Heintschel throws 7 touchdown passes, ties school record in lopsided Pitt win, 59-14

Pittsburgh's sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel threw seven touchdown passes, breaking the school record, in a dominant 59-14 victory against Miami (Ohio) on Saturday. Heintschel, who earned the starting position midway through the season last year, completed 31 of his 41 passes for 453 yards. His seven touchdowns were distributed to seven different receivers during his first season-opening start.

Pitt dominated from the beginning, scoring on their first three possessions and outgaining Miami by a massive margin of 219-15 in the first quarter. The Panthers converted all four third downs in their first three drives, leading to an early 21-0 lead. Heintschel's touchdown throws were spread throughout the game, with his first to Malik Knight, followed by Ja’Kyrian Turner, Justin Cook's 50-yard run, and Elijah Lagg's second-quarter score.

He continued to shine in the second half, connecting with Blue Hicks, Censere Lee, and Bryce Yates before tying the school record with a 58-yard field goal, closing the first half at 31-14. The Panthers added to their lead with a 75-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman David McComb and Damarion Witten's rushing score. Despite facing a shortage of wide receivers due to the departure of Kenny Johnson and Poppi Williams, Heintschel's performance and the contributions from Hicks, Lee, and Knight proved crucial as Pitt secured a lopsided victory.