PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh linebackers coach Ryan Manalac nicknamed his group “The Sharks” during training camp, an ode to their relentlessness and hunger.

Manalac's players bought into it. And on Thursday night, the 19th-ranked Panthers and The Sharks' middle defense sent a message to Syracuse and the rest of the ACC that Pitt's undefeated start is no fluke.

Rasheem Biles, Kyle Louis and Braylan Lovelace — all linebackers — returned interceptions for touchdowns in the first half as the Panthers beat Syracuse 41-13.

“This 'Shark' stuff is really a movement,” said Biles, whose 35-yard score just over two minutes later set the tone. “It’s really deep for us. … It just shows how much work we put in, how good we are, … it gives us joy.”

They're not the only ones. The Panther Pitt student section at Acrisure Stadium is littered with Sharks gear, including fans in full costumes. They celebrated together after Lovelace's 33-yard dash to the end zone gave Pitt a 31-0 lead late in the second quarter.

“We're proud to be called 'The Sharks,'” said Louis, who rushed 59 yards for a score midway through the first quarter. “If you’re going to come in here, you’d better learn to swim.”

Syracuse (5-2, 2-2) didn't get it done as Pitt improved to 7-0 for the first time since 1982 behind a defense that harassed Kyle McCord from the start and never let up.

The Ohio State transfer threw a pick on each of Syracuse's first three possessions, with Biles and Louis scoring on two of them. The other came with linebacker Brandon George lying on his stomach and plucking a deflected ball out of the air just before it hit the ground.

The Panthers were barely finished. When Lovelace sniffed a screen late and ran into the end zone, the Panthers became the first team since Southern California in 2022 to have three pick-6s in a game.

“Our defense was our offense today,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said.

The defense was so dominant that it hardly mattered that the Panthers' strong offense was rarely on the field. Eli Holstein passed for 108 yards and two touchdowns before exiting in the fourth quarter after taking a hit at the end of a designed quarterback run.

Narduzzi said afterwards that Holstein “would be fine” and held out the rest of the game as a precaution.

Pitt — picked to finish 13th in the new-look ACC in August — improved to 3-0 in the league and remained in contention for a spot in the conference championship game entering November.

“This was more of a statement game for the ACC and really for everyone,” Lovelace said. “We will shine every week.”

And earn a little payback in the process. The Orange embarrassed Pitt last fall at Yankee Stadium when they ran for 382 yards. Syracuse's offense underwent a major transformation with McCord behind center, and the Panthers relished the chance to tie the score.

McCord finished 35 of 64 for 327 yards with five interceptions as Syracuse (5-2, 2-2) got its first major speed bump under first-year head coach Fran Brown. The Orange dominated in time of possession (41:12 to 18:48) and total yards (327-223), but were undone by McCord's errors and inability to attack Pitt defenders on their way to the end zone.

“This has to be the best performance ever on this team,” Louis said. “Someone needs to show me something better…We need to be put up against a wall or something after this performance.”

The takeaway food

Syracuse: It wasn't just the interceptions that doomed the Orange, it was the penalties as well. Syracuse was flagged eight times for 70 yards, including a hard tackle on the passer in the second quarter that negated an interception in Pitt territory that could have brought the Orange back into the game.

Pitt: The Panthers relied heavily on first-year offensive coordinator Kade Bell's fast-paced offense while winning their first five games. The defense, long Pitt's calling card during Pat Narduzzi's 10-year tenure, has returned to form, although many challenges remain if Pitt hopes to return to the ACC title game for the second time in four years.

Impact on the survey

Expect the Panthers to rise a bit next week when the new poll is released on Sunday. The Orange also placed second among teams that also received votes this week, but expect their number of supporters to drop dramatically.

Next

Syracuse: Hosts Virginia Tech on November 2nd.

Pitt: November 2nd at No. 22 SMU.

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