Pitt avoids letdown in 73-17 romp against Youngstown State

In his public remarks and those made to his team in private before Pitt's 73-17 victory Saturday against Youngstown State, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi left no doubt that he would not tolerate a letdown by his players.

Those come-from-behind victories against Cincinnati and West Virginia were thrilling for the fans, but by kickoff Saturday, they were nothing more than pieces of history to Narduzzi.

"I don't think there will be any letdown on our end," he said. "If (YSU) is hoping for a letdown, there will be no letdown, or I'll be hot."

There was little need for Narduzzi to get angry on a day he celebrated his father, Bill, a former YSU coach, by wearing his dad's signature short-sleeve shirt and tie on the Pitt sideline. The victory gave Pitt its first undefeated nonconference record in history and its first 4-0 record since 2000. The Panthers are off next week before starting their eight-game ACC schedule Oct. 5 at North Carolina.

The 73-point effort was Pitt's highest total since scoring 77 against New Hampshire in 2021.

Pitt built a 42-10 lead by halftime with touchdowns on its first six possessions. In the first half, Pitt had 14 more points than offensive snaps (28), scoring five times at the end of possessions no longer than seven plays each, including two that lasted two plays and another that required only one.

In the second half, Youngstown State (1-3) punched back on quarterback Beau Brungard's 44-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cyrus Traugh. Pitt responded with five more scores:

• Ben Sauls' 49-yard field goal

• Quarterback Eli Holstein's second 2-yard touchdown run

• Running back Daniel Carter's 13-yard reception

• Cornerback Tamarion Crumpley's 22-yard interception return

• Running back Che Nwabuko 57-yard run

Carter, a sixth-year senior, was Pitt's leading rusher with seven carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns. Derrick Davis started at running back in place of Desmond Reid, the ACC's second-leading rusher who also sat out the final drive last week against West Virginia. Davis left the game with an injury in the third quarter after six attempts for 21 yards.

Holstein, who was replaced by Nate Yarnell in the third quarter, threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns, completing 16 of 24 passes. Holstein also ran for 93, falling 7 yards short of a 51-year-old Pitt milestone. No Pitt player had passed and run for at least 100 yards since quarterback Billy Daniels (121/165) did it Nov. 3, 1973, against Syracuse.

Pitt finished the game with 644 total yards from scrimmage, tied for fifth-most in school history with the 76-61 victory against Syracuse in 2016.

The Panthers quickly asserted their dominance, building a 21-0 lead before the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Pitt made it four for four, five for five and six for six on touchdowns and possessions. Holstein hit Kenny Johnson and C.J. Lee for a 10- and 82-yard scores, sandwiched around Carter's 43-yard touchdown run, his second career-long rush of the first half. The pass to Lee was Pitt's longest touchdown reception in almost five years, since Kenny Pickett and Maurice Ffrench connected on a 96-yard score in the Quick Lane Bowl on Dec. 26, 2019.

On Pitt's first possession of the game, Holstein gained 38 of the drive's 75 yards on two designed runs before he flipped a 6-yard touchdown pass to Poppi Williams.

After Johnson's 17-yard punt return, Pitt scored on Carter's 24-yard touchdown run, temporarily the longest of his career.

Throughout the first half, Pitt was doing almost anything it wanted on offense, and the Panthers scored again for a 21-0 lead on Holstein's 2-yard run. The score was set up by a 35-yard reception by Williams.

Youngstown State's only bursts of offense in the first half were a 46-yard field goal by Andrew Lastovka and a 25-yard catch-and-run by Traugh.

Pitt's defense recorded three turnovers: two interceptions (linebacker Kyle Louis and Crumpley) and a fumble recovery by cornerback Rashad Battle. YSU had 309 total yards.

Safety P.J. O'Brien was ejected in the second half for targeting and, by rule, must sit out the first half of the North Carolina game.