Notre Dame (7-2) takes to the road on Saturday as the Fighting Irish battle the Pittsburgh Panthers (7-2). Both teams are riding long winning streaks behind first-year quarterbacks who have exceeded expectations. For Notre Dame, Pitt represents its most significant hurdle toward locking down a berth in the playoffs. A loss would almost certainly put an end to those aspirations. The game will be televised nationally on ABC beginning at 12:00 Noon Eastern time.

Panther Head Coach Pat Narduzzi is in his eleventh campaign with the Panthers. His overall record is 79-58 including this season. He is known as a defensive expert, and his current team reinforces that reputation. Pitt leads the nation in defending the run, having allowed only 81 yards per game. Notre Dame’s rushing attack is the most dynamic the Panthers will have faced, so something must give.

Irish Coach Marcus Freeman showed considerable respect to Pitt when asked about the challenges they present. “It’s gonna be a great challenge. They are 7-2. I think they’re on a 5-game win streak and playing with a lot of confidence, momentum, and rightfully so. They’ve earned it. On offense, they’re an explosive play team –  fast, shift motions, tempo. I think they’re top 10 in scoring offense right now. They obviously made the change of quarterback. He is confident in himself. But you see the confidence in the people around him. He is really doing some great things for this offense and they’ve got weapons across the board.

Conversely, Narduzzi played down the significance of this game as compared to his team’s quest for a conference championship. Asked if the Notre Dame game is a must-win, he replied. “Absolutely not. It is not an ACC game…I’d gladly get beat 103 or 110 to 10…They could put 100 up on us as long as we win the next two (conference games) after that.”

That type of coach speak is preposterous. Narduzzi openly dislikes Notre Dame and will have his troops ready to play after a bye week. His more reasoned comments regarding the Irish were as follows: “They’re talented, they’re physical, they’re fast. But our guys will play hard, like they always do. That’s who we are, and we’re ready to go compete.”

On the injury front, the Irish expect to have cornerback Christian Gray back in the lineup. Unfortunately, others such as wideout Jaden Greathouse and offensive linemen Billy Schrauth and Charles Jagusah remain out. Defensive tackle Gabe Rubio is not ready to return nor is kicker Noah Burnette. Defensive lineman Donovan Hinish, a Pittsburgh native, is questionable as he recovers from a concussion.

Dating back to summer practice sessions, Pittsburgh had previously lost eight players for the entire season. Their current injury list includes backup tailback Desmond Reid and starting left tackle Jeff Perci on offense. Defensively, the list consists of three starters – end Blaine Spires, linebacker Rasheem Biles, and safety Cruce Brookins. Narduzzi has not provided updates during the bye week regarding their status and availability for Notre Dame. Sources report that all but Perci are expected to be ready.

Notre Dame’s Offense vs Pittsburgh’s Defense

A trio of junior linebackers anchors Pitt’s classic 4-3 defense They are nearly identical in size and productivity. Each has over 50 tackles and plenty of havoc plays to their credit. The player to watch is Biles on the strong side. He has missed the last three games but still leads the team in many key categories. Biles makes his living behind the line of scrimmage and has a pick-six to his credit. Weak side backer Kyle Louis is the best pure athlete of the three. He emerged as a standout in 2024 and received preseason All-American recognition. Louis also has a pick-six to his credit in 2025. Middle backer Braylan Lovelace is a solid player who does the dirty work quite efficiently.

The front four has good depth but no superstar performers. End Jimmy Scott is the best of the group. He leads the team in sacks and trails only Biles in tackles for loss. Pitt records numerous sacks and tackles for loss by being very aggressive. Their success against the run is well-documented and a product of Narduzzi’s blitzing style.

Notre Dame has seen this strategy before and has countered successfully with an increasingly productive passing game. CJ Carr has become more adept at recognizing opportunities downfield when teams overload the line of scrimmage. We might even see an actual screen pass to a tailback (not a WR bubble screen). I am not getting my hopes up though.

Pitt’s secondary features a pair of senior cornerbacks in Rashad Battle and Tamon Lynum. Both are tall, rangy players. The safeties are senior Javon McIntyre and Brookins, who is the only underclassman in the group. If Pitt focuses on stopping the run, the matchup between this secondary and the Irish receivers becomes critically important.

Pittsburgh’s Offense vs Notre Dame’s Defense

Freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel took over for veteran Eli Holstein several weeks ago. He has been the catalyst for the team’s current winning streak. Pitt’s offense galvanized under his leadership despite a mediocre ground game and injuries along the front line. Heintschel has completed 64% of his throws and averaged roughly 300 passing yards in his five starts. His ability to salvage broken plays, often with spectacular results, has garnered national attention.

The Panthers have several quality receivers although they lack a superstar caliber player. Kenny Johnson and Raphael Williams lead the team in receptions and touchdowns. Reid and tight end Justin Holmes are also threats, especially on third down. Heintschel has a knack for finding open men downfield when scrambling, but he also attempts some risky throws.

Ja’Kyrian Turner is the workhorse ball carrier while Reid is more of a situational back and receiving threat. Pitt’s line has struggled to clear a path for either runner, while Persi’s injury further complicates matters. Notre Dame will have an advantage if they can defend the run without committing extra resources. Also, the Irish will be in good shape if a four man pass rush brings adequate pressure on Heintschel. They must be disciplined in their rush lanes and keep containment on potential scrambles for long gains.

A rested Boubacar Traore could have a successful afternoon for the Irish. Bryce Young is also due for a breakout performance, and this would be an ideal week for it. Notre Dame needs a sound defensive strategy to confuse Heintschel and undermine his playmaking ability. A similar approach to the attack plan for USC’s Jayden Maiava might work well.

Special Teams

Panther kicker Trey Butkowski is only a freshman but his numbers to date are excellent. He has made 19 of 21 field goals and 40 of 41 extra points. His longest three pointer is 47 yards. Punter Caleb Junko averages 45 yards per boot and seldom allows a return.

Speaking of returns, the Panthers have been successful running back kicks and punts. Johnson and Reid are the primary return men. Each has brought back a punt for a touchdown this season. Pitt’s coverage units have been solid in delivering above average statistics.

Burnette’s injury means Erik Schmidt will get the call when Notre Dame needs a field goal or extra point. Punter James Rendell shanked his lone attempt last week against Navy. Hopefully he has fixed the problem.

Jadarian Price remains a top-level threat on kickoff returns. Jordan Faison does little more than catch punts, only running when there is clear daylight. The staff prefers to minimize the risk of a negative play in this area and keep Faison healthy.

Summary

Both teams have potent passing attacks while the Irish have an edge in the running game. Notre Dame’s offensive line is better than Pitt’s as are tailbacks Price and Jeremiyah Love. For the Panthers to prevail, they must create turnovers and stop the Irish in the red zone. The latter area has been a sore spot for the visitors this season. If Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock has any innovative plays to showcase, this is the week to unveil them.

Pitt’s defense will continue to attack. Their strategy is to force negative plays on early downs and create third and long situations. Opponents have converted only 34% on third down and 33% on fourth down. If the Irish cannot do better than this, they will be on the wrong end of the score.

Here are a few questions that will shed light on the outcome:

• Will either team be able to run the ball effectively?
• Can Irish receivers beat man coverage by the Panther secondary?
• Which team will have a higher conversion rate on third and fourth downs?
• Can Notre Dame’s defense pressure Heintschel into turnovers?
• Will untimely penalties become a factor in the outcome?
• Which special teams (kicking and returns) will have a significant impact?
• Can the Irish offense find answers in the red zone?
• Will Notre Dame play with poise in front of a hostile crowd?

Prediction

Both ACC and Big-12 representatives have spent time and energy disrespecting the Irish this week. Perhaps they see Notre Dame as an obstacle to their ability to place multiple teams in the playoffs. That is understandable since the Irish represent more than just an inconvenience to these mediocre conferences. I do not want to be cynical but I am curious to see how this game will be officiated. Coach Freeman has undoubtedly taken notice of the lobbying efforts of others at his own team’s expense. I would guess he told his team it needs to send a clear message to the playoff committee. While other contenders have big games down the road, this is Notre Dame’s last chance to impress the voters. Although this game may be very close throughout the first half, I expect the Irish to dominate after intermission.

NOTRE DAME 34  PITTSBURGH 20

This is a reprint of John’s original preview article lost in a site technical issue