Pitt beat Virginia, three key plays from the win. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The Panthers defense is now closing games out under Pat Narduzzi. Attendance issues at Heinz Field.

• Owning a 4-1 overall record and 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference mark, Pitt hits the road for the fourth time in six games when it visits Georgia Tech. The Panthers are tied for first in the Coastal Division with Duke.
• Pitt is eyeing its first 5-1 start since 2009. The Panthers have not won their opening three league games since 2010 when they were in the Big East. Pitt is 2-0 in the ACC for the first time.
• Although the Yellow Jackets are 2-4, their losses are to teams with a combined 19-3 record. Georgia Tech lost at No. 6 Clemson, 43-24, last week. The Panthers are 0-2 against Georgia Tech since joining the ACC in 2013.
• It will be strength against strength when Pitt’s nationally ranked defense faces the Yellow Jackets’ prolific rushing attack. Pitt ranks sixth nationally in rushing defense, yielding just 84.8 yards per game. Georgia Tech is producing 271.7 yards on the ground to lead the ACC and rank ninth nationally.
• The Panthers lead the country in quarterback sacks with an average of 4.20 per contest. Pitt has collected 21 sacks in five games, already two more than it had in 13 games last season (19 sacks for an average of 1.46 per game).
• Pitt ranks seventh nationally in total defense, giving up just 264.6 yards per game. The Panthers surrendered an average of 359.8 yards last year.
• On the other side of the ball, Pitt features a viable All-America and ACC Offensive Player of the Year candidate in receiver Tyler Boyd. The junior leads the ACC in receptions (8.25 avg.) and is second in receiving yards (82.0 avg.). Boyd is the nation’s active career leader with 6.53 catches per contest.
• Tyler Boyd needs seven receptions to become the most prolific pass catcher in Pitt history. Boyd has 196 career receptions, second only to Devin Street, who had 202 for the Panthers from 2010-13.

SERIES NOTES
This is the 10th meeting between Pitt and Georgia Tech in a series that began in 1918…Pitt leads the overall series, 5-4, but has lost each of the past two games…the Panthers are 3-1 in games played in Pittsburgh and 2-1 at Georgia Tech…Pitt and Georgia Tech have twice met in bowl games with the Yellow Jackets winning each time…Georgia Tech defeated the Panthers in the Jan. 2, 1956 Sugar Bowl (7-0) and the Dec. 29, 1956 Gator Bowl (21-14)…the 2015 game marks the third Atlantic Coast Conference encounter between the two schools…in Pitt’s inaugural ACC campaign in 2013, the host Yellow Jackets defeated the Panthers, 21-10…in 2014, Georgia Tech won at Heinz Field, 56-28…last year’s game marked the Yellow Jackets’ first visit to Pittsburgh since 1920…in fact, the initial three games of the Pitt-Georgia Tech series from 1918-20 were all played in Pittsburgh…led by legendary coach Glenn “Pop” Warner, Pitt won each of those three contests by an aggregate score of 58-9…before the 2013 revival of the series, the two schools had not played since a pair of games at Georgia Tech in the 1970s…in 1976, Tony Dorsett scored three touchdowns as Pitt routed the host Yellow Jackets, 42-14…under the direction of Coach John Majors, Pitt would go 12-0 in 1976 and claim the national championship, while Dorsett would win the Heisman Trophy…the Panthers also defeated Georgia Tech, 27-17, during the 1974 season.

SERIES IN BRIEF
Series Began: 1918
Series Overall: Pitt leads 5-4
ACC Series: Georgia Tech leads 2-0
At Pittsburgh: Pitt leads 3-1
At Georgia Tech: Pitt leads 2-1
At Neutral Sites: Georgia Tech leads 2-0 (two bowl games)
Last Meeting: Oct. 25, 2014 (Georgia Tech 56, Pitt 28)
Last Meeting at Georgia Tech: Nov. 2, 2013 (Georgia Tech 21, Pitt 10)
Current Series Streak: Georgia Tech has won 2 (2013-14)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 3 games (1918-20)
Longest Georgia Tech Series Win Streak: 2 games (twice, most recent: 2013-14)
Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 32 points (32-0, 1918)
Largest Georgia Tech Victory Margin: 28 points (56-28, 2014)

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television • ACC Network (WTAE, Channel 4, in Pittsburgh)
Tim Brant, play-by-play
Dave Archer, analyst
Roddy Jones, reporter
-by Pitt PR staff