Florida State football is seeking its first ACC win and to snap a two-game losing skid, hosting Pitt on Saturday, Oct. 11, at Doak Campbell Stadium, with kickoff set for noon.
The Seminoles (3-2, 0-2 ACC) have lost consecutive games, falling to No. 19 Virginia and No. 2 Miami after starting the season 3-0. Pitt (3-2, 1-1) is coming off a 48-7 win over Boston College, turning to freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel to find a spark.
Tallahassee Democrat FSU Athletics beat reporter Liam Rooney breaks down the conference matchup.
Pitt scouting report: What to know about the Panthers
With the ball: The Panthers are going to throw the football, averaging 307 passing yards per game, and the duo of Raphael Williams Jr. and Kenny Johnson have been the key players in the pass game. The Panthers have a strong run game when running back Desmond Reid is healthy, and if he returns from injury, he’ll be a threat for an explosive play against the Seminoles’ defense. In three games, he has posted 142 rushing yards and a touchdown. With Heintschel under center, Pitt has a quarterback who can run the football if he needs, but also uncork a deep pass to one of Williams or Johnson, or even a familiar name to FSU fans in Duece Spann.
Without the ball: The Panthers have historically had a strong defense under head coach Pat Narduzzi, and that’s no different this season. Pitt’s defense is ranked 22nd in the nation, and they allow only 64.6 rushing yards per game, with 227.2 passing yards per game. At the heart of it are linebackers Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles, who form a formidable duo in both run-stopping and coverage schemes. The Panthers’ defense has generated 109 pressures on opposing quarterbacks, an area FSU has struggled to defend against after allowing 42 pressures against Miami.
Pitt players to watch
Mason Heintschel, a dynamic true freshman QB: With turnover issues from Eli Holstein, the Panthers turned to the true freshman Heintschel against Boston College. Any questions of readiness were quickly dispelled as he threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns, while going 31-of-40 on pass attempts. A spectacular introduction to the collegiate stage, and one that sets lofty expectations for his first road game against the Seminoles. He’s capable of connecting on the deep ball, and he’s more than comfortable at getting out of the pocket and creating with his legs. A dual-threat, Heintschel is a new challenge for the FSU defense to face.
Kyle Louis, an NFL-ready linebacker: One of the most dynamic linebackers in college football, Louis has the abilitiy to blow up plays on his own. Strong in pass coverage and in run defense, Louis has posted 17 tackles, two sacks, an interception and has forced a fumble this season, while grading out at 74.9 according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). When he’s on the field, the Panthers’ defense has a chance to make a play, simply because of the pressure he puts on opposing offenses.
Liam Rooney’s two cents
Get back to a dominant run game: The Seminoles’ early-season success was predicated on the success of the run game, and if FSU is going to get back to winning games, the ground attack needs to step up against the Panthers. The Seminoles have the second-ranked rush offense in the country, with 295.4 yards per game, and getting players like Gavin Sawchuk and Ousmane Kromah involved early will give FSU a needed boost. Pair those two with quarterback Tommy Castellanos’s ability to create outside of the pocket, the Seminoles will be hard to stop, despite the Panthers’ second-ranked run defense.
Seminoles’ defense needs turnovers: With a freshman quarterback making his first start on the road, the Seminoles’ defensive line needs to get pressure home and force quick or wild throws from Heintschel, which could open the door for turnovers. Be it in the fashion the defense picked off Chandler Morris three times in the loss to Virginia, forcing the quarterback to make dangerous throws or be hit, or jarring the ball loose and forcing a fumble, an area the defense has struggled with this season, FSU needs to win the turnover battle and get the ball back in the hands of Castellanos and the offense as quick as possible.
Liam Rooney’s score prediction
Winning ways return to Doak, but not as comfortably as the scoreline I predicted suggests. The Panthers are a good team, and a tough test for the Seminoles coming off back-to-back losses, but a pair of late turnovers allows FSU to pull away as the offense gets back to its best in the ground game, and frustrates one of the nation’s best run defenses.
The pick: FSU 42, Pitt 27
How to watch FSU football vs. Pitt
When: Saturday, Oct. 11, noon
Where: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida
Watch: ESPN
Watch FSU vs. Pitt with a free trial on Fubo!
FSU football 2025 schedule
Games with an asterisk are ACC games.
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football prediction, scouting report vs. Pitt, can Seminoles snap losing streak?
Reporting by Liam Rooney, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
