The day was simple. Pitt was the better team and it showed. New Hampshire simply gave up and allowed the Panthers to score over 70 points on them.
Kenny Pickett threw for 403 yards and 5 TD’s and one for a run. Jordan Addison hauled in six passes for 179 yards and three scores and then freshman running back Rodney Hammond ran for 100 yards and reached the end zone three times in what was an extraordinary “turn around” from last week.
Pitt piled up a school record 707 yards and had little trouble against the overmatched Wildcats who were 3-1. The Panther’s 77 points were the most by the Panthers since an 88-0 win over Westminster College in 1927. The team simply liked all the cylinders were running and the teams confidence level was at small time high so to say.
“That’s what it’s supposed to look like,” Pat Narduzzi said, before being asked what the team gained from such a lopsided win. “Nothing. Nothing gained, nothing lost. It’s what you expect to do. That’s the most impressive thing. I think it’s hard to score 77 on air. Our guys went out and executed, but we need to be consistent. It’s got to be that way every Saturday.”
Confidence hadn’t been an issue all season for the offense. Kenny Pickett already has 15 TD passes through the first four games. Something he didn’t last fall too many times. Picket’s 1-yard touchdown dive on the Panthers’ opening drive gave him 17 rushing TD’s for his career, which is the most by a Pitt quarterback ever. Kenny Pickett completed 24/28 passes and led Pitt to scores on their eight possessions with him in the game yesterday before Narduzzi went to the bench to give Pickett quarter off with the game so in control.
N. Hampshire, who Is ranked 22nd in the FCS, saw any hopes of the school’s first win over a Power Five program in 15 years dwindle after falling behind by 4 TD’s in the first 14 minutes. N. Hampshire allowed a “safety” on their opening drive and pretty much set the tone for the next 3 quarters. The Wildcat’s second play was the Panthers DB Damarri Mathis to step in front of a pass by Bret Edwards and run it back for a 35 yard pick-6 that made it 14-0 before five minute has ticked off the game clock. Pitt’s defense would end up giving up 160 yards of offense a week after surrendering 516 to Western Michigan which one was of the more embarrassing games Narduzzi and his staff had under their belts.
The defense was ready to keep the Wildcats in check all afternoon. The two performances; a week apart were not similar in one single way. It truly looked like two different teams with no one resembling anyone from the week before contest.
