Pitt will don all-blue uniforms against Penn State

Pitt and Penn State are set to square off at Heinz Field on Saturday night, and one detail that remained unknown for some time was which uniforms Pitt would wear for the rivalry matchup.

Many assumed the Panthers would go with their immensely popular blue and yellow throwbacks, but to the chagrin of a good many, they chose the all-navy blue uniforms they donned the last time Penn State visited. Pitt revealed its decision in a tweet Friday.

While the uniform reveal was generally met with negativity or indifference by members of Pitt’s fanbase online, the decision should conjure up memories of monumental victories in the past.

The Panthers were sporting their head-to-toe navy look last November when they knocked off the Miami Hurricanes in a 24-14 upset. At the time, Miami was the No. 2 team in the country.

As previously noted, the Panthers also selected the uniforms for their last matchup with the Nittany Lions at Heinz Field. That was in September 2016, and a Pitt team that included a number of current NFL players, including James Conner, Avonte Maddox, Nathan Peterman, Brian O’Neill and Jordan Whitehead, defeated Penn State in a 42-39 thriller.

Even the team’s 43-42 win over Clemson later in 2016 saw Pitt in monochrome uniforms, as the Panthers went with their all-white look in that matchup. So it seems that the team has a predilection for that particular look when it comes to higher-caliber opponents and games.

With all that said, despite the reactions, the uniforms are among the least important elements of the upcoming game, as Pitt is well aware. And even those who have voiced their displeasure with the decision will likely be perfectly fine with them in hindsight if Pitt gets a win in the rivalry game.