Bookended storied career in college
Pickett started and finished his college career in two games that helped define his storied career with the Pittsburgh Panthers (and everything in between was pretty good, too).
While he spent most of his freshman season as a backup, Pitt started Pickett in the season finale, a showdown against the then-No. 2 and undefeated Miami Hurricanes. Pickett went 18-of-29 for 193 yards and a touchdown through the air, while adding 60 yards and two more scores on the ground.
"You think you can do something and you see it in your head over and over again and the next thing you know, it'shappening before your eyes," Pickett told reporters at the time. "That wasn't the first time for me, but this was the biggest stage for me."
In the next few years, he'd play on even bigger stages.
After the NCAA granted an extra season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pickett elected to return to Pitt for one more season. It paid off, with the sixth-highest passing total in the FBS that year (4,319) along with 42 touchdowns to only seven interceptions.
He set multiple records at Pitt, was named the ACC player of the year, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner, and a Heisman Trophy finalist. He came in third in voting behind Aidan Hutchinson and that season's winner (drumroll), Bryce Young.