Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi raised eyebrows with a shocking take on Saturday's Notre Dame showdown. While fans and media call it a must-win, Narduzzi dismissed that narrative entirely, prioritizing ACC games over the high-profile matchup.
During his Monday press conference, when asked if the No. 10 Notre Dame game was critical for the Panthers, Narduzzi gave a honest answer.
“Absolutely not. It is not an ACC game. I'm glad you brought that up. It's not an ACC game. I'd gladly get beat 103 or 110-10 in that game. They could put 100 up on us as long as we win the next two after that,” Narduzzi said, as per Tyler Horka of On3.
The Panthers sit 7-2 overall with a 5-1 ACC record, tied for the conference lead. After Saturday's Notre Dame clash, Pitt faces two crucial ACC games: a road trip to Georgia Tech on November 22 and a home finale against Miami.
Can an ACC title guarantee a playoff spot?
Winning both conference games would secure a spot in the ACC Championship Game. More importantly, winning that title would give Pitt an automatic berth in the College Football Playoff as one of the five highest-ranked conference champions.
Currently, five ACC teams have just one conference loss, making the race extremely tight. Pitt's only ACC loss came against Louisville, a team with two conference losses, putting the Panthers in a solid position.
An ACC championship is a guaranteed playoff ticket. Beating Notre Dame might boost Pitt's resume, but an at-large CFP bid remains a long shot at No. 23 in the rankings.
Narduzzi's “103 or 110-10” comment wasn't random. Notre Dame has outscored Pitt 103-10 in their last two meetings, including a 58-7 thrashing in 2023 and a 45-3 beatdown in 2020. Narduzzi is 0-4 against the Irish since arriving at Pitt.
While Narduzzi would love to beat Notre Dame and finally gain confidence, his eyes are locked on the prize that actually matters: an ACC title and the playoff spot that comes with it.
