PITTSBURGH — The numbers are startling, yet Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi wants more.

Sure, the 24th-ranked Panthers (3-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) are off to their best start in Narduzzi’s six seasons on the job. Yes, they’re in the top 10 in the country in just about every statistical defensive category, from total defense to rushing defense to points allowed.

That’s good, but Narduzzi believes his team has more to offer. He points to the two busted plays that allowed Syracuse and Louisville to score long touchdowns as a result. Take them out and Pitt isn’t just a top 10 in defense, but No. 1 with a bullet.

“You want to win big-time games and win them all,” Narduzzi said. “You can’t give them anything. You just can’t give them anything.”

Maybe, but the Panthers haven’t given much ahead of a visit by erratic N.C. State (1-1, 1-1) on Saturday. Pitt hasn’t started 4-0 since 2000, when the current group of Panthers was still in diapers, if they were even born at all.

The Wolfpack earned a needed ACC victory to start the year, winning a 45-42 shootout with Wake Forest to end a six-game skid dating to last season. But the follow-up performance was a big disappointment, with N.C. State losing 45-24 on the road last weekend against a Virginia Tech team down 23 players and four coaches due to coronavirus issues and injuries.

The defense has been a concern, with the Wolfpack last in the ACC and 67th out of 72 teams in the Bowl Subdivision ranks to have played by allowing 43.5 points.

It didn’t help last week that linebacker Payton Wilson, safety Tanner Ingle and cornerback Teshaun Smith were out with injuries. Coach Dave Doeren said the team expects Wilson back and is “hopeful” about Ingle, though Smith is out for the year with a shoulder injury.

“It’s obviously an opportunity with this football team to learn . and grow from an experience that obviously we don’t want to relive,” Doeren said of the loss to the Hokies. “And we’ll do that. These are experienced coaches. They’re great young men, they’re prideful young men. They care a lot about each other and this university, and we all hate losing.”