Pitt upset No. 25 Florida State on Saturday, winning its second ACC game by a score of 34-31 to move to 4-2. First-year quarterback Mason Heintschel continued to impress in the first road game of his young career.
Reid’s return propels Panthers
Redshirt senior running back Desmond Reid returned to the starting lineup after missing two straight games because of a lower-body injury he suffered against West Virginia. Reid wasted no time making his presence known, as he was heavily involved from the Panthers’ very first drive.
Reid had a monster day through the air, catching eight passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Pitt moved the ball with ease all day long, and having a star like Reid back on the field is huge for the Panther offense going forward. Additionally, Reid is a reliable weapon that will help Heintschel as he gets more comfortable in this offense.
Slow starts have cleaned up
Pitt began the game with the ball and marched down the field for a 15-play, eight-minute, 75-yard touchdown drive. The Panthers were uber-aggressive on the drive, converting three fourth downs on their way to the endzone.
To begin the year, Pitt struggled to set the tone offensively early in games. Even against opponents like Duquesne and Central Michigan, it wasn’t until the second quarter that the Panthers really began to dominate. With Heintschel under center, however, the Panthers have had few issues moving the ball early.
Defense hasn’t been an issue for the Panthers in the first quarter — the Panthers allowed their first first-quarter points this Saturday via a one-yard touchdown run from Florida State senior running back Caziah Holmes with 3:38 left in the first quarter. Before the touchdown, Pitt had a point differential of 55-0 in the first quarter.
After FSU responded with a touchdown, Pitt kept the momentum going with a touchdown drive of its own. Heintschel was efficient moving the ball, delivering a 24-yard touchdown strike to Desmond Reid to cap off the drive.
In a game that was decided by just three points, starting hot and staying hot were key in making sure the rowdy Seminole fans were never too overwhelming for Pitt.
Heintschel made mistakes, but still impressed
In his second-ever game, facing a ranked Florida State team on the road is no easy task for Mason Heintschel. But he stepped up and delivered when needed, going 21-for-29 with 321 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Both of Heintschel’s turnovers came late in the second quarter, one of which led to a Florida State touchdown with under two minutes left in the half. Heintschel came out of the half, however, playing turnover-free football, going 9-for-14.
The true first-year is now 2-0 in his starts, with a ranked upset in his second game. There aren’t many better ways to begin a college career, and as Heintschel improves, he could have this team playing competitively late into the season.
What’s next for the Panthers
Pitt will remain on the road for another week, heading to Syracuse to face the Orange for a primetime ACC matchup on Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. The game will air on ACCN.
Mason Heintschel will look to lead the Panthers to their third-straight win and second-straight road win.
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