Latest injury news just made things a lot more difficult for Notre Dame heading into their matchup against the Pitt Panthers
Pitt football is getting their best offensive weapon back for their battle against Notre Dame.
Notre Dame football is set for a huge challenge this weekend when it travels to take on the Pitt Panthers. College Gameday will be on site for the matchup, and head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish need to win out to secure their College Football Playoff future. Pat Narduzzi’s team is also in playoff contention with a 7-2 record, so their finish will also be vitally important.
On paper, Notre Dame has the clear advantage on both sides of the football. With Narduzzi’s comments the other day about this game not being important, that has continued to add fuel to that fire as well. Things seem to be trending in the Irish favor by the day, and many believe that a blowout could be on the horizon.
The Panthers, however, did get a huge piece of news this week when it was announced that star running back Desmond Reid will be back and fully available for the contest. Reid had missed the previous game against Stanford two weeks ago while dealing with an ankle injury. That ailment had been plaguing him for the bulk of the year.
According to Narduzzi, the former Western Carolina transfer will be back healthy, fresh, and ready to go. That is huge news for a Panthers offense that is averaging just a hair under 40 points per game on the season.
Desmond Reid’s offensive impact
True freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel has injected a lot of confidence into this Pitt team, winning all five of his starts so far this season. Along with wide receivers Kenny Johnson and Raphael Williams, as well as running back Ja’Kyrian Turner, the Panthers have several talented offensive players that defensive coordinator Chris Ash and the Irish defense will need to be ready for. When they are all fully healthy, however, Reid is comfortably their best overall playmaker.
This season, Reid has managed to rush for 266 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Reid has been even more impactful in the passing game, hauling in 17 receptions for 254 yards and two more scores out of the backfield. The 5-8, 175-pound athlete was much more dynamic in 2024, his first season with the team. Reid managed to account for 1,545 total yards and nine touchdowns on offense. He also returned a punt for a touchdown, averaging 12.1 yards per return that season.
Now healthy, you can bet that Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell will do his best to create some advantageous matchups for Reid. The Notre Dame linebackers need to be ready in the passing game, where he is most dangerous. A steady dose of No. 0 should be expected. The Irish defense will need to be ready for anything.
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Final score predictions for Notre Dame vs. Pittsburgh: Can the Fighting Irish handle business in a College Gameday environment?
Final score predictions for the College Gameday battle between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Pitt Panthers.
