PITT (8-4, 5-3 ACC) vs. #18 UCLA (9-3, 6-3 Pac-12)
2022 TONY THE TIGER SUN BOWL • EL PASO, TEXAS
December 30, 2022 • 2 p.m., ET (Noon, MT)
Sun Bowl Stadium (46,375/FieldTurf)
CBS • Bowl Season Radio • Pitt Panthers Radio Network
Game Storylines
• The 2022 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl marks Pitt’s 37th all-time postseason appearance and sixth under the direction of Coach Pat Narduzzi.
• Pitt and UCLA will meet for the first time in 50 years. The Panthers and Bruins last played on Sept. 16, 1972, a 38-28 UCLA win in Pitt Stadium.
• This will be Pitt’s fifth postseason trip to El Paso. The Panthers are 2-2 all-time in the “Sun City,” most recently dropping a 14-13 decision to Stanford in 2018.
• Pitt enters the postseason riding a four-game winning streak. A victory over UCLA would give Pitt nine wins on the season and an enhanced Top 25 résumé.
• Pitt last closed a year with at least five consecutive wins in 2001 (winning six straight, including the Tangerine Bowl).
• A victory in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl would give Pitt a ninth win on the year and 20 over the past two seasons. The Panthers have not achieved 20 wins over a two-year span since 1981-82.
• Since 2015, Pat Narduzzi has directed Pitt to 41 victories in ACC play, the second-highest win total during that span. Pitt trails only Clemson (60).
• Pitt is 23-27 all-time against current members of the Pac-12, including 5-9 against UCLA.
• Pitt defensive coordinator Randy Bates and UCLA head coach Chip Kelly were on the same New Hampshire staffs during the 1992 and 1994-97 seasons.
• Pat Narduzzi was a defensive coach at Rhode Island from 1993-99, annually facing Kelly’s New Hampshire offensive units.
Series in Brief
Series Began: 1958
Series Overall: UCLA leads 9-5
At Pittsburgh: UCLA leads 4-2
At UCLA: UCLA leads 5-3
Bowl Series: 0-0 (First bowl meeting)
Last Meeting at Pitt: Sept. 16, 1972 (UCLA 38, Pitt 28)
Last Meeting at UCLA: Sept. 11, 1971 (Pitt 29, UCLA 25)
Current Series Win Streak: UCLA has won 1 (1972)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 2 games (twice)
Longest UCLA Series Win Streak: 6 games (1964, 1966-70)
Largest Pitt Margin of Victory: 21 points (27-6, 1958)
Largest UCLA Margin of Victory: 56 points (63-7, 1968)
Coaching Matchup
Pitt’s Chris Bickell ’97 Head Football Coach Pat Narduzzi
Overall (season): 61-41 (eighth)
At Pitt (season): same
Alma Mater: Rhode Island, 1990
Record vs. UCLA: 0-0
UCLA Coach Chip Kelly
Overall (season): 73-35 (ninth)
At UCLA (season): 27-28 (fifth)
Alma Mater: New Hampshire, 1990
Record vs. Pitt: 0-0
Broadcast Information
Television • CBS Sports (KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh)
Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst), Jenny Dell (reporter)
Pitt Radio • 93.7 The Fan & Pitt Panthers Radio Network
Jeff Hathhorn (play-by-play), Pat Bostick (analyst), Larry Richert and Dorin Dickerson (reporters)
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
SiriusXM Channel 134 or 194, SXM App Channel 956
Bowl Season Radio
Brian Roth (play-by-play), Justin Fuente (analyst), Rachel Phillips (reporter)
Online Audio
937thefan.radio.com
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