Pitt walked into one of the toughest environments in the ACC Friday night and walked out still undefeated.

But the Panthers may have paid a significant price to get there.

Pitt survived Virginia Tech, 35-33, at Lane Stadium to improve to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in ACC play, overcoming an early 14-point deficit and holding on when Virginia Tech missed a potential game-winning field goal in the final seconds.

The victory should have Pitt fans excited about where this season could be headed.

The injury to starting quarterback Mason Heintschel, however, could completely change the conversation.

 

Pitt Shows Some Fight

This wasn’t Pitt’s 59-0 demolition of Bucknell from a week ago. This was a fight.

Virginia Tech jumped on Pitt immediately, scoring two touchdowns in the opening five minutes and building a 14-0 advantage. Lane Stadium was rocking, and for the first time this season, the Panthers looked like a team that might be in serious trouble.

They responded.

Ja’Kyrian Turner got Pitt on the board with a 20-yard touchdown run, and La’Vell Wright later scored from a yard out. Heintschel then connected with Cataurus “Blue” Hicks for a 22-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, cutting Virginia Tech’s halftime advantage to 24-21.

For a team that had dominated most of its first four opponents, Pitt showed something different Friday night.

It showed it could take a punch.

 

Then Everything Changed

On Pitt’s opening possession of the second half, Heintschel scrambled toward the sideline and was tackled short of the first-down marker.

He stayed down.

The sophomore quarterback eventually needed assistance getting to the locker room and did not return. He was later seen on crutches on the sideline.  Heintschel finished 10-of-18 passing for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Until Pitt provides additional medical information, the exact severity and timetable remain unknown. But considering how important Heintschel has become to this offense, his status now becomes arguably the biggest storyline surrounding Pitt’s season.

Before Friday, Heintschel had thrown for 1,191 yards and 13 touchdowns through four games and was coming off a 403-yard, six-touchdown performance against Bucknell.

Pitt isn’t simply losing a starting quarterback if Heintschel misses significant time. It could be losing the player around whom this offense has been built.

 

Holden Geriner Answers the Call

Backup quarterback Holden Geriner suddenly found himself responsible for protecting Pitt’s undefeated season. And he delivered when Pitt needed him most.

Geriner completed 8 of 12 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown, including a 29-yard scoring strike to Hicks early in the fourth quarter that pushed Pitt’s advantage to 35-24.

That touchdown became enormous.

Virginia Tech refused to go away.

The Hokies recorded a safety and followed it with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Grunkemeyer to Davion Brown, cutting Pitt’s lead to 35-33.

Virginia Tech eventually drove into position for one final opportunity to win it. John Love lined up for a field goal with three seconds remaining.

He missed. Pitt survived.

 

Winning Ugly Still Counts

The statistics won’t necessarily tell you Pitt was the better team Friday night.

Virginia Tech piled up 499 yards of offense compared with Pitt’s 295. Grunkemeyer threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns.

But Pitt’s defense created four turnovers, including two interceptions and two recovered fumbles. That was the difference.

Good teams aren’t going to dominate every Saturday—or Friday night. Sometimes championship-caliber seasons require surviving games where almost everything seems to be going against you.

Pitt did exactly that.

The Panthers fell behind 14-0. Their starting quarterback went down. Virginia Tech accumulated nearly 500 yards. The Hokies had a chance to win the game on the final play.

And Pitt still left Blacksburg 5-0.

 

The Season Suddenly Has a Different Question

Pitt has earned the right to enjoy this one.

The Panthers are undefeated through five games and have now won their first two ACC contests. A team that entered the season with questions surrounding it suddenly has a zero in the loss column heading deeper into October.

But the celebration comes with uncertainty.

The question is no longer simply: How good can Pitt be this season?

Now it’s: How long will the Panthers have to play without Mason Heintschel—and can they keep winning if he’s out for an extended period?

Geriner showed Friday night that Pitt can survive without its starting quarterback for a half.

If Heintschel’s injury turns out to be significant, Pitt may soon find out whether it can survive without him for much longer.

For tonight, though, one thing is certain. Pitt is 5-0.

And sometimes surviving is just as important as dominating.