Pittsburgh’s linebacker coach Ryan Manalac gave his group the nickname “The Sharks” during training camp to highlight their determination and drive.
His players have fully embraced this identity. On Thursday night, the 19th-ranked Panthers and “The Sharks” in their defense sent a strong message to Syracuse and the rest of the ACC that Pitt’s unbeaten record is no accident.
Linebackers Rasheem Biles, Kyle Louis, and Braylan Lovelace each returned interceptions for touchdowns in the first half, leading the Panthers to a commanding 41-13 victory over Syracuse.
“This ‘shark’ stuff is really a movement,” said Biles, whose 35-yard touchdown just over two minutes into the game set the tone. “It’s really deep for us. … It just shows how much work we put in, how good we are, … it brings joy to us.”
The excitement was not limited to the players. The “Panther Pitt” student section at Acrisure Stadium was filled with shark-themed gear, including fans dressed in full costume. They celebrated together after Lovelace’s 33-yard run to the end zone late in the second quarter, which made the score 31-0.
“We pride ourselves on being called ‘The Sharks,’” said Louis, who ran 59 yards for a touchdown midway through the first quarter. “If you come in here, you better learn how to swim.”
Syracuse (5-2, 2-2) struggled as Pitt improved to 7-0 for the first time since 1982, thanks to a defense that put pressure on quarterback Kyle McCord from the very start.
The Ohio State transfer threw interceptions on Syracuse’s first three possessions, with Biles and Louis scoring on two of them. The third interception came when linebacker Brandon George caught a deflected ball while lying on his stomach just before it hit the ground.
The Panthers weren’t finished. When Lovelace intercepted a screen pass late in the game and sprinted to the end zone, Pitt became the first team since Southern California in 2022 to record three pick-6s in a single game.
“Our defense was our offense today,” said Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi.
The defense was so strong that it didn’t matter much that the Panthers’ high-powered offense spent little time on the field. Eli Holstein threw for 108 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game in the fourth quarter after taking a hit at the end of a designed run.
Narduzzi later mentioned that Holstein “was going to be fine” and that he was held out for the rest of the game as a precaution.
Pitt, which was predicted to finish 13th in the new ACC back in August, improved to 3-0 in the conference and stayed in the race for a spot in the championship game as November begins.
“This was more like a statement game to the ACC and really to everybody,” Lovelace said. “We’re going to shine every week.”
They also got a bit of revenge. Last fall, the Orange had embarrassed Pitt at Yankee Stadium, rushing for 382 yards. With McCord now at quarterback, Syracuse’s offense has changed, and the Panthers enjoyed the chance to even the score.
McCord went 35 of 64 for 327 yards but threw five interceptions as Syracuse (5-2, 2-2) hit its first major obstacle under first-year head coach Fran Brown. The Orange controlled the game in time of possession (41:12 to 18:48) and total yards (327-223), but McCord’s mistakes and their failure to tackle Pitt defenders allowed the Panthers to score.
“This has got to be the best performance all-time on this team,” Louis said. “Somebody’s got to show me something better … We’ve got to get put on a wall or something after that performance.”
