(above photo/graphic courtesy University of Pittsburgh)
by Rob Taylor Jr., Courier Staff Writer
Pitt isn’t going to win an Academy Award for its performance at home against UCF on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026.
But in the game of football, a win is a win is a win, no matter how it looked.
Under drenching rain and a game that was delayed just over an hour due to lightning and thunderstorms, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers jumped out to a 12-0 lead and then held on for dear life against the University of Central Florida, for a 12-7 win.
The Panthers (2-0, 0-0 ACC) probably gave game balls in the locker room to players on its defense. Midway through the second quarter, and Pitt already with a 3-0 lead, Pitt linebacker Braylan Lovelace sacked UCF quarterback Alonza Barnett II in the end zone for a safety and a 5-0 advantage.
When the two teams went into the locker room for halftime, Pitt had added another score, a 13-yard touchdown run by Damon Ferguson Jr., while the Blue and Gold defense only gave up two first downs to UCF. In fact, UCF had just 74 yards on 20 offensive plays at the half, while Pitt had more than three times the offensive yardage with 246.
Pitt’s defense was even more stifling in the third quarter. As the rain fell at a steady rate, the UCF Knights offense was steadily exiting the field for its punt team. UCF’s three third quarter drives lasted five, seven and three plays, respectively, for a combined 52 yards and no points.
UCF finally broke through late in the game, a 19-yard touchdown pass from Barnett II to Waden Charles, to make it a 12-7 game. The Knights did get the ball back with just over two minutes left in the game, but the Pitt defense shut them down. On fourth-and-four from UCF’s 28, Keyone Jenkins was sacked by Pitt’s DeMarco Ward and Jeremiah Marcelin to put the nail in UCF’s coffin on their way back to Florida.
With the victory, Pitt will now look to its first ACC opponent of the season as Syracuse comes to town for a primetime, Thursday night contest, Sept. 17. The Orange fell to the California Golden Bears on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, at home, 21-18, to drop to 1-1 on the young season. Pitt has the chance to open 3-0 for the second time in three seasons if they can squeeze the Orange at home.
