Duquesne (3-0) will take on Ivy League power Princeton at 7 p.m. at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. Let’s dive into the game preview, betting information, and more for the matchup.

DUKES ARE HOT

After opening the season with a close win over Cleveland State, the Dukes have blown out each of their past two opponents, taking down College of Charleston in Annapolis and Stony Brook at home on Monday.

Three guards are leading the Dukes in scoring to start the season: Dae Dae Grant (20.7 PPG), Jimmy Clark III (19.3 PPG), and Kareem Rozier (11.7 PPG). Forwards Fousseyni Drame and Andrei Savrasov have also been solid scorers so far for the Dukes, both averaging 11 PPG (Drame) and 7 PPG (Savrasov).

As a team, Duquesne is averaging 84.7 points per game and giving up 70.7 points per game. They are shooting 47% from the field so far, as well as 37% from three-point range as a team.

TRE WILLIAMS SIDELINED

Duquesne forward Tre Williams is currently out with a dislocated thumb suffered against Charleston. On Monday, PSN reported that Williams would be out for at least two weeks.

Duquesne’s Tre Williams To Be Sidelined with Injury

PRINCETON REPORT

Princeton finished last season 23-9 overall with an incredible run in March. The Tigers incredibly took down No. 2 seed Arizona as a 15-seed, and then followed it up with a win over No. 7 Missouri to advance to the Sweet 16.

This year, Princeton again looks like one of the strongest mid-major teams. The Tigers have looked to senior guard Matt Allocco (17 PPG), as well as sophomore forward Caden Pierce (17 PPG, 15 RPG) and 6-foot-3 guard Xaivian Lee (15 PPG) this season for production.

The Tigers are averaging 71 points per game and have given up an average of 64 points per game. So far, Princeton has beaten two strong teams: Rutgers (No. 72 in Kenpom) and Hofstra (No. 162 in Kenpom).

METRICS

According to Kenpom.com, Duquesne is ranked as the No. 77 overall team in the country while Princeton is listed as the No. 92 team.

GAME TIME/TV/RADIO

Wednesday’s game will tip off at 7 p.m. on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and ESPN+. You can also listen to the game on 970 ESPN Pittsburgh.

BETTING INFO

Duquesne is favored by 5.5 points in this game, per DraftKings Sportsbook.

The over/under is set at 144.

The post Previewing Wednesday’s Top-100 Matchup Between Duquesne and Princeton appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Pitt will rock its blue uniforms against the Eagles, wearing gold helmets with a blue Cathedral stripe and script, blue jerseys with gold numbers and blue pants with a gold Cathedral stripe down each leg.

It’s become somewhat of a Senior Night tradition for Pitt, and it will continue as the Seniors are honored just before Thursday night’s 7 p.m. kickoff.

Thursday Night Senior Night

Pitt Panthers Boston College Eagles

7 p.m. @ESPN @937theFan

See you at @AcrisureStadium #H2P » #BAM » #WeNotMe pic.twitter.com/Z2BSEsxtqs

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) November 15, 2023

Boston College rebounded off a poor season (and a poor start to this season) in a solid way, currently 6-4 and in position to head back to a bowl game.

BC rattled off wins over Virginia, Army, Georgia Tech, UConn and Syracuse before being smoked by Virginia Tech at home over the weekend. The five-game win streak gave the Eagles the chance to hit eight wins this season for the first time since 2009.

Thomas Castellanos took over the Boston College quarterback job earlier this season, and he’s thrown for 1,824 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while adding 806 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, in what has become a solid rushing offense.

Pitt and Boston College haven’t met for a handful of seasons now, not since a 31-30 loss at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass., but Pitt does hold the all-time series lead.

The Panthers are 17-15 all-time against the Eagles, dating back to an inaugural win in Boston way back in 1959. After losing two back-to-back games in 1970 and 1971, Pitt won eight straight matchups into the early 80s.

Boston College was the better team in the 1990s, losing just twice, but Pitt is 5-3 since the turn of the century. However, the Eagles did win the last two matchups in 2019 and 2020.

The modest rivalry will resume once again this week, in a game that will pit Pitt quarterback/tight end hybrid Phil Jurkovec and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. against their old team.

Narduzzi said Monday that Jurkovec will see if the field if he’s able to help Pitt win the football game.

The post Pitt Will Wear Blue on Senior Night Against Boston College appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Update (1:50 PM)-

Coach Saleh on what RB Israel Abanikanda can bring to the offense and special teams pic.twitter.com/tyr2rxtmC9

— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 15, 2023

Update (11:07 AM)-
**Pitt football has extended an offer to 2025 safety Sheldon Robinson from Woodberry Forest High School in Woodberry Forest, Virginia. Robinson received the news from Andre Powell and holds other offers from Duke, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and West Virginia.

Junior Year Film!
• 6 INT
• 60 Tackles / 3TFL / 1FF
• 3 Tds https://t.co/d6yjoPn9ec@CoachMatteo_WFS @sherrell_duke
:@shot_by_shaffer pic.twitter.com/bXGiCawq4O

— Sheldon Robinson (@SheldonR_5) November 13, 2023

The post The Frank Walker Law/PSN Daily Notebook- November 15 appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Pitt will be back on national television for the first time since losing to No. 4 Florida State earlier this month, and Matt will handle play-by-play duties, former Mississippi State and Florida head coach Dan Mullen will serve as his analyst and Harry Lyles Jr. will report from the sideline.

Bill Hillgrove, of course, is in the booth for 93.7 The Fan, with Pat Bostick serving as his analyst and Larry Richert and Dorin Dickerson reporting from the field at Acrisure Stadium.

Boston College rebounded off a poor season (and a poor start to this season) in a solid way, currently 6-4 and in position to head back to a bowl game.

BC rattled off wins over Virginia, Army, Georgia Tech, UConn and Syracuse before being smoked by Virginia Tech at home over the weekend. The five-game win streak gave the Eagles the chance to hit eight wins this season for the first time since 2009.

Thomas Castellanos took over the Boston College quarterback job earlier this season, and he’s thrown for 1,824 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while adding 806 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, in what has become a solid rushing offense.

Pitt and Boston College haven’t met for a handful of seasons now, not since a 31-30 loss at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass., but Pitt does hold the all-time series lead.

The Panthers are 17-15 all-time against the Eagles, dating back to an inaugural win in Boston way back in 1959. After losing two back-to-back games in 1970 and 1971, Pitt won eight straight matchups into the early 80s.

Boston College was the better team in the 1990s, losing just twice, but Pitt is 5-3 since the turn of the century. However, the Eagles did win the last two matchups in 2019 and 2020.

The modest rivalry will resume once again this week, in a game that will pit Pitt quarterback/tight end hybrid Phil Jurkovec and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. against their old team.

Narduzzi said Monday that Jurkovec will see if the field if he’s able to help Pitt win the football game.

Television — ESPN

Matt Barrie (play-by-play)

Dan Mullen (analyst)

Harry Lyles Jr. (reporter)

Radio — 93.7 The Fan, Pitt Panthers Radio Network 

Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play)

Pat Bostick (analyst)

Larry Richert and Dorin Dickerson (reporters)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio

Channels 161 or 193 or on the SiriusXM app

WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) — 92.1 FM

The post ESPN Broadcast Crew Revealed for Pitt vs. Boston College appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

The players and coaches are working to face off against their biggest rival in the ACC and in Division I overall, not just on the court, but off the court as well. Instead of playing at Fitzgerald Field House, the usual home facility, Pitt will face Louisville at the Petersen Events Center, with the goal of breaking their program attendance record at the match.

Pitt set the previous attendance record back in 2019 against rival Penn State on Sept. 22, 2019, which saw 5,195 fans watch a brilliant five set match that fell in favor of the road team.

Fisher looks forward to this matchup and has confidence that this match will break the attendance record. Doing so would demonstrate the growth of the sport in the region and the respect that the program has earned in his 11 seasons as head coach, which includes three straight Elite Eights and back-t0-back Final Fours.

“…We look forward to showing the country that, not just Pitt is a volleyball school, but that the city of Pittsburgh loves volleyball,” Dan Fisher said in a media briefing Tuesday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center. “So we’re just really excited for a great event.”

The goal of breaking this attendance record comes with a balance of preparing for that match, while also promoting it. Fisher has the bulk of the work, but the players have helped as well. This includes showing up at the men’s basketball game Monday night and participating in a t-shirt toss to bring more fans to the match on Saturday.

Always a good time with @Pitt_MBB at the Pete!

We’ll see you right here on Saturday pic.twitter.com/sXs288t85j

— Pitt Volleyball (@Pitt_VB) November 14, 2023

Fisher and the staff give the players itineraries that help them breakdown their time between their studies, practice, film and free time. This helps the players not just prepare for this match, but also for the upcoming NCAA Tournament, which the Panthers will likely go deep in once again.

Pitt brings great momentum into this match, as they swept then ranked No. 8 Georgia Tech last Friday in Atlanta. Pitt hit .440 as a team and first-year right side hitter Olivia Babcock had a great match herself, she led Pitt with 15 kills and had an incredible .652 hitting percentage. She was also second with four total blocks, had three digs and tied with sophomore libero/defensive specialist Dillyn Griffin for two services aces, best on Pitt. For her efforts she received AVCA/GameChanger Women’s Division I Player of the Week and ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Both teams faced each other prior this season, as Louisville swept Pitt at the KFC Yum! Center back on Oct. 13. Louisville hit .388 in the match, more than a .150 increase from the next highest Pitt opponent this season, while also out-blocking Pitt, 6-3. Pitt leads the nation in blocks per set, 3.05 and the three total blocks against Louisville serves as the lowest mark for the team this season.

Fisher spoke on how close the sets were, as Pitt lost by a combined nine points, showing how close both teams were in the end, despite the sweep. A big focus for Pitt in this upcoming matchup is a better defensive effort, which Fisher said will lead to the victory.

Pitt volleyball started playing in the Petersen Events Center in 2018, with a sweep over Georgia Tech on Nov. 22 the first ever match there. They hold a 10-3 record overall in the facility, with losses coming to Michigan and Cincinnati in Second Round of the 2018 and 2019 NCAA Tournaments, respectively, as well as the Penn State match in 2019. They have a six-match winning streak in the facility, including 4-0 in the NCAA Tournament.

Pitt missed two seasons without a regular season game in the Petersen Events Center thanks to COVID-19, until a five set thriller against No. 13 Georgia Tech in November last season.

The Panthers defeated the then ranked No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats in four sets back on Sept. 3, for their first match at the Petersen Events Center this season.

Fisher wants to play regular season matches at the Petersen Events Center. Playing Kentucky and Louisville provides his players with the necessary experience to play the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. While it isn’t as hostile as the smaller, more intimate Fitzgerald Field House, the home crowd is still there to support Pitt the entire way, which is always crucial for Dan Fisher and his players.

“It is a change,” Fisher said. “It’s a little less of a home court advantage. With the basketball game the night before, we’re not getting the practice time we normally would, but we feel like it’s the same for both teams and we have the crowd on our side…”

Louisville hosted Pitt at the KFC Yum! Center, their basketball arena, which holds 21,500 for volleyball, compared to L&N Federal Credit Union Arena, which holds just 1,100. The Petersen Events Center has a capacity of 12,500 for volleyball and the Fitzgerald Field House is at 4,122 for comparison.

The improved attendance shows the increased interest from fans in the two programs and the sport as a whole, something that Dan Fisher loves to see.

“I think what it says is that we both have smaller gyms, and our rivalry has outgrown maybe playing in the smaller gyms,” Fisher said. “I think that says a lot about our rivalry and something about women’s volleyball, nationally.”

Pitt volleyball normally plays matches on Friday and Sunday, so a Saturday matchup is quite unique. Thanks to Pitt football playing Thursday night against Boston College, Pitt has a free Saturday to bring more fans in, which comes at a cost for a spot-on television. Fisher still believes that bringing in more fans is worth losing or not having a television slot, as the benefits long term for the region’s support of volleyball outweigh a bigger national audience.

“We knew it was out of our control when we decided to play on Saturday, but we felt like maybe it wasn’t as good for TV, but the timing of it was good for getting a great crowd,” Fisher said. “Our football’s playing on Thursday, Steelers playing on Sunday, we have Light Up Night later. So, I think, other than the students, a lot of them being home, I think, [for] the Pittsburgh community, this timing made a lot of sense.”

Louisville has overtaken Pitt in the rivalry recently, with three straight wins, including the Final Four last season, and six of the past seven matches. Still, Pitt won the last match at home in five sets last season, and with a No. 1 seed and ACC Title on the line, this upcoming match should feature as one of the best of the regular season in the sport. 

The post Pitt VB HC Dan Fisher Looks to Break Attendance Record Against No. 4 Louisville appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

But at this point, with two games left (hosting Boston College and traveling to Duke), all the Pitt coaches can do now is try to finish the season strong. No matter how many embarrassing losses come Pitt’s way, Narduzzi has said — decidedly, at this point — that there will not be any changes in the season.

So, it’s up to the players to come together and finish the season strong, despite — as Narduzzi has said many times this season — not being put in the best position by the coaching staff.

Pitt is facing off against Boston College on a short week, coming off a brutal loss to Syracuse in New York City, and all the Panthers can do is move forward against an opponent that will likely try to do something similar to what ‘Cuse did over the weekend.

Staying Fresh When Not Given the Chance 

Unlike a normal week, Pitt didn’t have the luxury of spending Sunday watching film and taking Monday off. The Panthers flew home from New York City late Saturday night, got a few hours of sleep upon landing in Pittsburgh and were back for practice Sunday afternoon.

“It was good,” Narduzzi said. “Went out there and had a full scrimmage — we didn’t do that. You’ve got to be careful. I preached to our guys about just recovery and making sure that we’re as fresh as we can be. It’s a fast turnaround because you play a game and you get home at whatever, 11:00, 11:30 at night, probably they’re walking in the Bridge on Forbes at midnight and you’re turning around and practicing the next afternoon.”

There wasn’t time to sit down and watch exactly what went wrong against Syracuse, at least, not as a team, but the film study still went on.

Pitt turned its attention to watching Boston College, and more importantly, preparing itself physically for what should be another game in which the opposition runs the ball — a lot.

“You’ve just got to be careful what you do, which always scares you as a coach,” Narduzzi said. “It’s like you can go practice and work on those fundamentals and all those things and be exhausted on Thursday night, and I want a fresh team, as fresh as we can make them. So, you try to balance that with what you do workwise and how fresh you can keep them.”

With just four days off, and Sunday spent partially as a travel day, rest and recovery are at a premium. But 10 games into the season, it’s not as if anyone is truly 100% anymore either.

Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Donovan McMillon (3) September 23, 2023 David Hague/Pittsburgh Sports Now

Always Want More Physicality

Pitt missed 18 tackles against Syracuse, which certainly contributed to allowing 382 yards to the ‘Cuse Wildcat, but it’s not as if the Panthers were shying away from hits.

Pitt hit hard, hard just wasn’t always enough against some big, physical Syracuse runners.

“I wouldn’t say not physical enough,” Narduzzi said. “You always want it to be more physical. You talk about toughness up on that back — our guys get great — put it this way: Defensively when you talk about physical, they’re about as physical as you can get. Just more leverage, I guess.

“Then the effort was outstanding all the way to the last drive on 3rd and short and 4th-and-short.”

It certainly wasn’t a banner day defensively for Pitt, it never is when allowing nearly 400 yards on the ground, but it’s not as if the Orange ran the ball 66 times because Pitt has a poor defense. There were stretches where the Panthers shut the Orange down, but without any resistance from the Pitt offense, Syracuse knew it could simply wear the Pitt defense down. And it did.

I don’t think the Pitt defense played well, missed tackles clearly still plaguing a defense that has been just out of position all season, but it was a strong second quarter, and there was even a red zone turnover on downs in the third quarter that was rewarded with an immediate pick-six.

But, even then, Narduzzi will always appreciate even more physicality.

“We’ve got to be more physical — again, it’s a little bit of everything, but one thing you notice when you go back and watch tape is there are a lot of guys breaking down. I’m not a big break down because all you do when you start to break down on a tackle, you just give that guy a chance to make a move on you. You break down, then he gives you a little over there and goes there.

“But I like to go take shots, and that’s what our guys are taught to do is go run through, and if you’re going to miss, know where you’re going to miss; miss on this side, miss on that side. Know where your help is, and they should always know where their help is based on the coverage of the defense. We like to take shots, and I don’t like stuttering down. Don’t give that guy a chance to make you miss.”

It will be another tough test against the top-ranked rushing offense in the ACC.

What Went Into the Odd Timeout Sequence? 

Ben Sauls ran out onto the field as Pitt faced a 4th-and-11 from the Syracuse 32, about to attempt a nearly 50-yard field goal, midway through the second quarter.

A Christian Veilleux pass fell incomplete on 3rd-and-11, and instead of letting Sauls attempt the 50-yard field goal, Narduzzi took a timeout to think it over — and talk to the officials about what he thought was going to happen.

“Again, I’m arguing with the official on the stem, and I sat next to the guy — again, not a bad argument, it was a good argument,” Narduzzi said. “I was asking how his day was going, what he had for dinner last night. But no, I was warning him before the ball even got snapped that you know they’re going to stem and try to make us jump offsides. I said, watch it. What did they do? They stemmed and got Terrence (Moore) to flinch.”

Moore did jump, and it backed Pitt up — out of what the coaching staff thought was Sauls’ range — and forced a punt.

“You know, again, I called it right ahead of time because I knew on a long one, they’d try to back us up more. As I’m talking to him, they never pumped the clock up, and again, that’s what it was.”

The television broadcast made it appear as if Narduzzi used two timeouts, and it did look like it, but the Panthers were charged just one timeout in the sequence. But the Caleb Junko punt, which had three gunners parked in the end zone, bounced into the end zone, too.

It was a thoroughly messy sequence that resulted in nothing for the Panthers. It kind of summed up the entire game.

Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Bub Means (0) November 4, 2023 David Hague/PSN

Growth at Wide Receiver Finally 

It’s taken some time, having gone through a tough season in the first year of the Frank Cignetti Jr. era, but after a slow start to the season, the wide receiving corps is truly one of the most consistent offensively.

That’s not exactly a high bar to clear, but even in a dreadful offensive performance against Syracuse, Bub Means and Konata Mumpfield stood out. Means led Pitt with 71 yards on two catches, and Mumpfield caught four balls for 29 yards and the lone offensive touchdown.

Despite a very, very poor season from the offense, both Means and Mumpfield have progressed personally. Means has caught 32 passes for 558 yards and four touchdowns and Mumpfield has caught 40 passes for 527 yards and five touchdowns.

Neither has been perfect, and it was a legitimate struggle for Means early in the season, but the unit as a whole — with Kenny Johnson and DaeDae Reynolds in the mix — isn’t a weakness. The wide receivers aren’t a bad unit. Far from it.

“I’m proud of the way those guys have hung together and can make plays when they have opportunities,” Narduzzi said. “You guys were here, Kenny Pickett’s junior year where it wasn’t like that.

“That’s one of our older groups; we look at Bub and Konata and Daejon Reynolds, and you’ve got the one young puppy in there, Kenny, those are probably the top four if I’m not missing anybody that are getting a lot of the reps out there.”

And Narduzzi said that two of the four main pass catchers, didn’t say which two exactly, were dealing some sort of bug that went around before kickoff Saturday, too.

So, while it’s been a disastrous season offensively, there are some building blocks in place, and Tiquan Underwood’s unit has shown signs of progression. It will be interesting now to see how the season finishes. And what the offseason holds for some of the Pitt pass catchers with decisions to make.

Season Summed Up by a Couple of Fumbles

It wasn’t a good day for Veilleux. He threw a bad pick-six, and he botched two handoffs that resulted in turnovers.

The first came on the first possession of the second half, having driven nearly 30 yards to set up a first-and-10 from the Syracuse 44, and there was a clear miscommunication between Veilleux and Johnson on a motion sweep play. Ball ends up on the ground, and ‘Cuse recovers.

The second came on the fourth possession of the second half, right after a three-and-out and the pick-six, and on another first-and-10, Veilleux botched a handoff to Hammond. And this one looked like one where Veilleux intended to keep the ball and simply couldn’t hang on. ‘Cuse managed to jump on it again.

“A little bit of both, just having a better grip on the ball and pulling it,” Narduzzi said. “Obviously, you’re reading it and you’ve got to be clean with the mesh, and it wasn’t.”

Two botched handoffs, to go along with a pick-six and a third fumble, are unacceptable. It was a pathetic performance offensively, and it’s hard to justify that performance resulting in another try. Poor coaching, poor play and poor results. Yet again.

The post Pat’s Points: Pitt WRs, Odd Timeout Sequence and a Short Week appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Marion, a former Pitt wide receivers coach and Greensburg, Pa. native, is in the midst of his first season as the UNLV offensive coordinator, and he’s been nominated for the Frank Broyles Award — the award given to the top assistant coach in college football.

It’s a triumphant return to serving as an offensive coordinator for Marion, who has spent the last three seasons as a wide receivers coach at three different locations.

Like everything we do, this was earned.

Congrats @BrennanMarion4 on being nominated for the 2023 Frank Broyles Award pic.twitter.com/3GMWqsCCm8

— UNLV Football (@unlvfootball) November 14, 2023

UNLV is averaging 36.4 points per game this season, up over 10 points from last season, and the Runnin’ Rebels are second in the Mountain West with a chance to take the lead in the standings with a win over Air Force this weekend.

While it’s not a high-powered passing offense, averaging just over 225 yards through the air per game, the Rebels are top-20 in the NCAA with just under 200 rushing yards per game — averaging 4.6 yards per carry and scoring 31 times on the ground.

Former Pitt running back Vincent Davis, who transferred to UNLV in the offseason, is leading the way with 553 rushing yards (5.5 yards per carry) and four touchdowns, but Jai’Den Thomas, Donavyn Lester, Courtney Reese and quarterback Jayden Maiava have all run for at least 199 yards this season.

Marion spent the 2022 season as the Texas wide receivers coach, and he spent the 2021 season as the Pitt wide receivers coach — helping Jordan Addison to bring home the Biletnikoff Award in 2021.

Marion, perhaps now infamously, wanted to stay at Pitt in an increased role after former offensive coordinator Mark Whipple resigned following the 2021 ACC championship game, but Pat Narduzzi opted to look elsewhere — naming Tim Salem as the interim coordinator for the ensuing Peach Bowl.

“When you have good coaches, people are going to come after them,” Narduzzi said following the Peach Bowl. “Guys have decisions to make. Whatever he wants to do, I’m good. We’ll be fine.”

Marion, at just 36 years old, is one of the fast-rising assistant coaches in college football, and there’s no doubt his name will pop up often as Power Five programs look to fill offensive coordinator vacancies in the offseason. He previously served as the offensive coordinator at William & Mary and Howard — gaining recognition for his Go-Go offense.

Pitt, of course, decided to fill the vacancy left by Whipple’s resignation by hiring Frank Cignetti Jr. And in the second year of the Cignetti-led offense, Pitt is averaging just under 20 points per game.

The post Former Pitt WR Coach Brennan Marion Nominated for Broyles Award appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Abanikanda, who was selected by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft earlier this year, likely won’t be a feature back in the near future, not with star running back Breece Hall already in place, but Abanikanda could very well emerge as a complement to Hall this season.

While Abanikanda has not been active during any of the Jets’ nine games this season, with Carter now off the roster, Abanikanda rises into that No. 3 role behind Hall and Cook. And there’s a chance that Abanikanda will make his NFL debut as early as this weekend now.

Abanikanda, once activated, should be able to serve as a third down back and special teams ace as he adapts to life in the NFL. But he did look ready in the preseason.

He was an All-ACC, All-American running back in 2022, serving as perhaps the best all-purpose weapon in college football, finishing fourth in all-purpose yards (1,805 yards) and second in all-purpose yards per game (164 yards) in college football last season. And he led the nation in total touchdowns (21).

He rushed for 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging six yards per attempt and added 146 receiving yards and 228 kickoff return yards. It was a campaign with few historical rivals. It ranks as the eighth-best single-season effort in Pitt history, and his 320 yards and six touchdowns against Virginia Tech broke and tied, respectively, single-game program records.

In his Pitt career, Abanikanda rushed 390 times for 2,177 yards and 28 touchdowns, caught 38 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns and returned 19 kickoffs for 434 yards and a touchdown.

His 28 career touchdowns also rank eighth in team history, while he’s just one of four Pitt players to rush for at least 20 touchdowns in a single season.

The Jets will be back in action on Sunday, Nov. 19, a 4:25 p.m. kickoff at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, N.Y. to take on the Buffalo Bills — who had Dane Jackson and Damar Hamlin in the lineup over the weekend.

The post Potential Opportunity Opens Up for Former Pitt Star in the NFL appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

The Senior Bowl named its 75th Anniversary Team Tuesday, and three Pitt Panthers made the cut. Dan Marino, Curtis Martin and Aaron Donald, who all starred at Pitt before going onto exceptional NFL careers, all made the team.

“The history of our game means everything to us here at the Senior Bowl, so this is a special announcement,” Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said in the release. “This 75th Anniversary Team includes many of the greatest players in NFL history and they are all legendary players for their respective franchises.

“We look forward to bringing these all-time greats back to where their NFL journeys started, the city of Mobile, Alabama. The Senior Bowl is grateful for our partners at the NFLPA for helping to make this celebration happen.”

The entire team can be found here.

75th Anniversary Team @SeniorBowl

Dozens of Pitt Panthers have excelled in Mobile on their way to the @NFLDraft

But these three Pitt and @NFL legends are among the best to ever play the game

QB Dan Marino
RB Curtis Martin
DL Aaron Donald#H2P » #BAM » #WeNotMe pic.twitter.com/jb41NRdDjC

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) November 14, 2023

Marino is perhaps the best NFL player to never win the Super Bowl, and the Central Catholic alum got his start in Pittsburgh.

Pitt lost just six games during Marino’s four-year Pitt career, completing 626-of-1,084 pass attempts (57.7%) for 7,905 yards with 74 touchdowns and 64 interceptions — winnning the Fiesta Bowl, Gator Bowl and Sugar Bowl in that span.

The Miami Dolphins selected Marino with the 27th pick in the 1983 NFL Draft, and he owned held a plethora of quarterback records by the time he retired following the 1999 season.

In 17 NFL seasons, Marino completed 4,967-of-8,358 pass attempts (59.4%) for 61,361 yards with 420 touchdowns and 252 interceptions. He won 147 of 240 NFL starts, leading 47 game-winning drives, but he never was able to win the big game during his career — falling to Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers as a second-year player in 1985.

Marino’s 1984 season, throwing for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns, was a season way ahead of its time in that era of the NFL.

He was enrished into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005, following a career in which he was a three-time All-Pro, two-time Offensive Player of the Year and 1984 MVP.

Martin, who attended Allderice in Pittsburgh, also decided to stay home at Pitt. And in four seasons, missing most of his senior seaosn due to injury, he racked up 518 carries for 2,643 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and 15 touchdowns — adding 89 receptions for 749 yards and two more touchdowns.

The senior season injury, starting off the season with nearly 300 yards in two games, was a dissapointment, but he was still selected in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. And he started fast.

Martin ran for 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns as a rookie, earning Rookie of the Year honors and starting off a Hall of Fame career on a high note. In 11 seasons, he ran for 14,101 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and 90 touchdowns — adding 3,329 receiving yards and 10 more touchdowns through the air.

He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021, currently ranked as the NFL’s sixth-leading rusher all-time.

Donald, just a three-star recruit himself out of Penn Hills in the class of 2010, has done pretty well for himself since leaving Pittsburgh. And, of course, he didn’t leave Pittsburgh until he earned All-Big East and All-American honors at Pitt first. He racked up 181 tackles (115 solo), 66 tackles for loss, 29.5 sacks, forced six fumbles and defended 10 passes during his career in Pittsburgh.

And his senior campaign of 59 tackles (43 solo), 28.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, four forced fumbles and three passes defended rounded out one of the best defensive efforts in Pitt — and college football — history.

Donald, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, improved to even greater heights following his Pitt career, and he’s in the midst of his 10th NFL season with the Rams — still one of the very best defensive players in the NFL.

In nine-and-a-half seasons, he’s tacked up 527 tackles (331 solo), 171 tackles for loss, 108.5 sacks, 24 forced fumbles and seven recoveries and 18 pass breakups — cementing himself as one of the greats at just 32.

Prior to last season, Donald had earned seven consecutive first-team All-Pro honors — setting himself apart from his peers. And he’s once again in the midst of an All-Pro caliber season in 2023. And he will joins his fellow Pitt legends in the Pro Football Hall of Fame at the conclusion of his NFL career.

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Babcock officially received AVCA/GameChanger Women’s Division I Player of the Week on Tuesday. She led Pitt with 15 kills and had an incredible .652 hitting percentage. She was also second with four total blocks, had three digs and tied with sophomore libero/defensive specialist Griffin for two services aces, best on Pitt. The ACC also named her Offensive Player of the Week. 

She is the second Pitt player to earn the award, as former outside hitter Kayla Lund received the recognition in September 2021. Lund notched 40 kills in two wins over then No. 9 Baylor and Tennessee, hitting .337.

Babcock has featured as one of the best freshmen in the country, earning ACC freshmen of the Week honors five times. She leads Pitt with 382.0 points, 302 kills, 31 service aces, second with 93.0 total blocks and fourth with 100 digs. She also ranks No. 3 in the ACC with 4.39 points per set, No. 7  with 3.47 kills per set and No. 9 with both 1.07 blocks per set and 0.36 service aces per set.

Pitt volleyball head coach Dan Fisher complimented Babcock on her stellar game against Georgia Tech. He also pointed to her experience playing at the international level and her play in big matches this season to show how great she is at such a young age.

“We knew she was an elite athlete, elite physically and certainly believed in her potential, but just the season she’s having as a freshman just shows that she’s learning and improving,” Fisher said. “She’s gotten better, but also shows that she likes the big moments.

Pitt will need Olivia Babcock and her talents this Saturday, as they face off against No. 4 Louisville this Saturday at the Petersen Events Center, with the ACC title on the line.

The post Pitt Volleyball Freshman Olivia Babcock Named National Player of the Week appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

It’s a short week with a Thursday night game against Boston College on the horizon, and Pat Narduzzi discussed what’s on the schedule in terms of preparing for the Eagles, avoided the topic of a starting quarterback decision and touched upon a plethora of other thoughts regarding ‘Cuse and Boston College.

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The activity within the NCAA Transfer Portal will be chaotic, the question is how active will Pitt be?

It would not shock me if we see a ton of activity — both incoming and outgoing — with this Pitt roster. When you’re 2-8 and have been as disappointing as Pitt has been, it’s only natural and change is expected.

Although official activity can’t begin until December, Pitt might have already started the process of showing interest in a talented player currently in the portal.

The post Die-Hards: Pitt Already Checking Out 4-Star WR in Portal? appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

The Panthers have picked up where they left off last year, earning three wins in their first three games, all by double-figures. Let’s dive into the Panthers’ highest-rated transfer according to The Portal Report’s ranking system “DUNK.”

Pitt’s Ishmael Leggett Rating Highly Among National Transfers

Through three games, Leggett ranks as the No. 3 transfer in the ACC (behind Matthew Cleveland of Miami and Kevin Miller of Wake Forest). Overall, out of more than 800+ transfers tracked by TPR who have recorded statistics this season, Leggett ranks 31st overall.

Leggett has accumulated 34.9 TPR Fantasy Points, has a game score of 15.2, and is averaging 15.3 points per game for the Panthers. The Rhode Island transfer has also been strong on the glass, and is averaging 7.7 rebounds per game. Along with Panther freshmen Bub Carrington and Jaland Lowe, Leggett is leading the back court for a Panthers team that is looking to make the NCAA Tournament once again.

“Ishmael, I watched him at Rhode Island,” FGCU head coach Pat Chambers said about the Panthers’ guard. “I mean, he’s a dog. That’s the greatest compliment you can give anybody. I mean, he’s a fierce competitor, he knows who he is. So, good team. Really good team.”

For more on the transfer portal, visit ThePortalReport.com and follow us on social media at @theportalreport.

The post Pitt Guard Ishmael Leggett Ranked Highly in National Transfer Rankings appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

ICYMI: @Pitt_MSOC earned a spot in their FIFTH consecutive NCAA Tournament

Their run starts Thursday at home
More info: https://t.co/VcLi1lQ6TJ
Buy tickets: https://t.co/8aPznxkDRU pic.twitter.com/b7lvHeClj1

— Pitt Panthers (@Pitt_ATHLETICS) November 14, 2023

Update (10:49 AM)-

: Highlights from last night's win over FGCU

RECAP: https://t.co/lST2tX4cIE pic.twitter.com/FSzeLpI0ou

— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) November 14, 2023

The post The Frank Walker Law/PSN Daily Notebook- November 14 appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Though it was not a picture-perfect first half, Duquesne came away with an 85-63 victory over Stony Brook Monday night at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

“I think we were a little tired, it was a long trip and there was a lot going on,” Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot admitted. “I thought we were a little sluggish, but I don’t think it was from a lack of respect for the opponent or not understanding the importance of the game.”

Duquesne held Stony Brook to a 24.3% shooting clip, which on the surface looked great, but there were some frustrations, namely 10 offensive rebounds conceded and 10 turnovers, ruining what consistently was a short court.

There were a lot of mental mistakes but at the locker room, the Dukes worked to regroup.

“We just told ourselves we were going to rally, calm down and come out and play basketball how we should and don’t let the defense dictate what we do,” senior guard Jimmy Clark III said. “That was the main focus at halftime.”

Duquesne was a far more polished side evidenced by eight steals compared to one turnover.

“The one thing about these guys, they keep coming back for more,” assessed Dambrot.

FOUS-BALL

Duquesne has had its share of reliable six men under Dambrot, among those are Tavian Dunn-Martin, Tarin Smith and Baylee Steele, but now Fousseyni Drame is throwing his hat in the ring.

Drame posted his first double-double as a Duke consisting of 15 points and 11 rebounds. Through three games he is averaging 11 points and 8.3 rebounds over 26.3 minutes of work.

“The one guy is playing unbelievable. His production in short time periods for the amount of shots he’s taking is one of the highest levels that I’ve seen,” Dambrot said.

Though it has just been three games, Dambrot has seen enough to state that he is playing himself into being a high-level player instead of as a role player, doing so by shooting at a high-level while being very diversified.

It is Dambrot’s belief that Drame is playing like one of the best players in the Atlantic 10 and if that were to continue then the team would have something special.

Dambrot has already begun to consider putting Drame in the starting lineup, which he stated would consist of just talking to him to see if it is okay, stating with the current level he is playing at would warrant that being the only right thing to do.

The catch-22 of it all would be that he would almost certainly take Andrei Savrasov’s spot in the lineup. Though for most on the team it does not affect them were they to start or come off the bench, Savrasov has played with more confidence because the staff did not give up on him when he struggled.

Either way, it goes back to a refrain associate head coach Dru Joyce III mentioned that it does not matter who starts on the team.

“Our guys are coming to grips with whatever opportunity presents itself they take advantage of,” said Joyce. “I think that’s the sign of a special team. It’s been beneficial if we have rough starts, to have that man coming off your bench with that type of production, that’s a special thing.”

UP NEXT

Duquesne continues with the middle of a three-game homestand against Princeton. It is a challenging time given the team had two days before this game and a day in between the next two contests.

This will test a Dukes team which will be without Tre Williams and also continue developing some of their younger players, the latest of which, Kailon Nichols made his debut Monday.

“Probably the hardest thing is Princeton is next and we all know about that system,” Dambrot concluded. “You need good prep time and clearly we’re not going to have that. We’re just going to go out and play and I tell our guys to let it rip and quit thinking so much. We’re better when we just play. It’s like a pro schedule now. I kind of like it in a way, nobody really likes to practice that much anyways. They sure as hell don’t, they like those 45-minute-to-hour practices where they can go home and sleep.”

HE SAID IT

“We’ve got shooters everywhere. We stretch the floor and have two wild stallions who shoot the ball extremely well. (Dambrot) has strong belief in all of us and that’s why we keep letting it go. That changed the game when we started hitting our threes.” – sophomore guard Kareem Rozier

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