Pitt Panthers Handle Business in 45-17 Win Over Central Michigan

Tagged under: District 7, Pennsylvania Colleges

Ryan Thielet | September 6, 2025

Pitt came out firing on Saturday, showcasing a balanced attack and explosive playmaking in a statement win over Central Michigan. Behind the arm of quarterback Eli Holstein and the sure hands of Raphael “Poppi” Williams Jr., the Panthers controlled the pace early, weathered a Chippewas rally in the second half, and pulled away for a convincing victory at Acrisure Stadium.

Pitt wasted no time setting the tone, marching down the field on the opening drive and capping it off with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Eli Holstein to Raphael “Poppi” Williams Jr., giving the Panthers a 7-0 lead with 11:56 left in the first quarter. Central Michigan struggled to respond, going three-and-out and losing eight yards on its opening possession, quickly handing the ball back to Pitt with just over 10 minutes remaining. The Panthers looked poised to extend their lead, stringing together a 14-play, 61-yard drive, but a failed fourth-and-one attempt deep in Chippewa territory ended the push. That turnover on downs swung momentum back to Central Michigan as the game moved into the second quarter.

Central Michigan seized some momentum early in the second quarter, putting together a 12-play drive capped by a 41-yard field goal from Cade Graham to cut the deficit to 7-3 with 12:28 left before halftime. Pitt wasted no time answering, as Eli Holstein connected with Josh Holmes on a 12-yard touchdown strike, stretching the lead back to 14-3 with 11:03 remaining. After forcing a Chippewas punt, the Panthers stayed hot, with Holstein tossing his third touchdown of the half to extend the margin to 21-3. Pitt’s defense then made its presence felt with back-to-back sacks, setting up a 43-yard field goal by freshman Trey Butkowski that pushed the Panthers’ lead to 24-3 with just over two minutes left in the half. Central Michigan capitalized on a rare Pitt mistake late in the quarter. Following an ill-timed interception by Holstein, the Chippewas took over at the Panthers’ 13-yard line with under a minute remaining. Jadyn Glasser powered in a short touchdown run, trimming the gap to 24-10 at the break

Central Michigan looked to open the second half with momentum, but went three-and-out, quickly punting the ball back to Pitt. The Panthers couldn’t take advantage, however, as they gave the ball right back on their ensuing possession. The Chippewas capitalized, putting together a strong drive capped by a 6-yard touchdown pass to Decorion Temple that trimmed the deficit to 24-17 with 3:01 left in the third. Pitt wasted no time responding. Eli Holstein fired a 48-yard strike to Raphael “Poppi” Williams Jr. for their second scoring connection of the day, giving Holstein his fourth touchdown and Williams his second. That explosive play pushed the lead to 31-17, where it stood heading into the fourth quarter.

Pitt’s defense took over in the fourth, forcing two turnovers on downs, including a fumble recovered by All-American Kyle Louis. The Panthers’ offense capitalized on the takeaways, punching in two scores on the ground—one by Juelz Goff and the other by Ja’Kyrian Turner. Those touchdowns sealed the game, pushing the final score to Pitt 45, Central Michigan 17.

Pitt’s offense was firing on all cylinders, led by Eli Holstein, who threw for 304 yards, four touchdowns, and added 40 yards on the ground. Raphael “Poppi” Williams Jr. was equally impressive, hauling in nine receptions for 121 yards and two scores, including a 48-yard highlight-reel touchdown. When asked about the firepower on offense, Williams said, “Anyone in the room can go off—me, Kenny, Blue (Catauris Hicks).”

The Panthers now look to keep their momentum going as they travel just 76 miles south to Morgantown for a showdown with archrival West Virginia in the storied Backyard Brawl.

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