Nov 2, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi during the game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Pittsburgh Panthers at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Pitt Receives First Bowl Projections of 2025

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI
By Mitchell Corcoran | Last updated Aug 24, 2025 7:00 AM ET

PITTSBURGH — Pitt football is projected to make a bowl game before the 2025 season even kicks off.

ESPN and The Athletic each have Pitt playing in the 2025 Bad Boy Motors Pinstripe Bowl in New York City on Dec. 27. ESPN has the Panthers facing off against Iowa, while The Athletic selected Michigan State.

The Pinstripe Bowl, played at Yankee Stadium, has paired a Big Ten and ACC team against each other every year since 2014. The Big Ten has won the bowl game in the last eight seasons. The last ACC win came when Duke defeated Indiana in 2015.

The last time and only time Pitt played in the Pinstripe Bowl was in 2016 when it fell to Northwestern 31-24. The Panthers were led by James Conner and Nathan Peterman and finished with an 8-5 record that season.

Iowa finished the 2024 season with an 8-5 record and holds a 4-3 advantage over Pitt all-time. The last time the two faced off was in 2015 when the Hawkeyes bested the Panthers 27-24 in Iowa City. Iowa also won the two previous matchups in 2014 and 2011.

The last time Pitt beat Iowa was in 2008 in a 21-20 victory at Heinz Field for the first meeting between the two teams in 56 years. Pitt won the previous matchup 26-14 in 1952 and Iowa took the 1951 games 34-17. The first matchup between the two teams was in 1931, with Pitt winning 20-0.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Pitt has never beaten Michigan State. The Panthers are 0-7-1 against the Spartans, with the lone tie being a 7-7 game in 1960. The last time the two teams played was in the 2021 Peach Bowl, when Michigan State defeated the ACC champions 31-21. The other years Michigan State won were in 2007, 2006, 1958, 1951, 1950 and 1945.

The Panthers appeared in the GameAbove Sports Bowl in 2024 after finishing the season 7-6 and lost to Toledo 48-46 in six overtimes. Pitt's last bowl win came against No. 18 UCLA in the 2022 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl when it won 37-35.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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