The 2022 Pitt football schedule was released tonight at 7
PM. The opponents were already known,
but the exact game dates were revealed.
It gave clarity to fans looking to schedule their tailgates for the home
games and for road trips with fellow Pitt fans to away games.
Scroll to the bottom for the Too Long, Didn't Read version.
Non-Conference Schedule
The first four games are more loaded with competition than
previous years. It features two Power-5 opponents,
including the opener, taking place on Thursday, September 1st, that will renew
the rivalry against the West Virginia Mountaineers. Excitement for the program is already at an
all-time high, and opening the season against one of Pitt’s biggest rivals will
keep that excitement going. However, the opener taking place on a Thursday night was certainly not expected and is an odd choice for whomever makes such decisions.
Pitt stays home to take on the Tennessee Volunteers from the
SEC on Saturday, September 10th in the second edition of the Johnny Majors Classic. Pitt beat
Tennessee in their second game this past season in Knoxville. It was a great non-conference win last season
that showed early signs of it being a special season for the Panthers.
After facing the Volunteers, Pitt goes on the road for a
tough non-conference opponent in Western Michigan on Saturday, September 17th. The MAC team beat the Panthers last season,
nearly sucking the air out of the whole year.
Fortunately, Pitt bounced back against New Hampshire in the their third game
of the 2021 season, and they will have a similar opportunity when they take on
Rhode Island at home on Saturday, September 24th.
ACC Opponents
Pitt then begins their ACC Conference schedule the same way they started the 2021 conference season against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Virginia Tech Hokies. It's a nice start that will allow the Panthers to ease into their ACC schedule at Heinz Field on Saturday, October 1st and Saturday, October 8th respectively. Pitt easily took care of business against each of the opponents in 2021 on the road, and should have no problem again with them at home in 2022.
Pitt then has a Week 7 bye during the Saturday, October 15th weekend slate of games.
Week 8 gets the Panthers back on the field against cross divisional opponent, the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday, October 22nd. Pitt plays one Atlantic opponent in the regular season each year and then they will play another in the ACC Championship (hopefully). This sets up back-to-back potential road trip options for Panther fans as Pitt then travels to North Carolina on Saturday, October 29th. Even though Tar Heel quarterback Sam Howell is entering the NFL this upcoming season, the Tar Heels seem to always give Pitt trouble. This will be a tough matchup on the road.
Pitt then returns home, for the first time in three weeks, on Saturday, November 5th to take on the Syracuse Orange. Syracuse has become a punching bag for Pitt and I expect this matchup to be no different.
The Panthers then travel to Virginia on Saturday, November 12th. Virginia is another opponent that always tends to give Pitt trouble, and this difficult task is, again, on the road. Pitt beat Virginia in 2021 to clinch the Coastal division in front of a raucous home crowd. Potentially another great choice for a Pitt football fan road trip.
Week 12 pins Pitt against their other punching bag, the Duke Blue Devils. The game will take place on Saturday, November 19th, will be Pitt's final home game and their Senior Day. Duke went winless in conference play in 2021, and is not expected to be much better in 2022.
Pitt then finishes the season in what will most likely be their most difficult matchup of the season on Saturday, November 26th. The Panthers will travel to Miami to take on a rising Hurricanes squad who has dominated recruiting as of late. This is a very difficult matchup on the road and may decide the Coastal division.
TLDR version:
Thursday, September 1st: vs West Virginia
Saturday, September 10th: vs Tennesee
Saturday, September 17th: @ Western Michigan
Saturday, September 24th: vs Rhode Island
Saturday, October 1st: vs Georgia Tech
Saturday, October 8th: vs Virginia Tech
Saturday, October 15th: Bye Week
Saturday, October 22nd: @ Louisville
Saturday, October 29th: @ North Carolina
Saturday, November 5th: vs Syracuse
Saturday, November 12th: @ Virginia
Saturday, November 19th: vs Duke (Senior Day)
Saturday, November 26th: @ Miami