PITTSBURGH — This article originally appeared on PittsburghSportsNOW.com.
A week after Pitt’s offense starred, the Panthers’ defense wanted its shine, too.
During a 12-7, rain-soaked win over UCF at home on Saturday night, Pat Narduzzi’s resistance held the Knights to 20 rushing yards on 22 attempts, 4-for-13 on third down and 0-3 on fourth.
The Knights, who scored 73 points in their season-opening win over Bethune-Cookman, couldn’t dent the scoreboard until under three minutes remained in the contest and managed just 206 total yards.
“We’ve gotta get better,” Knights coach Scott Frost told ESPN2 of his side’s ground game at the beginning of the fourth quarter. “It’s kinda too late for that now. We’ve just gotta call the best stuff we’ve got, and try to make some plays. We’ve had some things there and haven’t hit them. … Their blitzes have worked, and we haven’t run the ball.”
On the offensive side of the ball for Pitt, Damon Ferguson Jr., a true freshman and On3’s No. 14 running back in the 2026 class, surprisingly started at running back, as sophomore Ja’Kyrian “Boosie” Turner. Narduzzi told ESPN2 that holding Turner out was “kind of a game-time decision.”
With the help of his blockers — who helped shove him in — Ferguson scored his first collegiate rushing touchdown, from 13 yards out, with 28 seconds remaining in the first half.
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