Pittsburgh Upsets Florida State in Close Conference Showdown

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — True freshman quarterback, Heintschel, threw for 321 yards and connected on two touchdown passes on Saturday, leading Pittsburgh to a 34-31 victory over No. 25 Florida State. This loss marked the Seminoles’ third consecutive defeat in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Heintschel, who completed 21 of 29 passes, faced challenges early with two second-quarter interceptions. Nevertheless, Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi praised his resilience. “He’s a football player and he didn’t lose any faith,” Narduzzi said. “He fought back and didn’t care about the interceptions.”

Pittsburgh’s wide receiver Reid was a standout in the game, recording eight catches for 155 yards and contributing ten carries for 38 yards. The Panthers entered the game as 11.5-point underdogs, marking the largest upset since their 2017 win against No. 2 Miami.

On the opposite side, Florida State struggled after a strong start to the season. With a record of 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the conference, FSU coach Mike Norvell expressed frustration, stating, “You have to talk about accountability… but we got to do it over the course of the game.”

Sebastian, the Florida State quarterback, completed 16 of 23 passes for 245 yards and threw two touchdown passes to Danzy, showcasing a strong performance despite the defeat. Norvell noted, “We had our opportunities. We didn’t do enough to overcome the negative plays.”

With the game on the line, Florida State briefly led 24-21 on a field goal before allowing Pittsburgh to respond with a touchdown, effectively sealing their fate. Norvell’s team will have to regroup and address their mistakes as they prepare for upcoming challenges.