Pitt’s Narduzzi lavishes praise on Notre Dame
Week 7 delivers an opportunity for Pittsburgh to pull of one of college football’s biggest upsets of the season as the Panthers travel to undefeated No. 5 Notre Dame (6-0) on Saturday.
The Panthers (3-3, 2-1 ACC) are coming off an ACC victory over Syracuse last week — a 44-37 decision that went to overtime.
“A lot of things happened out there good and bad, just like they do every win or loss,” Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi said. “But just proud of the football team, the way they stick together. A lot of grit and guts that this football team has, and that’s how you win football games.”
Now the Panthers gear up for the Fighting Irish, a team with College Football Playoff aspirations.
“I don’t know if I’m looking forward to playing the No. 5 team in the country because they’re awful good. Maybe as good of a football team as you’re going to see, that Notre Dame has ever had, I think,” Narduzzi said.
The matchup for Pittsburgh against Notre Dame will be the Panthers’ third crack at a top-15 team after losses to Penn State and UCF.
“(Notre Dame recruits) all over the country, so they’ve got flavor everywhere, and they’ve been recruiting long enough to have what they want in their offensive and their defense, and I think the walk into high schools, they get what they want,” Narduzzi said.
Pitt is hoping for a big game from running back Qadree Ollison, who is coming off his best performance of the season as he rushed for 192 yards on 24 carries against Syracuse. He rushed for a touchdown and also had two catches for 15 yards. Ollison, who has rushed 596 yards this season, was named the ACC Running Back of the Week for his efforts.