Not every win is going to be pretty. Sometimes you just have to survive.

That’s exactly what Pitt did Saturday afternoon.

In a game that started late because of a 65-minute weather delay and was played in a steady downpour on a sloppy field, Pitt found a way to grind out a 12-7 victory over UCF at Acrisure Stadium.

Forget style points. Take the win and move on.

After Pitt opened the season by putting up 59 points against Miami (Ohio), this game couldn’t have looked more different.

The offense never really found a rhythm. The weather clearly played a role. The football was wet, the field was sloppy and neither team could consistently generate much offensively.

But Pitt’s defense showed up.

And ultimately, that was enough.

 

Pitt’s Defense Won This Game

If you want to know why Pitt is 2-0, start with the defense.

UCF came into Pittsburgh after scoring 73 points in its season opener. Against Pitt, the Knights couldn’t do anything for most of the afternoon.

Pitt held UCF to just 20 rushing yards on 22 attempts.

That’s domination.

The Knights averaged less than one yard per carry and finished with only 206 total yards. Pitt also recorded three sacks and eight tackles for loss.

Most importantly, UCF didn’t score until there were less than four minutes remaining in the game.

For almost the entire afternoon, Pitt’s defense controlled things. That matters because the offense wasn’t giving the defense much breathing room.

 

A Completely Different Game for Mason Heintschel

A week ago, Mason Heintschel looked unstoppable. He threw seven touchdown passes and 453 yards in Pitt’s 59-14 win over Miami (Ohio).

Saturday was completely different.

Heintschel finished 18-of-29 for 212 yards without a touchdown.

But I’m not putting too much into the offensive numbers from this game. Those conditions were terrible.

When you’re playing quarterback in a steady downpour with a wet football and receivers trying to make cuts and catches on a slick field, you’re not going to see the same offense you would under normal circumstances.

Sometimes you have to understand the game you’re playing and find another way to win.

Pitt did.

 

Damon Ferguson Jr. Provided the Touchdown

Pitt didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard.

The Panthers got a field goal and a safety before Damon Ferguson Jr. finally gave them some breathing room late in the first half.

Ferguson finished with 59 rushing yards on 20 carries and scored Pitt’s only touchdown, giving the Panthers a 12-0 halftime lead.

Even the running game struggled overall. Pitt rushed for 103 yards but averaged only 2.4 yards per attempt.

Again, it was just that type of afternoon. Ugly. Wet. Sloppy. Survive.

 

UCF Made It Interesting Late

The frustrating part for Pitt is that a game it controlled defensively for almost four quarters suddenly became uncomfortable.

UCF quarterback Alonza Barnett III connected with Waden Charles for a 19-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, cutting Pitt’s lead to 12-7.

Then Pitt couldn’t put the game away offensively.

That gave UCF one final opportunity to steal a game Pitt had controlled most of the afternoon. This is where the defense had to make one more play.

And it did.

With UCF facing fourth down on its final possession, DeMarco Ward and Jeremiah Marcelin combined for the game-ending sack.

Ballgame.

 

Sometimes You Just Take the Win

There will be plenty for Pitt to clean up.

The offense wasn’t good enough. You don’t want to consistently put your defense in a position where one late touchdown can beat you.

But I’m also not going to overreact to an offensive performance in weather like this. The bigger takeaway for me is Pitt’s defense.

Holding a Power Four opponent to 20 rushing yards is impressive regardless of the weather.

And through two games, Pitt’s defense has now allowed opponents to rush for only 48 total yards.

That’s something worth watching.

Last week Pitt showed it could win by lighting up the scoreboard. This week Pitt showed it could win when everything was ugly.

That’s college football.

You’re not scoring 59 every Saturday. Sometimes the rain comes down, the field turns into a mess, your offense struggles and you have to find another way.

Pitt found one.

12-7. It wasn’t pretty.

But 2-0 looks exactly the same in the standings.