ESPN commentator Greg McElroy let the Pitt Panthers have it after a disastrous goal line sequence that cost the team dearly in their game against the Clemson Tigers.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Panthers were set up for 3rd and goal while trailing by 10 points. What followed was a total disaster: two false starts, a delay of game, and a burned timeout pushed Pitt back to the Clemson 16, and the sequence ended with an incomplete pass on third down.
Pitt red zone possession from 3rd and goal…
1. Time out
2. False Start
3. Delay of Game
4. False Start
5. Threw Out of Bounds pic.twitter.com/sxKGcHC1LV— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) November 16, 2024
McElroy, who was commentating for ESPN, let Pitt have it after the disastrous sequence.
“I cannot quite comprehend how bad the last two minutes have been for the Pitt Panthers,” McElroy said. “As far as goal line execution, it cannot get any worse than what I’ve just seen the last few plays. It’s unbelievable. Inexcusable. Can’t happen.
“There’s really no excuse for what just transpired. You almost had a delay of game on the second down play. You have to burn a timeout. Then you come out of the timeout, you have the illegal formation. Then you have a false start. I just cannot possibly explain how bad that operation was.”
"I think they all have to own this debacle."
"I just cannot possibly explain how bad that operation was."
Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy comment on Pitt's trainwreck offense against Clemson. pic.twitter.com/NPNCWSj9rN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 16, 2024
Pitt did convert on the ensuing field goal to make it 17-10, and they eventually stormed ahead 20-17. Clemson scored a late touchdown of their own, however, to escape with a 24-20 win. That meant the goal line sequence loomed even larger: had Pitt been able to punch it in from the 1, those extra four points could have gotten the Panthers to overtime if the rest of the game played out the same way.
Panthers fans were livid during the sequence, and they certainly will not have been cheered up by the eventual outcome. Pat Narduzzi, who has not always been the most eloquent, will have to answer some questions about this.
