As a student, getting decked out in blue and gold to watch the Panthers take on their formidable foes is one of the best parts of going to Pitt. Although football games can be overwhelming at times as a first-year or transfer student, this guide will prepare new students to cheer on Pitt football.
First, students need to secure tickets. One of the nice parts of Pitt football is how reasonable the prices are. The Gold Pass costs $150 and includes men’s basketball season tickets, two t-shirts and Student Panther Club admissions. For those wishing to ditch basketball, the Royal Pass and White Pass are available at $70 and $40, respectively.
This season will kick off with the return of the City Game for the first time in 86 years. The Panthers will face Duquesne at Acrisure Stadium. Pitt should dominate the Dukes, but as a new student to Pitt, you should definitely go to the first game of the season.
It is also important to know about Pitt’s biggest rival, West Virginia. The Mountaineers are the Panthers’ rivals in all of their sports. The Backyard Brawl — the nickname for when the two play one another — illustrates the close 75 miles separating the schools. This season, the Panthers will travel to Morgantown for their 108th meeting. Last season, Pitt beat West Virginia 38-34 in thrilling fashion.
Getting to Acrisure Stadium — sometimes referred to by its former name, Heinz Field — can seem daunting since it is located several miles from Oakland. Luckily, Pitt offers free shuttles directly to and from the stadium beginning three and a half hours before kickoff. The shuttles convene on University and Fifth Avenue, located next to Nordenberg Hall. The shuttles also return students to campus starting at halftime.
Some students opt to arrive earlier for tailgating. Students can use their Panther Card to take the PRT bus for free by adding it to the new Ready2Ride app and scanning in at the front of the bus when they board. At Steel Plaza, the light rail is fare-free as well, and that light rail will lead you directly in front of Acrisure Stadium at Allegheny Station. It will take about 30 to 45 minutes to arrive at the stadium this way. Students typically convene at the Clark Lot to tailgate, located between Acrisure and PNC Park.
There are two student sections in the stadium. One is located behind the goal posts on the closed endzone of Acrisure Stadium in the lower deck, and the other is above the goal posts on the upper deck. Students sitting on the lower deck come on a first-come, first-served basis, so students who want a closer view should line up to enter the stadium early. Also on a limited basis are the rally towels, Pitt’s take on the Terrible Towel that students use during cheers. They also have individual designs for each game, creating a lifelong reminder of the game.
Cheers and songs that are must-knows for game day are the Alma Mater — which first-year students can learn at Lantern Night — and the “Hail to Pitt” fight song, where students cheer, “fight Pitt, fight.” However, after an exciting victory, students shouldn’t expect to storm the field, since it is often used the following day by the Steelers.
New students should get excited to deck themselves out in blue and gold to cheer on their fellow Panthers in one of the best stadiums in the nation.
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