PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Pittsburgh defeated Syracuse 27-13 on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Acrisure Stadium in a Football Bowl Subdivision game. The Panthers improved to 3-0. The Orange fell to 1-2. Syracuse was the visiting team. Pittsburgh was the home team. The Panthers scored 10 points in the first quarter, 7 in the second, 3 in the third and 7 in the fourth. Syracuse scored 10 points in the first quarter and 3 in the third. Pittsburgh led 17-10 at halftime and 20-13 after three quarters before adding a fourth-quarter touchdown. Mason Heintschel threw for 123 yards and ran for 41 yards and a touchdown for Pittsburgh. Steve Angeli passed for 161 yards for Syracuse. The Atlantic Coast Conference matchup gave Pittsburgh its third straight win to open the season and dropped Syracuse to two losses in its first three games.

Heintschel completed 10 of 23 passes. He carried 11 times. His 9-yard touchdown run gave Pittsburgh another scoring play. La’Vell Wright scored on a 2-yard run. D. Ferguson Jr. added a 32-yard touchdown run. Antonio Chadha made field goals of 42 and 34 yards. Carson Kent caught two passes for 63 yards. Bryce Yates had three receptions for 36 yards. Cataurus Hicks caught one pass for 8 yards. Censere Lee had one reception for 9 yards. Pittsburgh’s offense scored in every quarter. The Panthers also got a pair of interceptions and four quarterback hurries from their defense.

Pittsburgh’s defense produced two interceptions and constant pressure. Alex Sanford Jr. made 11 tackles and three quarterback hurries. Jeremiah Marcelin recorded 10 tackles. Josh Guerrier and Cruce Brookins each finished with nine tackles. Braylan Lovelace had four tackles, one quarterback hurry and one interception. Raion Strader added four tackles and one interception. Isaiah Neal made four tackles. Allen Bryant had four tackles. DeMarco Ward contributed four tackles. The Panthers held Syracuse to 13 points. Sanford’s 11 tackles led all defenders in the game.

Syracuse used both Angeli and Amari Odom at quarterback. Angeli completed 13 of 25 passes for 161 yards. Odom completed all seven of his passes for 44 yards and ran once for 2 yards. Ahmad Miller led Syracuse with 14 carries for 78 yards and a 2-yard touchdown. He also caught one pass for 2 yards. Shavane Anderson Jr. ran 11 times for 26 yards and caught two passes for 15 yards. Umari Hatcher had one run for 28 yards and three receptions for 58 yards. Darius Johnson caught five passes for 42 yards. Ju’Juan Johnson ran six times for 13 yards and caught four passes for 27 yards. Justus Ross-Simmons had one reception for 25 yards. David Clement caught one pass for 12 yards. Noah Meyers had one reception for 15 yards. Cole Weaver caught two passes for 9 yards and made one tackle. Darien Williams returned three kickoffs for 47 yards. Jimmy Gregg punted three times for 125 yards. Tripp Woody and Shay Barker handled kicking duties. Barker made a 30-yard field goal. Syracuse got two field goals and one touchdown. Hatcher’s 58 receiving yards led the Orange.

Syracuse’s defense got six tackles each from Antoine Deslauriers and Nissi Ogbebor. Rashard Perry had five tackles and one sack. Davien Kerr recorded five tackles and one interception. Gary Bryant III made five tackles and one quarterback hurry. Chris D’Appolonia added five tackles. Braheem Long Jr. had four tackles and one quarterback hurry. Cornell Perry and Chris Peal each made three tackles. Demetres Samuel Jr. returned one punt for 2 yards and made three tackles. Tunmise Adeleye had three tackles, one sack and one quarterback hurry. Amare Snowden made two tackles. Jai Eugene Jr., Josh Kubala, David Omopariola, Daunte Bacheyie, Jartavius Flounoy, Dillan Fontus, Zyian Moultrie-Goddard and Nathan Nyandoro each made one tackle. Deslauriers and Ogbebor tied for the Syracuse team lead in tackles. Kerr had Syracuse’s interception.

Syracuse entered after a 21-18 loss to California on Sept. 12 and a 66-3 win over New Hampshire on Sept. 5. Pittsburgh entered after a 12-7 win over UCF on Sept. 12 and a 59-14 win over Miami of Ohio on Sept. 5. Syracuse next plays at Connecticut on Oct. 3. The Orange then visit Virginia on Oct. 10, host Louisville on Oct. 17, visit North Carolina on Oct. 24, host SMU on Oct. 31, host Clemson on Nov. 7, visit North Carolina State on Nov. 14, visit Boston College on Nov. 21 and host Notre Dame on Nov. 28. Pittsburgh hosts Bucknell on Sept. 26. The Panthers then visit Virginia Tech on Oct. 2, host North Carolina on Oct. 10, visit Boston College on Oct. 17, visit Miami on Oct. 24, host Georgia Tech on Oct. 31, host Florida State on Nov. 13, visit Louisville on Nov. 21 and visit California on Nov. 28.

Before the game, Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Pittsburgh 29, Syracuse 24. Interstat’s ELO system gave Pittsburgh an 88.6 percent probability to win. Syracuse had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +10.5. The total score of 40 went over the over/under line of 51.5.