHERS RADIO NETWORK
93.7 The Fan & Pitt Radio Network (937thefan.radio.com)
Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play)
Pat Bostick (analyst)
Dorin Dickerson and Larry Richert (sideline reporters)
OTHER BROADCAST INFORMATION
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
SiriusXM 160 or 193 and on the SiriusXM App
WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM
TICKET INFORMATION
Season, mini-plan, and single-game tickets are available at PittsburghPanthers.com/tickets. For questions or to order by phone, contact the Panthers Ticket Office at 1-800-643-PITT (7488).
