By Diane Larche’
And a magical season comes to a happy end. A phenomenal and memorable season full of accolades and awards.
“Panther Nation: You were loud and proud and we felt it. This is only the beginning.” tweeted University of Pittsburgh Football Coach Pat Narduzzi as the season ended with a major bowl game..
Thousands of Pitt alumni and fans traveled from around the country many flying and driving to Atlanta from
Pittsburgh to 70 degree weather to attend the New Year’s Six Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Pitt football team had a season the school hadn’t seen in 40 years. Losing the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl 31-21 on a pick six of their third-string quarterback Davis Beville who replaced the second string QB Nick Patti who went down in the first quarter with a fractured collarbone, did not dampen the excitement of the team, fans and alumni who flooded Mercedes Stadium along with Michigan State for a 41,325 attendance.
Pitt graduating QB Kenny Pickett a finalist for the Heisman Trophy opted out of the bowl game instead of preparing for the NFL draft where is expected to go high. Likewise Michigan State
DL Kenneth Walker did not play in the game.
Pitt was aiming for a 12 game winning season. The last time Pitt won 12 games was in 1976 when the team went 12-0 under Coach Johnny Majors and won the national championship. Pitt Legendary RB Tony Dorsett won the Heisman that year.
While the 12 game-winner was not to be this season, Pitt ended the year at 11-3, the most wins in many years.
Highlights for the year were huge. Although many were individual achievements, the team members always gave credit to the entire team. Coach Narduzzi has a slogan for the team “Wenotme”
QB Kenny Pickett broke Pitt QB and NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame QB Dan Marino’s single season passing record with 80 Marino had 79. The record was broken in Charlotte at the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC) Championship Game where Pitt defeated Wake Forest. Pickett ended the season with 81.
Pickett was a finalist and placed third for the Heisman Trophy was also named ACC Player of the Year and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. His “fake slide” at the ACC Championship game became the talk of the nation in the sports world.
Dorsett is the only Heisman winner from Pitt which he won in 1976. Larry Fitzgerald came in second in Heisman balloting in 2005.
Pitt Wide Receiver Jordan Addison has collected several awards as well. He won the Biletnikoff Award
Many surmise had Pitt not lost a game to Western Michigan early in the season that the Panthers Pitt could have secured a College Football Playoff spot. Pitt has won 9 National Football Titles over the years.
As part of the CFP New Years Six, The Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl will host the semi final games in 2023-2004 along with the Fiesta Bowl. The CFP is looking at extended playoffs, allowing more teams to be involved.
The Chick-Fil-A Bowl provided $100 million in Economic Impact in Atlanta and is ranked third of the top five conventions in Atlanta. Atlanta is the fourth largest convention town in the United States. The Bowl provided $6 million in taxes back to the city and state. Since 2002 the Chick-Fil A Bowl has provided $58.2 to Charity. $20 Million to Children’s Hospital of Atlanta to find cure and trials drugs to eradicate childhood cancer
One of trials with little kids in them is at the University of Pittsburgh.
Do something to eradicate childhood cancer.
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