2 days ago4 min read

Reeling Pitt Panthers Look to Tame Ruthless Clemson Tigers

Pitt RB Desmond Reid — © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The No. 20 Clemson Tigers (7-2, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) will face the Pitt Panthers (7-2, 3-2) at noon EST on Nov. 16 at Accrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa. Positioning in the ACC standings is on the line as Clemson is currently second while Pitt is fifth. Both teams will need help to make the ACC Championship Game, Clemson will need less help than Pitt to get to Charlotte, N.C.

What's at Stake?

Head coach Patt Narduzzi's Pitt Panthers are riding a two-game losing streak, losing at SMU and at home against Virginia. The Panther offense, which stockpiled yards and points to start the season, has struggled since offensive lineman Branson Taylor was lost for the season due to a knee injury sustained against Cal on Oct. 12. The Pitt offensive line, as a whole, has had some injury issues which has added to the drop in offensive production. Quarterback Eli Holstein has also been banged up, leaving two of the last three games early with injuries. Narduzzi usually does not comment on injuries, but when asked about Holstein’s availability against Clemson this week, Narduzzi replied, “Everybody is playing Saturday except Branson Taylor.” The assumption is if Holstein is available, then he will start.

This is Clemson’s ACC regular-season finale; their final two games are at home against The Citadel and South Carolina. Head coach Dabo Swinney’s Tigers picked up a solid road win at Virginia Tech on Nov. 9. QB Cade Klubnik struggled in the first half but finished with 3 TDs. Running back Phil Mafah chipped in 128 yards on the ground. True freshman LB Sammy Brown shined in his first collegiate start. Brown led the Tigers with 8 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1 sack, giving him 9.0 TFLs and 4 sacks so far this season.

Pitt LB Rasheem Biles — © Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Key Players: Pitt Panthers

Offensive: QB Eli Holstein, when he was healthy, was having a very good freshman season. The last three games have been rough as Holstein left both the Syracuse and Virginia games with injuries. Holstein has completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 2,177 yards with 17 TDs and 6 interceptions. He is also second on the team in rushing with 323 yards and 3 TDs. RB Desmond Reid has been the star of Pitt’s offense in both the run game and the passing game. Reid leads Pitt in rushing with 670 yards and 4 TDs. As a pass catcher, Reid has 33 catches for 428 yards and 4 TDs. While Holstein is the offense’s field general, the offense lives and dies with Reid.

Defensive: Linebacker Kyle Louis has had a monster season. The redshirt sophomore is first or second on the team in tackles with 76, tackles for loss with 11, sacks with 5, INTs with 4 and QB hurries with 9. Fellow sophomore LB Rasheem Biles has missed one game this season due to injury. However, the Columbus, Ohio product has been a force for the Panther defense. Biles has registered 59 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, a pick 6 and 2 QB hurries. These two young defensive studs will need to wreak havoc on Klubnik to slow down the Clemson passing game.

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik — © Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Key Players: Clemson Tigers

Offensive: QB Cade Klubnik is in his third year at Clemson and while the results have not been bad, he has not lived up to the hype that a 5-Star QB receives coming out of high school. Klubnik has had a good season so far, completing 63.1 percent of his passes for 2,275 yards with 24 TDs and only 4 INTs. Klubnik also is second on the team in rushing with 300 yards and 4 TDs. The expectations of a 5-Star QB may have skewed how some see Klubnik’s success at Clemson, but he has had a solid season. Klubnik was named a finalist for the Maxwell Award, according to a press release from the Maxwell Football Club. RB Phil Mafah has been a solid compliment to Klubnik on offense, coming up big when the passing game has struggled. Mafah leads the Tigers with 981 rushing yards and 8 TDs. Getting Mafah going early against Pitt’s stout run defense is key to helping open up the passing game for Klubnik.

Clemson LB Wade Woodaz — © Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Defensive: There may not be a better pair of linebackers in college football than Clemson’s Barrett Carter and Wade Woodaz. Carter has logged 43 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Woodaz leads the Tigers with 61 total tackles while adding 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Whether against the run or the pass, this dynamic duo will cause problems for a banged-up Pitt offensive front. If they key on Reid, then it will be a long day for the Panthers’ offense.

Trends to Watch

The Panthers need to right the ship in a hurry if they hope to land a spot in the ACC Championship Game. Unfortunately, the two-game slide they are on has all but eliminated them from contention. Pitt has recorded a victory over a Top 25 team in eight consecutive seasons. More than likely, this is the last chance Pitt will have to extend that streak until the 2024 bowl season. Clemson bounced back with a win last week at Virginia Tech after a loss to Louisville on Nov. 2. The win earned Clemson a three-spot jump in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Nov. 12. The Tigers have some work to do to get back into the playoff picture.