PITTSBURGH — In the renewed “City Game” at Acrisure Stadium, the Pitt Panthers stamped their authority with a 61-9 victory over crosstown rival Duquesne. Sophomore quarterback Eli Holstein set a career night, tossing four touchdown passes and carving up the Dukes’ secondary while piling up 215 yards through the air. From the opening kickoff to the final whistle, Pitt’s depth and speed were on full display, never allowing Duquesne a real chance to gain momentum.
Holstein finished 15-of-23 passing for 215 yards and tacked on 41 rushing yards, highlighting the balanced offensive attack. Redshirt sophomore Cataurus “Blue” Hicks hauled in two of those touchdown catches, including an electrifying one-handed grab for 16 yards that showcased his strong hands and field-stretching ability. Senior wideout Kenny Johnson chipped in with a 78-yard kickoff return that set up a short-field touchdown, underscoring the Panthers’ special-teams prowess.
The defensive front made Duquesne’s offense look one-dimensional, with redshirt junior linebacker Kyle Louis leading the charge by collecting two sacks and constantly hurrying graduate transfer quarterback Tyler Riddell. Pitt forced multiple punts, and its second-string defenders kept the pressure on throughout, stifling any hope of a Dukes comeback. Roaming free safety Josh Deal also broke up a critical third-down pass in the third quarter, halting Duquesne’s lone late-game drive.
Special teams star Desmond Reid stole the spotlight, returning the opening punt 88 yards for a touchdown—the longest punt return in Acrisure Stadium history—and adding a 53-yard rushing score later in the afternoon. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound dynamo, a second-team All-American last year, now has back-to-back season-opening return touchdowns, giving the Panthers instant bursts of scoring and field-position flips that Duquesne simply couldn’t overcome.
Duquesne’s graduate quarterback Tyler Riddell managed 154 yards and tossed a 7-yard touchdown to B.J. Alexander, while Joey Isabella led all receivers with eight catches for 120 yards. Still, those flashes were few and far between against a surging Pitt roster. Next up for the Panthers is a home matchup against Central Michigan, where they’ll look to build on the balanced attack and special-teams fireworks that defined this lopsided opener.
(photo courtesy of Panthers.com)