Eli Holstein injury update: Status of Pitt QB for Clemson game revealed

ESPN insider Pete Thamel has provided an injury update on Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein ahead of Saturday’s game against Clemson. Holstein is out for the game, Thamel shared on Twitter.

“Sources: Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein is not expected to play against No. 20 Clemson today. Holstein was considered a game-time decision,” Thamel posted.

Eli Holstein suffered an apparent head injury last weekend in a loss to Virginia. With Holstein out, Nate Yarnell is expected to start at quarterback for the Panthers.

Yarnell came on in relief of Holstein against UVA and was 4-for-12 passing for 44 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.

Injuries have become a recurring issue for Eli Holstein now. He previously left the Syracuse game with an injury in October. However, in that instance, he was able to return to action the next week for Pitt’s game against SMU. The week after was the Virginia game where he suffered the most recent injury.

The injury to Eli Holstein came in the third quarter of the game against Virginia when he slid but took a high hit from Trey McDonald. That earned McDonald a targeting call and ejection. Meanwhile, Holstein stayed down and was attended to on the field before he went into the injury tent.

Pat Narduzzi doesn’t like to share the exact details of injuries. However, he did feel as though Holstein would be okay after the game.

The game between Pitt and Clemson is an important one within the ACC. While the Panthers have lost two games in a row, both conference games to knock them off the pace in the ACC race, the Tigers already have one conference loss. So, a win over Clemson would mean Pitt jumps them in the standings. At that point, they’d be another Miami stumble away from taking second place in the conference come down to tiebreakers.

Getting to the ACC Championship Game is going to be massive for teams. The winner of the conference is, essentially, guaranteed to get a first round bye in the College Football Playoff. Nobody else is guaranteed a spot in the Playoff at all.