What they’re saying after NC State’s lopsided loss at Pitt

PITTSBURGH — NC State was determined to start its final five-game stretch of the regular season as a new year. It wasn’t able to get off on the right foot as the Wolfpack lost 53-34 at Pitt on Saturday afternoon inside Acrisure Stadium.

Here is what those who covered the game, including TheWolfpacker.com, are saying about the Pack’s fourth loss of the 2025 campaign.

Noah Fleischman, The Wolfpacker — Why NC State struggled to rattle Pitt QB Mason Heintschel in lopsided loss

“Instead of playing tight coverage on the back end to allow the Wolfpack’s pass rush to get into the backfield to rattle Heintschel, the opposite happened. NC State played loose coverage for most of the afternoon and the former four-star recruit was able to find success in nearly every situation he found himself in — especially in the first half, powering Pitt to 31 points and 319 total yards by halftime. 

“I thought, in the first half in particular, we did not play contested football,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said postgame. “It was way too easy for their quarterback. We played really soft coverage and gave up a lot of things. … We can’t play like that. We can’t give somebody that many yards, that many points in a half and think we’re going to be in the game.”

Heintschel, who was sacked 12 times between his previous two starts at Florida State and Syracuse, was kept clean against NC State’s defense as he moved in the pocket well to evade a few defenders. The Wolfpack failed to post a sack for just the second time this season (a Week 2 win over Virginia being the other) despite generating eight quarterback hurries since Heintschel seemed to always have a receiver open over the middle between multiple defenders. 

The signal-caller, in turn, set a new Pitt freshman single-game record with 423 passing yards and three touchdowns on 28-of-48 passing. He became the first quarterback to throw for more than 400 yards against NC State’s defense since UNC’s Sam Howell logged 401 in the Tar Heels’ 41-10 win over the Wolfpack in 2019 – a season the team clad in red and white finished 4-8.”

Jacey Zembal, The Wolfpacker — Where NC State’s 53-34 loss at Pitt stacks up against other 50-points-allowed losses

“NC State has allowed 50-plus points 10 times since Doeren took over in 2013. Some of the quarterbacks that did it were Florida State’s Jameis Winston in 2014, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson in 2015, Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott in 2015, Louisville’s Lamar Jackson in 2016, Syracuse’s Eric Dungy in 2018, Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond in 2018 and Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence in 2019.

From that group, all but Dungy got drafted, but Winston, Watson, Jackson and Lawrence went in the first round of the NFL Draft.

NC State didn’t allow 50 points between 2020-23, and then got dinged twice last year. Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava guided the Volunteers to a 51-10 win in Charlotte, N.C., and quarterback Cade Klubnik helped Clemson win 59-35 a year ago.

Time will tell where Pittsburgh freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel fits into the list, but the former On3.com four-star prospect lit up NC State for 423 yards and three touchdowns.”

Jadyn Watson-Fisher, News & Observer — What we learned from NC State football’s ACC loss at Pittsburgh

CJ Bailey lacks pop in second consecutive game 

“The sophomore looked like one of the ACC’s best quarterbacks at the start of the season. He played with composure, found his targets with relative ease and limited mistakes. That wasn’t the performance he put on the field in South Bend, and it wasn’t what he showed Saturday in Pittsburgh. 

Bailey went 6 for 6 on the third drive of the game, following two three-and-outs, and looked like himself. The offense had pace and made consistent gains. In addition to those six passes, he ended the second drive with a completion. That seven-pass streak was the only stretch of more than three consecutive completions in the game.

With the rushing game mostly neutralized — Smothers’ explosive touchdown run skewed the averages — the offense relied on a streaky passing game. 

Bailey and the N.C. State offense made gains in the fourth, but it was too late. 

N.C. State’s opportunities are dwindling, and the ones that are left aren’t against easy opponents. Bailey needs to find his groove with more regularity again if the Wolfpack wants a chance to win in the final four games. The defense hasn’t been reliable for most of the season.”

Nathan Breisinger, Pittsburgh Sports Now — Heintschel’s Historic Day Propels Pitt Over NC State, 53-34

“The true freshman Heintschel broke the all-time single-game passing mark for a Pitt freshman quarterback with 423 yards on 28-of-48 to go along with three touchdown passes. It also comes as the sixth-most passing yards for a Pitt quarterback in a game, surpassing Rod Rutherford’s (2003) and Tino Sunseri’s (2011) 419 yards.

Pitt compiled 529 yards of offense, which included two 100-yard receivers. Kenny Johnson pulled in seven passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. Cataurus Hicks caught four passes for 120 yards and a lengthy 84-yard touchdown reception.

The Panthers defense entered the game without their top two linebackers in Rasheem Biles and Kyle Louis, along with primary backup Nick Lapi. Outside of a few explosive scores, Pitt stood tall on defense forcing four three-and-outs, a fumble recovery and three turnover on downs.”

Abby Schnable, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Pitt’s Mason Heintschel throws for over 400 yards in high-scoring win over NC State

“Heintschel was displeased by his performance last weekend, but he had quite the rebound performance against the Wolfpack. He went 28 for 48 and threw for a career-high 423 yards with three passing touchdowns. He’s the first Pitt quarterback to throw for 400 or more yards in a single game since Kenny Pickett in 2021. It’s also the most passing yards by a freshman quarterback in Pitt history and becomes the sixth highest in a single game by a Panthers quarterback.

“He makes plays,” Narduzzi said. “He’s getting the ball out of his hand. He gave up zero sacks and throws 40-some times. He just knows where to go with the ball. Mason is making plays, and guys are going to rally around those guys that make everybody look good.”