Mason Heintschel entered the 2026 college football season with no shortage of excitement after a freshman season in which he threw for 2,354 yards and 16 touchdowns in just nine starts for Pittsburgh.
In the first game of his sophomore season, he didn’t just justify that hype: He somehow managed to exceed it.
The 6-foot-2 Ohio native was the star of Pitt’s 59-14 blowout of a Miami (Ohio) team that’s expected to contend for the MAC championship this season, throwing for 453 yards and seven touchdowns on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Pitt hopeful QB carousel ends with big second year from Mason Heintschel
The seven touchdowns, which were thrown to seven different receivers, set an ACC record, breaking the mark of six previously held by 11 different players. He tied Pete Gonzalez, who threw for seven touchdowns against Rutgers in 1997, for the Pitt single-game touchdown pass record (Pitt was in the Big East at the time).
Heintschel’s passing total was a career high on a day in which he completed 31 of 41 passes and didn’t throw an interception.
Five of Heintschel’s seven touchdowns went for at least 25 yards, including a 53-yarder to Cataurus “Blue” Hicks early in the third quarter. Hicks was his favorite target Saturday, bringing in five catches for a team-high 114 yards.
Heintschel was replaced by backup Holden Geriner with 7:49 remaining in regulation and the Panthers leading by 45.
Here’s a look at Heintschel’s statistical output from his record-setting day:
- Passes completed: 31
- Passes attempted: 41
- Passing yards: 453
- Passing touchdowns: 7
- Interceptions: 0
- Yards per attempt: 11
- Rushing attempts: 5
- Rushing yards: 23
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mason Heintschel sets ACC single-game TD record in Pitt blowout of Miami-Ohio
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