Pitt leads the all-time series against Syracuse 45-33-3. Tonight is the 82nd meeting in a rivalry that started in 1916, spanned the entire Big East era and carried over into the ACC, and the recent history is lopsided in a way the overall record does not suggest.
| The series | Detail |
|---|---|
| All-time record | Pitt leads 45-33-3 |
| First meeting | 1916 |
| Meetings tonight | The 82nd |
| Last 24 meetings | Pitt has won 20 |
| Since 2018 | Pitt has won seven of eight |
| At Pitt | The Panthers have won 11 consecutive home games in the series |
| Under Pat Narduzzi | Pitt is 9-2 |
| Conference history | Big East rivals for decades, both moved to the ACC, now annual conference opponents again |
| Recent meeting | Result | Note |
|---|---|---|
| October 18, 2025, at Syracuse | Pitt 30, Syracuse 13 | Syracuse recorded seven sacks and held Mason Heintschel to 140 yards, and still lost by 17. It was the third of eight straight Orange losses |
| Tonight, at Pitt | 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | Pitt is 2-0, Syracuse is 1-1. ACC opener for both |
Why the Overall Record Understates It
A 45-33-3 series edge sounds competitive, and for most of the twentieth century it was. What has happened since 2018 is not. Pitt has taken seven of eight and 20 of the last 24, and the Panthers have not lost to Syracuse at home in eleven tries. Pat Narduzzi is 9-2 against the Orange, and tonight he passes Jock Sutherland for the most games ever coached at Pitt, his 144th.
The one thing Syracuse has consistently managed is making it uncomfortable. Last October the Orange sacked Heintschel seven times and held him without a touchdown pass, which remains the worst statistical game of his career, and still lost by 17 because their own quarterback play fell apart with three interceptions. That is the pattern of the modern series: Syracuse finds a way to disrupt Pitt, then gives the game back. Tonight’s matchup details are on our Syracuse vs. Pitt page, and Pitt publishes its series records at Pitt Athletics.
The Bottom Line
Pitt leads 45-33-3 across 81 meetings since 1916, has won 20 of the past 24 and is unbeaten in its last eleven home games in the series. Tonight is the 82nd meeting.