Pat Narduzzi got just about everything he desired in Pitt’s Week 1 dismantling of Duquesne, a 52-point victory.
His offense scored plenty of points, the defense was stout and special teams produced more than a few impactful splash plays.
But a new challenge arrived at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday in Central Michigan, a Mid-American Conference squad that brought a unique offensive look and won its own season opener a week ago at San Jose State.
While Chippewas coach Matt Drinkall’s halftime adjustments made things interesting for a bit, Pitt did not allow its opponent’s momentum to snowball, instead coming away with a 45-17 win to move to 2-0.
Last week against the Dukes, receivers Blue Hicks and Kenny Johnson shined, but Saturday, it was Poppi Williams’ turn, as he hauled in six passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
Tailback Desmond Reid added 179 all-purpose yards (46 rushing, 69 receiving, 64 on punt return).
Quarterback Eli Holstein, despite throwing an interception for the second straight week, was largely solid, completing 21 of 28 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns.
The Panthers outgained Central Michigan, 464-217. The Chippewas managed only 46 first-half yards.
Pitt started fast, as Williams hauled in a 3-yard pass from Holstein for a touchdown just over three minutes into the opening quarter.
Williams made three catches for 29 yards on the Panthers’ first possession, and Reid added another two grabs, gaining 36 yards on the seven-play, 72-yard scoring drive.
Capitalizing on a Pitt turnover on downs, the Chippewas marched downfield methodically, covering 53 yards over 12 plays before settling a 41-yard field goal by Cade Graham.
That made it 7-3 Pitt with 12:22 left in the second quarter.
The Panthers scored on their ensuing drive, with Holstein finding tight end Justin Holmes from 12 yards to make it 14-3 with 11:03 to go before halftime.
Holmes, starting in place of Jake Overman, who did not dress Saturday, recorded his first collegiate touchdown on a drive that featured 18- and 19-yard receptions by Johnson and Hicks.
Defensively, Pitt was also without a starter in cornerback Rashad Battle, who was replaced by Shadarian Harrison.
Harrison finished with nine tackles in his first college start.
After Holmes’ score and an unproductive Chippewas possession, Central Michigan punted, and Reid returned it 20 yards.
Starting at their own 48-yard line with nine minutes remaining in the half, Deuce Spann hauled in a pass for 20 yards, and Reid caught a floater from Holstein for another 21, putting Pitt at the 2-yard line.
Then, on first-and-goal, Holstein threw his third touchdown pass of the afternoon, hitting tight end Josh Altsman, a Central Catholic graduate playing in only his second collegiate game, for his first career score.
The short touchdown made the score 21-3, capping a six-play, 52-yard drive with 6:40 left before halftime.
Central Michigan continued its luckless streak on offense after Altsman’s score, punting the ball following a fruitless drive that Zach Crothers helped shut down by recording Pitt’s first sack of the afternoon.
Holstein and the offense responded by taking a 24-3 lead with just over two minutes in the half, thanks to a 43-yard field goal from walk-on true freshman Trey Butkowski, who set a career long.
Pitt attempted to close out the first half with some additional points, but it quickly turned into a short-field scoring opportunity for Central Michigan when linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski intercepted Holstein at the Panthers 31, returning it 18 yards.
Holstein’s pick led to a touchdown by the Chippewas, who showed a sign of life with 9 seconds remaining in the first half, as quarterback Jadyn Glasser punched it in from the 2-yard line to make the score 24-10.
Whatever adjustments Drinkall made at halftime, they paid off in the third quarter, as Central Michigan embarked on an 11-play, 63-yard touchdown drive that ate up more than seven minutes.
On its most effective drive of the afternoon, Central Michigan converted a pair of fourth-and-4 tries, one from Pitt’s 41-yard line and another from the Pitt 27, before Joe Labas hit tight end Decorion Temple for a 6-yard score.
With 3:01 left in the quarter, Pitt’s lead had shrunk to 24-17.
However, less than a minute later, the Panthers answered, as Holstein found Williams for a 48-yard score after Johnson returned Central Michigan’s kickoff past midfield.
Holstein’s fourth touchdown made it 31-17 Panthers with 2:15 to go in the quarter.
On the Chippewas’ ensuing drive, they converted their third fourth-down try of the second half and advanced to midfield, but a fourth fourth-down attempt was unsuccessful.
That was thanks to Francis Brewu forcing a fumble of Labas, which Kyle Louis recovered at the Chippewas’ 46-yard line.
Pitt’s first play post-turnover was a 40-yard completion to Williams before Juelz Goff punched it in from 2 yards, putting the Panthers up 38-17 with 10:34 to play.
Central Michigan managed to move the ball on its next drive, advancing as far as Pitt’s 20-yard line, but the Panthers’ got good pressure on the quarterback, with Crothers, Joey Zelinsky and Isaiah Neal getting in on sacks to force a turnover on downs with 3:05 to go.
Freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel relieved Holstein from there.
Fellow freshman Ja’Kyrian Turner scored a 2-yard touchdown with 45 seconds remaining, capping an eight-play, 69-yard scoring drive, making it 45-17.