Against No. 22 Pitt, Cal Looks to Mend Broken Heart

Oct 10, 20242 min read

Cal Golden Bears vs. Pitt Panthers | Oct. 12, 2024 — © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

A pivotal game in the Atlantic Coast Conference is slated to kick off at 3:30 p.m. EST on Oct. 12 in Pittsburgh, Pa., when the No. 22 Pitt Panthers (5-0, 1-0) host the Cal Golden Bears (3-2, 0-2) in Acrisure Stadium.

While Pitt sails into the game undefeated and with high hopes, Cal faces a pivot point in the middle of its season, following a heartbreaking, controversial loss to the No. 6 Miami Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0) in Week 6.

High Stakes

Coming off a road victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels (3-3, 0-2), a win for the Panthers would keep them undefeated and put the team squarely in the mix to compete for the ACC championship. By contrast, a loss for the Golden Bears would drop them to 0-3 in the conference and dash the prospects of a season that looked very promising when Cal led Miami 35-10 late in the third quarter on Oct. 5.

Prime Pitt Panthers

Nineteen-year-old redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein has exploded on the college football scene, throwing for 1,567 yards and 15 touchdowns in Pitt's first five games. Entering rarified air, Holstein is the first Pitt freshman signal caller to win his first five starts since Dan Marino accomplished the feat in 1979. On Oct. 8, he was named the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week for his stellar performance in the North Carolina game.

Holstein has excelled at distributing the ball to multiple Panther receivers, five of whom have already tallied over 200 receiving yards, led by senior WR Konata Mumpfield's 426 yards and 3 touchdowns, along with junior running back Desmond Reid's 322 receiving yards and 4 TDs. Reid is also the team's leading rusher, with 393 yards and 1 TD on the ground.

On defense, standout defensive back Donovan McMillon, who transferred to Pitt from Florida (3-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) last season, leads the Panthers with 45 tackles. He has also picked off 1 pass and forced 1 fumble.

Crucial Cal Competitors

Until the end of the third quarter in the Miami game, Cal's defense had been rock solid, not allowing any opponent more than 14 points.

Holstein and Pitt will seek to avoid elite Cal cornerback Nohl Williams, the nation's interception leader with 5. In the Miami game, Willimas opened the second half with a dramatic pick-six.

Williams is not the only ballhawk in the Golden Bears' secondary, which has reeled in 11 INTs thus far.

Leaders for Cal on offense include RB Jaydn Ott and QB Fernando Mendoza. Ott rushed for 1,315 yards and 12 TDs last season and scored 2 TDs against the Hurricanes—one on the ground, the other through the air. Mendoza has thrown for 1,177 yards and 7 TDs this season.