GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: North Carolina junior wideout Anthony Ratliff-Williams, 6-foot-1, presents the Pittsburgh secondary with a unique challenge. A consistent deep-ball threat, Williams has seven catches for 146 yards and a touchdown through two games.
“He’s a great receiver,” Pat Narduzzi said. “Ratliff-Williams will make plays, he’ll go up and get it. He’s shown that, he’s shown that he’s a playmaker, he’s the guy we’re going to have to stop. So we’ll dig deep into that, what he’s doing and how he’s doing it and try to shut him down.”
Pittsburgh ranks No. 25 in the FBS in pass defense (169.3 yards per game), so limiting Ratliff-Williams will be at the top of the Panthers’ scouting report.
DRAFT SLANT
–LB Quintin Wirginis, a senior, has established himself as one of the ACC’s anchors at the position. He leads the Panthers in tackles (19) and sacks (four). Against Georgia Tech, he registered seven tackles including one for a loss.
“His mind is locked in. He’s engaged,” coach Pat Narduzzi said. “I told you the very beginning of the year, the guy is impressive, making plays all over the field, the run and pass game. He’s a great football player. I told you one of the best Mikes I’ve been around, the only way to prove that is do it week after week, and he does a great job with the game plan, he knows what’s going on, he makes everybody else around him better.”
ROSTER REPORT:
–RB Darrin Hall has been limited so far this season, with his 29 yards on seven attempts against Georgia Tech being a season high.
–WR Maurice Ffrench, a budding return specialist, leads the ACC and is No. 10 in the nation with a 30-yard kick return average. Bolstering that average is a 91-yard touchdown return against Albany. If the Panthers want to control field position against North Carolina, the return game will prove crucial.
–P Kirk Christodoulou, an Australian, is in his first active season at Pittsburgh. He’s averaging 37.8 yards on 14 punts and has place four punts inside the 20. Christodoulou is a product of Prokick Australia, which produced all three 2016 Ray Guy Award finalists.
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