TEAMS TOOK THE FIELD FOR WEEK ONE. THE PITTSBURGH PANTHERS OPEN THEIR SEASON AT HOME AGAINST THE KENT STATE FLASHES. LET'S HEAD TO ACRISURE STADIUM...IT WAS FILLED WITH THE PRIDE OF PITT THIS AFTERNOON. RIGHT FROM THE JUMP, ELI HOLSTEIN IS WAITING IN THE POCKET. HE GOES FIRES UP THE FIELD TOWARD KENNY JOHNSON....42 YARDS. THE PASS IS COMPLETE DOWN TO THE ONE-YARD LINE. --- THAT LEADS TO THIS ONE... HOLSTEIN WITH THE JAB TO KONATA MUMPFIELD AS HE STEPS INTO THE ENDZONE. AN 11-YARD TOUCHDOWN FOR THE BLUE AND GOLD. THE PANTHERS EARN THEIR FIRST TOUCHDOWN ON THE 2024 SEASON. --- 4TH AND 7 AT THE KENT 28. JOSH SMITH WITH 50 YARD PUNT.... ON THE BOUNCE DESMOND REID GETS A HOLD OF IT. HE ARCS DOWN THE PANTHER SIDELINE....WEAVI NG HIS WAY THROUGH THE TRAFFIC. 78 YARD PUNT RETURN TOUCHDOWN. WHAT A PLAY. PITT GOES UP 14-0. --- THE FLASHES GET ONE BACK HERE. 4TH AND 7 DEVIN KARGMAN SEE AN OPEN LUKE FLORIEA WHO CUTS TO THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD. PASS COMPLETE AND FLORIEA TAKES THE PIG SKIN IN FOR THE T-D. ---- BUT THAT DIDN'T DISCOURAGE THE PANTHERS. ANOTHER INCREDIBLE PLAY IN THE AIR. HOLSTEIN FINDS RAPHAEL WILLIAMS JR IN THE END ZONE FOR A PITT TOUCHDOWN. THE PITTSBURGH PANTHERS GO ON TO DEFEAT THE KENT STATE FLASHES WITH A FINAL SCORE OF 55-24. FOX-66 SPORTS REPORTER CAMERON KNUPP WAS THEIR AND HAS MORE ON THE PANTHERS FIRST VICTORY OF THE SEASON. THE PITT PANTHERS OPENED THE 2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON AT HOME AGAINST THE KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES. IT WAS THE TEAM'S FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE ITS NEW OFFENSE UNDER COORDINATOR CADE BELLb UNIT GOT OFF TO A DREAM START ON THEIR OPENING DRIVE AS ELI HOLSTEIN UNLEASHED A 46 YARD BOMB TO KENNY JOHNSON TO PUT THE PANTHERS IN THE RED ZONE... A FEW PLAYS LATER HOLSTEIN HIT KONATA MUMPFIELD ON THE SLANT FOR THE TOUCHDOWN b BEFORE THE GOLDEN FLASHES COULD CATH THEIR BREATH DESMOND REID, WHO IS STEPPING INTO THE STARTING RUNNING BACK ROLE IN THE WAKE OF RODNEY HAMMOND'S ELIGIBILITY b SCOOPED UP A KENT STATE PUNT AND RETURNED IT ALL 78 YARDS TO THE HOUSE TO GIVE PITT A 14-0 LEAD IN THE BLINK OF AN EYEb DESMOND REID b BACK "I wanted to catch it out of the air, but when it bounced I said man I gotta pick this up. I saw everybody on my side. I said if I pick this up and go right. It's going to be a touchdown, and that's what happened." REID WOULD CONTINUE HIS COMING OUT PARTY IN THE SECOND HALF WITH THIS 46 YARD RUSHING TOUCHDOWN TO MAKE IT 35-21 b WITH 145 YARDS RUSHING AND TWO TOUCHDOWNSb OFFENSE DIDN'T STOP THERE b THE THIRD - HOLSTEIN WOLD LOFT A PASS FOR KENY JOHNSON b COMES DOWN WITH IT FOR THE TOUCHDOWN AND PITT DANCES ALL OVER KENT STATE TO WIN IT 55-24b a different bounce. There's a different bounce about our kids. I watched them last night come out of offensive meetings last night at 8:30 pm. Just the smiles on their faces. They're excited. They had a lot of confidence going in. It's a tribute to our offensive staff and what kade bell has brought to the offense. They've got a lot of confidence in what they're doing and how they're doing it. CAMERON KNUPP THE PANTHERS WILL LOOK TO CONTINUE THEIR MOMENTUM NEXT WEEK WHEN THEY TRAVEL TO TAKE ON THEIR OLD BIG EAST RIVALS IN THE CINCINATTI BEARCATS. FOR FOX 66 SPORTS. I'M CAMERON KNUPP. FOR NOW THATS YOUR SPORTS. WE'LL HAVE PENN STATE VS.