Pitt hosted UMass at Heinz Field for its 2021 season opener on Saturday, and the result was a 51-7 beatdown. As expected, the vaunted Panthers defense led the way, stifling UMass all day long, but Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett and the offense struggled a bit early on before eventually finding their rhythm.
The Panthers saw their first two drives cut short by penalty issues, a few blown-up plays and an A.J. Davis fumble. However, the Davis fumble prompted his benching and saw Israel Abanikanda enter the game. That brought balance to the offense, as Abanikanda and Pickett ran the ball well, opening up passing opportunities.