Pitt trailed by 20 points in its Week 2 game against Cincinnati last September 9 at Acrisure Stadium but came up short in the end.

This year, the Panthers finished the job.

OK, it was a different Week 2 game and a different venue (Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio). But the opponent was the same, and Pitt actually trailed the Bearcats by 21 points (27-6) late in the third period of 2024’s edition of the River City Rivalry on Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers fast-paced offense under new OC Kade Bell, which tallied 55 points in a Week 1 victory over Kent State, was stymied for most of the day against Cincinnati’s defense. Pitt moved the football well enough, but it kept shooting itself in the foot, starting on the very first drive when red-shirt freshman Eli Holstein threw an interception in the end zone on second and seven from the Cincinnati 26.

The Bearcats parlayed that break into a four-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 52-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brendon Sorsby to receiver Jamoi Mayes to make it 7-0.

The Panthers moved the ball again on their second drive, but it stalled at the Cincinnati 29-yard line. Kicker Ben Sauls, possibly Pitt’s best player, successfully connected on a 47-yard field goal to make it 7-3.

Cincinnati then marched 75 yards on six plays and increased its lead to 14-3 on a five-yard touchdown from Sorsby to receiver Tony Johnson.

The Bearcats extended their lead to 14 points when kicker Carter Brown connected from 49 yards out midway through the second quarter.

A sequence of events then unfolded late in the first half that would prove vital at game’s end.

Cincinnati marched deep into Panthers’ territory only for its drive to stall at the seven; Brown then missed a chip-shot field goal from 25 yards away. There were only 23 seconds left before halftime, but instead of just being satisfied with dodging a bullet and a three-score deficit, Pitt’s offense went on the attack. Holstein connected with running back Desmond Reid for a 20-yard pass to the Panthers’ 40. Moments later, Holstein found receiver Konata Mumpfield for 25 yards down to the Cincinnati 35-yard-line. There was only one second left, but Pitt was able to call its last time out before trotting Sauls out to try a 53-yard field goal which was good, and made the score 17-6 at the break.

If that was the spark the Panthers needed, it didn’t ignite their offense at the start of the third quarter. Following a 54-yard kickoff return by Kenny Johnson which set the unit up at the Bearcats 49, Pitt gained just seven yards on three downs before deciding to go for it on fourth and three from the Cincinnati 42. The result: An incomplete pass and a turnover on downs.

Cincinnati immediately drove 58 yards on 10 plays and took a 24-6 lead on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Sorsby to tight end Joe Royer midway through the third quarter.

Following a Pitt three and out, the Bearcats extended their lead to three touchdowns on a 26-yard field goal by Brown with 4:50 left in the third quarter.

The Panthers found life on their ensuing possession by marching 75 yards on 10 plays and closed the gap to 14 points when Holstein connected with Mumpfield on an 11-yard score with 46 seconds left in the third period.

The Panthers’ defense then forced Cincinnati to punt for the first time since its first possession of the game. The offense used this momentum to march 82 yards on a seven-play drive that ended when Holstein connected with Mumpfield for a 38-yard touchdown catch and run on fourth and three. Pitt went for two and failed, but it was now a one-score game.

Pitt forced another punt, and the offense continued to gash the Bearcats’ defense. The Panthers quickly drove from their own six to their 44 before Holstein hit Reid with a pass, and the speedy back did most of the heavy lifting on a 56-yard touchdown to draw the visitors to within two points with 5:40 remaining in regulation. The Panthers again went for two and failed, so now it was up to the defense to give the offense one last chance to complete the comeback.

The defense obliged by getting a stop on third and three from the Pitt 48 with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Following a Bearcats punt into the end zone, Pitt had the ball at its own 20 with 2:37 remaining.

After a couple of first downs, Pitt had the ball at its own 47 with less than a minute to go. Holstein then connected with Mumpfield for 34 yards down to the Cincinnati 19.

The Panthers gained six yards on first down but lost those six yards when Holstein was sacked on second down. Following a two-yard run by Derrick Davis on third and nine, Sauls was called on to kick a 35-yard field goal, and the lefty’s try was true.

The Panthers had their first lead of the day with just 17 seconds left and would hold on to it for a 28-27 victory to improve their record to 2-0 on the young season.

It was the Panthers’ largest comeback win since they stormed back from a 35-10 deficit to defeat Navy way back in 1971.

After a shaky first half, Holstein finished the day with 302 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Reid continued to be a dual threat, as he totaled 254 yards on offense–including 148 rushing yards on 19 carries and 106 yards and a score on six receptions.

Mumpfield tallied 154 receiving yards and two touchdowns on five receptions.

As for Pitt’s defense? It had its hands full with the Bearcats offense, allowing 449 yards and 27 points. However, it got tough right as Holstein and Co. got hot and forced three punts and a fumble on Cincinnati’s last four possessions.

Speaking of momentum, the Panthers will now look to carry the momentum of their huge comeback win into next Saturday afternoon when they take on West Virginia at Acrisure Stadium in the latest edition of the Backyard Brawl.