BCSNN — In a game that swung wildly for four quarters and ended with every fan in Acrisure Stadium holding their breath, Pittsburgh escaped with a 35–33 victory over Virginia Tech on Friday night after Hokies kicker John Love missed a 36‑yard field goal as time expired. The Panthers remained unbeaten, improving to 5–0, but only after surviving one of the most dramatic finishes of the ACC season.

Virginia Tech (4–1, 1–1 ACC) had marched 62 yards in the final minutes, converting twice on third down and once on fourth, setting up Love for a potential game‑winner. His kick sailed wide left, triggering a roar from the Pitt sideline and a collective exhale from a crowd that had watched the Panthers rally from a 14‑0 deficit and then cling to the lead in the closing moments.

“It was a roller coaster,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “Our guys rode the wave and never gave in. Faith and belief - that’s what this football team’s got.”

The Panthers needed every ounce of that belief after losing starting quarterback Mason Heintschel to an injury on the fourth play of the second half. Backup Holden Geriner, celebrating his 23rd birthday, stepped in and delivered a crucial 29‑yard touchdown pass to Cataurus Hicks early in the fourth quarter, pushing Pitt’s lead to 35–24.

Virginia Tech refused to fold. Hokies quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for a career‑high 434 yards, including a 28‑yard touchdown strike to Davion Brown with 10:07 remaining to cut the deficit to 35–33. The Hokies’ defense forced a punt, giving Grunkemeyer one more chance to steal the game, but Pitt’s defense held just long enough to force the field‑goal attempt.

The Hokies dominated early, racing to a 14‑0 lead and controlling the first half until a momentum‑shifting interception by Pitt linebacker Cameron Lindsey. His pick set up a 22‑yard touchdown pass from Heintschel to Hicks with 31 seconds left in the half, trimming the deficit to 24–21 and igniting Pitt’s comeback.

That turnover was the first of four Virginia Tech giveaways, and Pitt turned those mistakes into 14 points - a decisive swing in a game decided by two.

Pitt opened the second half with a 15‑yard touchdown run by Damon Ferguson Jr., taking its first lead at 28–24. Geriner’s touchdown pass extended the margin, but the Hokies kept answering, refusing to let the game slip away despite the turnovers.

“We had a chance to win it at the end,” Virginia Tech coach James Franklin said. “Everyone is going to focus on the last play, but there are going to be 20 plays we could have made to put ourselves in a better position.”

Geriner finished 8‑of‑12 for 78 yards and a touchdown in relief, while Heintschel was seen on crutches after the game. Geriner said he is prepared to take over if needed. “This is what I’ve prayed for my whole life,” he said. “My thoughts and prayers are with Mason.”

For Pitt, the win marks the program’s second 5–0 start in three seasons and keeps the Panthers among the ACC’s three remaining unbeaten teams. For Virginia Tech, the loss will sting - a missed kick, a missed opportunity, and a night when the Hokies outgained Pitt 499–295 but couldn’t finish the job.

Pitt hosts North Carolina on Oct. 10, celebrating the 50th anniversary of its 1976 national championship team.