awfulannouncing
Pittsburgh head football coach Pat Narduzzi has long been at odds with Associated Press Top 25 voters and other critics, and he made it clear that his frustration will persist until his undefeated team earns their respect.
On Friday night, the Pittsburgh Panthers (5-0) secured a hard-fought victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies (4-1) at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Hokies narrowly missed a 36-yard field goal as time expired, allowing Pittsburgh to escape with a 35-33 win.
In a season filled with controversial college football endings, some fans, including Chase Daniel, thought the kick was good, but Narduzzi was in no mood for skepticism during his on-field interview with ESPN sideline reporter Dana Boyle. "We got a hell of a football team," Narduzzi said. "Now, any of those voters out there, if they wake their a up, they might figure that out."
He continued, "And I tell you what, we beat a damn good football team in Virginia Tech. We got four turnovers defensively. Offense made plays when they needed to, and we got that dub!"
Boyle then addressed the obvious concern: quarterback Mason Heintschel suffered an apparent right knee injury in the third quarter, leaving the game and later appearing on crutches. However, Narduzzi's spirits remained high as he praised backup quarterback Holden Geriner and took a playful jab at Virginia Tech's iconic 'Enter Sandman' tradition. When Boyle asked if the song would be banned from practice, Narduzzi replied, "It won't be. It might be in that locker room, I guarantee you that."
Back in August, the Panthers received only seven votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. Narduzzi's response at the time was blunt: "Don't care. It matters where you are Week 11, Week 12, and that's what we're working on." Yet, entering Week 6, it's clear that Narduzzi cares deeply about whether his team cracks the Top 25.
Originally reported by awfulannouncing.