Pitt Football Punches Ticket With Dynamic ACC Win

Even the oddsmakers were expecting a crazy offensive shootout in the ACC Championship. But, when all was said and done, it was the defense that locked up game. Pitt football delivered the program’s first title since joining the conference after their initial shot in 2018. It was the high powered offenses, as expected, that got the game rocking. Both Pitt and Wake Forest delivered in the first half with four drives culminating in touchdowns. For the vast majority of fans watching it was turning into the offensive juggernaut that had been predicted.

After seeing the Sam Hartman led Wake Forest offense pick apart their defense for three first quarter scores Pitt’s defense made the necessary adjustments to put the cork back in the genie’s bottle. The next 13 drives Wake Forest could not break into the end zone. Part of the key was rushing Hartman and containing him. Pitt ended up with five sacks on the Deacon’ s beleaguered quarterback and effectively extinguishing their jet-fueled offense. The course correction limited Wake Forest to 295 total yards with 109 coming after the first quarter.

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Pitt QB Kenny Pickett delivered three touchdowns including a 58 yard run that has created plenty of conversation in regard to his ‘fake slide’ that stymied Wake’s defense. Panther fans greeted Pickett at the conclusion of the game repeatedly shouting, “Kenny Heisman”. That’s another area in which there is plenty of conversation with the feeling that at the least the Pitt quarterback should be invited to New York for the final ceremonies of the Heisman Trophy.

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“If you want to go by pure numbers, Pickett should be lifting that trophy. Pitt isn’t going to the CFP, but it would’ve gone nowhere without the senior quarterback. Pickett threw for 4,066 yards and 40 touchdowns, with just seven interceptions, in the regular season. He led the Panthers to the ACC title, their first ever conference championship in the group. Pickett also added five rushing scores. He did as much if not more than Young with substantially lesser supporting talent.”
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When it came to the ACC Football Championship’s MVP, that honor went to a Pitt football defensive player. Erick Hallett II returned one of four interceptions by the Pitt defense for a touchdown. The pick-six was close behind A.J. Woods’ 75 yard interception return earlier in the fourth quarter that fell three yards short of a score. Those two interceptions felt like the final nails for Wake Forest as Pitt’s defense took complete control of the game. Final score: Pitt 45 Wake Forest 21.

What’s next for the top two teams in the ACC?

Thursday, December 30
Peach Bowl – #10 Michigan State vs #12 Pittsburgh Atlanta 7:00pm ESPN
Friday, December 31
Gator Bowl – Wake Forest vs Texas A&M 11:00am ESPN

Early consensus odds (VegasInsider.com 12/06/21) for each game.

Michigan State -3 1/2
Wake Forest -4 1/2