Well, here we are.  It’s the eve the ACC championship game, against the mighty Clemson Tigers, right in their own backyard (or close enough too it).

You would have to be delusional to think we have a snowball’s chance to win this one, and Las Vegas agrees.

Pitt is  26.5 point underdogs according to at least one source, and Clemson outclasses us in every position (except fullback!)

But this is college football folks.  And while ESPN gives Clemson a 95.7% chance of victory, that leaves a 4.3% chance for us.

350Of course it means that 30 young Pitt men will have to play an absolutely perfect game.

And Clemson would have to play their worst game of the season.

But stranger things have happened.

Like the time Appalachian State beat Michigan in 2007 (App State was 33 point dogs)

Or the time Temple beat Virginia Tech in 1998.  (The Owls were 35 point dogs)

Or who could forget the time when lowly Stanford, coming off a 1-11 season took down #2 USC.  (This was also in 2007.  Stanford was 40 point dogs, and that game is commonly listed as the second biggest upset in the last 25 years.)

But these were not championship games.  They were September and October games, when anything can happen and teams are frequently overrated.

It is unlikely that Clemson is overrated.

Still, there may be some magic in the air on Saturday night.  Or maybe in the rain, if the weather forecast holds true.

At -26.5 a Pitt win would be the second biggest upset of the year from a point-spread standpoint, and certainly the biggest upset in ACC championship history (or any Conference championship history for that matter).

So go ahead, predict a win you Pitt optimists.   Just know that by doing so you are probably locking in a jinx.

Personally I’d rather be proven right and pleasantly surprised, and most predictions are going to have Clemson scoring a lot of points in a revenge scenario.

In that light, I originally posed the prediction that realistic side of me believed to be right.  Then I read my post and was immediately depressed.  I am spending too much money and traveling too far to not be able to cling to a shred of hope, no matter how small.  Nobody is giving us a chance and there is nowhere to go but up, and if there  is one thing Pat can do on gameday it’s get the guys fired up for the big one.  Lets see if we can’t make some history on Saturday because our fan base certainly deserves it.

Hail to Pitt and I’ll see you in Charlotte.

Michaelangelo

 

 

Michaelangelo holds a degree in Travel Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. He was a former staff writer for InPittsburgh Newsweekly, and currently resides near Atlanta, Georgia. He has been a Pitt fan since 1997 after he witnessed Pitt upset #22 Miami on Thursday night at Pitt Stadium.

118 thoughts on “ACC Championship Game Prediction Thread”

  1. I can’t help but think that with all the wonderful people on there way here to Charlotte that Pitt could ever lose so let’s keep positive. To all traveling today be safe out there and I will see you soon. Have a sparkling day Hail to Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I am convinced that the Pitt offense will be more productive this week than last, but also just as convinced that Clemson will win by at least 17.

    I also must admit that I will be disappointed if my prediction above is accurate

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  3. On Nov 11, 2016 on the eve of the Clemson game I was holding court with a bunch of newly found friends all clad in orange- location “GoobersBar” in Clemson SC… spent a lot of time telling them about the Burgh and be sure to come when we meet again…at the end of the festivities as JesnieB and me were getting ready to leave one of the Tiger fans asked me what I thought of tomorrows game… knowing what Iknow I replied “ You will beat us by 44 points- no defense!!” A couple of them responded “don’t think that will happened. We are a little worried bout this game.”

    Pitt 10 Panthers love soggy conditions

    Clemson 44 Rain holds Clemson scoring down

    Dancing Bears leave deep footprints that our backs trip in

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    1. Funny enough BigB Mister WuP…..i ran into a Clemson clad middle aged pretty big guy in the grocery store the week of that game and pretty much told him the same thing, you said.

      And his response was just like your Clemson person’s response. He was more than worried about Pitt.

      Lightning sometimes does strike twice in the same exact spot.

      Pitt 19
      Clemscum 17

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Maestro, you omitted Pitt’s huge upset over the then #2 Hoopies in 2007. Pitt was a 4 Touchdown underdog or thereabouts.

    WVU was #2, Clemson is #2 and Nostradumus Dog was born on the Double 2.

    85 % of the USA will be pulling for Pitt, the energy derived from that, will be too much for little Clemscum,

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  8. Clemson is a four-touchdown favorite – the same odds Pitt had before its 13-9 upset victory over No. 2 West Virginia in the 2007 finale – and the Tigers are in their fourth consecutive ACC final.

    But Pitt beat a previously undefeated Clemson two years ago in Death Valley and a previously undefeated Miami last year at Heinz Field, so the Panthers know they have a chance of knocking off another No. 2.

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  9. Pitt finally broke through with its first verbal commitment from the WPIAL’s class of 2019 on Thursday night when Aliquippa wide receiver Will Gipson announced his plans to enroll.

    Gipson, a three-star recruit, is the 16 th overall prospect in the state, fourth from the WPIAL, according to Rivals.com. He is also ranked the No. 2 wide receiver in Pennsylvania, behind only Imhotep Charter School’s Yusef Terry, who is committed to Baylor.

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    1. Nostradamus Dog closed the kid pretty quick, cudos for getting the #2 WR in Penna. Maybe another Jonathan Baldwin.

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    1. POV tailgate in a parking on South Church St (118?) near Hooters. Starting around 3pm. Sounds like Hooters might be the backup plan if the rain is a factor.

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  13. First off, this team ranks right up there with my all-time favorites. It almost feels like they are my baby. I had a good hunch that PITT with Narduzzi could turn things around eventually in Pittsburgh and now here they are in he ACC title game. Remember when many of us said, wait until Narduzzi gets his own recruits in there? Remember when many of us believed it would be his fourth year that things would turn around? Alright, I’ll stop with the “I told You so” soap box. Most only like to do the telling part and not liking the being told part, I just figured it was mine and others turn.

    Going back and forth with the head or heart and trying to come to a happy modicum somehow. I figure since I won’t even have an ice cream cone at stake for this game and my reputation is already pretty much shot I’ll lean heavy with my heart with this prediction. But if PITT is losing by 45 points in the third quarter, I’ll just move the goal posts. 🙂

    I few thoughts about the game first:

    If any team is use to playing in the rain it should be PITT.

    Did Narduzzi and Watson hold back a little on offense last Saturday at Miami?

    How far did Dintino, Hargrove and the entire O-Line come from last week? Hopefully Jellin like Magellan.

    I think the contract expired with Nike at the end of the regular season, expect a slightly changed throwback.

    I expect Pickett legs to be a bigger part of the offense Sat nite.

    This is not a S O P team no matter what happens. They won their division and as Archie Bunker use to say “case closed”

    I’m going with a close hard fought game with Clemson making uncharacteristic mistakes and PITT playing a clean game unlike last week. Pickett will shine by running the ball and passing for his best game of his career.

    PITT………..31
    Clemson….30

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    1. Ike, they have won 7 games…just like every year it seems. If they win the next two it will be a special year. Coastal Champs is nice and is the season’s goal so well done there…but when the dust settles what really matters is win total and a bowl win to get us ranked at the end of the year.

      Not sure why you are pointing to Narduzzi’s recruits when the pretty much only reason we won those games was the run game that is almost all Chryst recruits…both RBs and 3/5ths of the OL.

      How are you going to feel about the season ends on two losses? Will the Coastal crown make a .500 team all that better then any other .500 Pitt team?

      Btw, I think we’ll get a cupcake in the bowl game and will end up 8-6.

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  14. Well Mike so far we have at least two delusional Pitt fans picking the Panthers Ike and Emel. I may be considered delusional by some but I’m afraid I can’t join those two Pitt faithful after watching last Saturday’s game. I can’t see Pitt being able to establish any run or pass game against the Tigers. Clemson 49 Pitt 10.

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    1. Reed, I have my doubts, but hope your assessment is correct about the running game. If it were to get on track – from the start of the game – I think we’d have a chance to shock the world. Again.

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    1. Much better – still pain from a cracked rib – thanks for asking.

      I’ve been away from the blog for a few days due to demands at work – not ready to predict just yet…

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Certainly believe that Pitt offense will be better than Miami game, but way too many athletes on the other side. Defense will “look” worse since Clemson is light years ahead of Miami. I think we will be fortunate to score 17 points (without a kick return for touchdown), so sadly I have to predict Clemson 47-17 unless they pull starters.

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  18. While I think Clemson will win handily, I wouldn’t put too much into last week’s game

    1) Miami has a very talented defense, and when it wants to play, can be very good

    2) more importantly … after 4 must-win games in a row, Pitt was due for a letdown, I wasn’t surprised at all how the game went (although I thought they would score a TD)

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  19. ^^ @Reed above. Do you know how many times I thought of you with a smile/smirk on my face while I was writing that comment? Plenty.

    If PITT does get blown out, they will get a beatable opponent in their bowl game.

    There are plenty Narduzzi recruits that contributed mightily this year. Plus it took PN’s O-Line coach to coach up these 5th seniors

    I knew Hall was a good running back and so is Ollison.

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    1. which Narduzzi recruit made ACC 1st or 2nd team? Few if any.

      I feel good about this year since it exceeded my expectation (Pitt won the Coastal)

      But I dont feel too good about next year given the player development and recruiting

      I believe Narduzzi’s ceiling is 8 wins…it is until he proves me wrong

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  20. I have had in my head ALL week the following:
    24-20 Pitt
    Lawrence having a really bad day and Etienne being contained. Other than GT, Clemson does not play a ball control power run team, and we are better than GT. Look for Carter and Ffrench to play a big role in the O as well.
    MVP—Weaver, he will want to show up BIG TIME after all the praise given to Clemson D line.

    **Still think Clemson makes the playoff if Bama beats UGA so 2016 repeating itself

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    1. john, what did you have for breakfast this morning? Whatever it was I’m just hoping there were some clairvoyant ingredients on your plate.

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  21. I never bet against Pitt, just can’t bring myself to make money off of them losing. Clemson may be taking this game lightly and looking past it as Pitt did against Miami. They will wake up in the 2nd half, and will score easily as our thin defensive corps wears down. But I’m not going to predict a final score.

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  22. My thoughts on the game tomorrow…

    Pitt will play better than last week. Having said that, we won’t have any success running the ball – at least in the first half. Watson will make a few adjustments (because even he could see that what he was calling at Miami didn’t work) and we will see more short passes to RBs and Aston. Kenny will get a bit more time – not a lot more – to make those throws.

    On the defensive side, Pitt will have its challenges because Clemson will be the most well-balanced offense we have faced this year – they are even more productive than UCF. In other words, its going to be touogh to key on any one thing. But in order to win the game, we will need to stop the run. Etienne is the #10 RB in the nation and while they have a pretty good stable of backs behind him, he’s the guy. QB Trevor Lawrence is an efficient, smart passer, although he’s not known as a runner with 3.5 carries/game. They have to force Clemson into 3rd and long situations to have a chance.

    Then there are the bounces of the oblate spheroid. We are going to need some help in that area. Here’s hoping the elements and our defense can get the Tigers to cough up the ball.

    With all that in mind, I think Clemson beats us by 17-20 points barring a large turnover differential. I think we have difficulty scoring and perhaps get 10 points, so my prognostication is 28-10. If Clemson makes a couple mistakes, I think its close until the 4th quarter when the Tigers pull away. Pitt plays hard the entire game as per usual.

    I hope I’m wrong.

    As a result of this, I am predicting a Pinstripe Bowl offer. ACC is pushing the bowl committee to take Pitt and fans will go there.

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  24. If it’s clear Clemson 112-Pitt 3. If it pours…..Pitt44-43

    The loss of Morissy is more than the loss of a center. It broke up a unit that took 5 weeks to learn to play together. Spahn and Sain and pray for rain! You youngsters look it up!

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  26. Coastal Champions something I never felt I would say this year. The team worked and played hard I’m proud of the fact we won and are not a pit of evil. Our team represents the university well on and off the field. No matter how the outcome goes I will be proud. We run a clean program and are very academic. It could be close if we play well pass efficiency and no mental errors. It is possible. Clemson has a great team. A lot of super players who may slack off due to team playing or future nfl money dancing in front of them. It’s Pickets passing and receivers catching ever ball. We Can Win. H2Penjoy the game and all the effort to get here

    Liked by 2 people

  28. BTW, Just got an email from Pitt asking me to complete a survey about the game experience…everything from parking to restroom cleanliness, etc. I assume they sent it to all season ticketholders. Sounds like they want to listen to what the customers want. Perhaps more of Heather’s work?

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  29. Reed, in the past you said that the only wins that mattered were in the ACC. Well we won what we needed and are in the ACC title game. Now you are saying only the overall win total and ranking matter. So which is it?
    My prediction?……. PAIN. I pity the fool..
    that being said it could be our pain or theirs, you decide. But I will say Clemson 45 Pitt 17. I will be happy if we keep it respectable.

    Liked by 3 people

  30. H2P!

    It looks like rain for Saturday evening, and rain is our friend.

    Clemson is better than us – bigger, faster, and well coached.

    But here’s where I see hope: Clemson’s schedule was not that tough and they beat up on a lot of middling teams.

    Clemson’s best win was against TXAM by 2 points early in the season. A solid win, though TXAM had a new coaching staff and some new players in key positions (as did Clemson at QB).

    Clemson went on to beat up on Wake (63-3), Duke, GT and a few others.

    Syracuse played Clemson tough and should not have lost that game.

    Boston College was one dimensional on O (similar to Pitt) and kept the score respectable.

    South Carolina (a rivalry game) had success with the deep pass last week against Clemson, but in the end got blown out.

    So, I expect a game similar to Clemson v BC, unless it rains, and rains hard, then the Pitt mudders will keep it even closer. If no rain, Clemson will pull away and could easily score 45 points on us.

    I’ll go with Pitt 17 Clemson 35 (and if rains hard, then Pitt 17, Clemson 24)

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  31. I predicted we would win the Coastal.

    If I were to put money on this game I would take Pitt and the points. Without the points would be a bad bet.

    Like most here I would love us to win and stranger things have happened in college football. But Clemson is what I call a semi pro team along with AL.

    So I love Pitt but – Clemson 42 Pitt 24 because my birthday numbers are day 24 and year 42.

    Liked by 2 people

  32. I am so happy for Pat Narduzzi and his staff. They have endured so much scorn and ridicule, and here they sit on the eve of the ACC Championship game. Bravo for the lot of them. I’m sure PN is biting his tongue hard to refrain from saying, “I told you so.” I think the true payoff for this year’s journey will be realized next year. This is Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson. Nobody…nobody gave Buster a chance. I’m having a difficult time between my heart and my head. 31-21 Dabo.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. No need for Narduzzi to say “I told you so” I do it for him.. It’s not S O P, it’s S O P fans…. in many cases.

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  33. PITTMAN4EVER SAYS:
    1. we are famous for being able to beat any team and also lose to any team.
    2. we will win the betters their money by beating the spread
    3. our POVers will have a blast rain or shine, win or lose
    PITTMAN4EVER’S PREDICTION:

    PITT: 19
    CLEM 41

    Liked by 1 person

  36. The POVerts in Charlotte celebrate our 24-23 win (last second field goal) by having an E-scooter parade down church street back to the Hooters. Led by our caped Maestro and Dr. Wups waving his magic flag.

    Liked by 2 people

  37. Clemson is a beast. Nothing wrong with losing to the top team in the country. Their budget is most likely twenty times what Pitt spends.

    Pitt loses this and wins their bowl game.

    Clemscum 48 – Pitt 17

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  38. Somebody needs to bring a bill hillgrove bobble head. Those things are good luck charms

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      1. I have removed the upmc logo in the front of mine. The bobble-head looks better but it still doesn’t look like Billy. Maybe I should replace the logo with a bottle of beer?

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  39. Ike… reveal shows current mountaineer yellar ( apologies to my dear friend Richman) stripes on helmet- pants the same…. I am taking this colchrys and would definitely crap my britches if they came out in Majors I/ Sherrill unis…. I will pack spare drawers inside my Bass Pro rain gear jus in case….

    How can the little countryvillage of Clemson stand a chance against against the Steel City Panthers…

    Almost time to open a can of WUPass…Turn George the Animal loose…get Kenny locked and loaded….PIVerts there to push’em back… waaaaay back….. and when we get it in the Red Zone “We’re shovin the ball down their throats… WE ARE GOIN IN!!!”

    Tighten up your chin straps… our boys will come to play…..

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    1. The great thing about those Bass Pro britches of your is not only will they keep out the wet, but they will keep the wet in as well….

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  41. OT: On the recruiting front Daniel Carter 4 star RB from Fla. announcing Saturday(hoping he announces before the game). Narduzzi and Salem flying out to California after the game tomorrow to see Travis Koontz TE that decommited from Pitt earlier. Looks like it’s down to Pitt and Georgia right now. Briton Allen Fla Safety visiting Pitt tonight. Pitt was expecting to meet him in Fla on Tuesday. Not sure who he’s going to visit with since all involved in Carolina for the game.—-It would appear that some do not want to lose there place at the table after Pitt getting commitments from Gipson and Temple recently.

    Liked by 1 person

  42. Correction: It looks like Briton Allen is announcing his commitment tonight(not visiting Pitt tonight). It was supposed to be between Pitt and GT. With Johnson retiring at GT there may be another Pat Signal coming shortly.

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  44. Quick survey:

    What would you rather have…a 9-4 season without the Costal championship but with a bowl win

    Or…

    A 7-7 record with the costal championship, a loss in the championship and a bowl loss? In other words another .500 season?

    I’ll take the 9 wins with the bowl win…better for year end rankings and recruiting.

    Liked by 2 people

    3. I would take a 9 win season every time because it will most likely get you ranked.

      I will take the 9 wins, the Coastal and the bowl win. Could have happened this year. It is possible in a weak division.

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    4. I understand your point Reed, but since day 1 Duzz has sold the opportunity to win a championship at Pitt. If 7-7 equals getting that chance and having recruits/players authenticated then it possibly helps more.
      Personally, you want wins but a championship game may equal 2 wins and no championship game in my opinion.

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  46. Well I was totally wrong last week. Thought our O-line would be better than it was.

    If they play like last week, it will be ugly. I think they will play a little better but not enough.

    Too much at stake for Clemson. Our only hope is numerous turnovers, But even that didn’t help last week.

    Playing with house money, still feels pretty good.

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  47. Ike, I removed my UPMC from my Billy Bobblehead..Cut health care costs Romoff…

    Let’s Go PITT…a better showing against Miami would have helped my psyche going into this game…

    On another note..Duzz should ask Larry Fedora what OUR NUMBER is ???cause Larry had it for the last 5 or 6 years…

    That’s all in the past..time to head to the airport for my 1 hour flight to the Queen City……

    See you boyz there.. WUPsum !!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  48. 3star CB Briton Allen is supposed to commit tonight. 4star RB Daniel Carter is supposed to commit tomorrow night. Keep your fingers crossed.

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  49. gc, I love house money but at the end of the year going against the spread, I beg JeanieB to give BigB a check (she runs the family finances) to pay off the bookie….I owe $110 knowing if I bet against PITT vs Syracuse we would pull it off….that worked out real well….need to find a lock to get it back outside of PITT….

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  51. Anyone interested in removing the turd from the punch bowl? So what will it take for PITT to save some face this weekend? After-all, the Miami “final score” was not all that embarrassing but the game itself was pretty pathetic. What will PITT have to do for you to say, hey that wasn’t bad at all? Same score as the Miami game but a showing of more offense. Maybe a touch down instead of a field goal?

    This team is beatable, Syracuse show us all that.

    I’m worried that the answer will be very obvious come late Saturday night either way. . . .ike

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    1. What will PITT have to do for you to say, hey that wasn’t bad at all? – Win
      Pitt has to go out and kick some arse
      Look at what the Cowboys did last night against the Saints
      They were the more physical team
      D can be a Dirty word

      Liked by 1 person

  53. Pitt rarely wins anything in FB. The Coastal FB Championship is our first outright championship since 1976.

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  55. I’m assuming Reed that choice one is supposed to be no Coastal Champs but a 9-3 record and a bowl win. YES I would rather have that but I am still ecstatic that this team won the Coastal and you can’t really have this discussion without reopening the OOC scheduling conundrum. I’m very proud of this team and looking forward to tomorrow. H2P!

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  56. Actual conversation from the people in the jetway was I was de-planing in Atlanta an hour ago. It was a woman in her sixties and and elderly southern gentleman that was probably pushing 80.

    Woman: so you here for the Georgia game?
    Gentleman: Yes I am. You?
    Woman: I’m Clemson
    Gentleman: Oh, you have an EASY game!

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    1. He went in to point out we only have 7 wins. So I’ll take 9 wins and no championship…this year

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    2. Was flipping channels last night and came across the Big ten network panel talking about which 4 teams get into the playoffs. I was surprised that they couldn’t even use their Big ten bias to manufacture a reasonable chance for Ohio State to get in…

      But in their 4 scenarios, they totally dismissed the chance of Pitt beating Clemson. In their final scenario, with all the favored Division champs losing, they said Pitt’s win would have to be a miracle…

      A miracle!

      Go Pitt!

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  57. Mike, you should take into perspective who was doing the talking and which football teams they root for. << Obviously they are not PITT fans and take wins for granted.

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  58. Looking forward to the game tomorrow. thinking a sloppy field just might be what the boys need to pull off the upset.

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  59. Pitt will hang until right before half because the D will be on the field the entire first half. The O will be 3 and out too often.

    I heard Narduzzi saying you have to get good OL and DL to be good. He better up his game in OL recruiting then.

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  60. To answer Reed’s question above. I’ll take what this years PITT team has accomplished up until this point and take my chances. No way in heck do I sign up for no chance to win the coastal. No one competes for second place. No one! Otherwise, it’s not competing.

    Secondly, it PITT had played the same OOC schedule as almost every ACC team this year, they darn well could have the best of both worlds. Which btw, they will in the very near future. (having the best of both worlds) Stay tuned.. ike

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  61. Pitt should make sure the Coastal trophy is displayed at Heinz for all our home games next year and leave room for more.

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  62. Pitt needs to find a way to knock Lawrence around, hit him hard and get him out of his comfort zone. If we can do that, and our offense can sustain some long drives (getting us to 3rd downs that are manageable would help), it could be an interesting game. H2P!

    Liked by 1 person

  66. I’m with you Ike. I’ll take what Pat Narduzzi, his staff and roster of hard-nosed players hammer out. You’re right; stay tuned. Stock’s going up. Still trusting the process!!

    Liked by 2 people

  67. The 6 and 2 record in the Coastal makes me feel good about this season, especially with the way we beat Syracuse and Duke. I thought the Duke comeback was remarkable – and will stay in my memory banks for a long time.

    A bowl win will be a nice top-off of a memorable season – at least for me.

    As for tomorrow – for obvious reasons – our prospects do not look good. I can’t bring myself to see anything but a painful, ugly loss, with Clemson in the forties and us in the teens…

    I fear Clemson will feel the need to try to run up a big score to cement their place in the playoff…. I think the only chance we have is if the Clemson QB goes down early.

    Go Pitt!

    Liked by 1 person

  68. I moved from Pittsburgh to Charlotte last year and was pumped when Pitt won the Coastal and my Pittsburgh team was going to be in town. However, my wife made plans for us to go on weekend trip to Blowing Rock for something as small as a 33rd wedding anniversary. I tried getting her to move it to another weekend but we all know a HWHL 🙂

    Gut wrenching to make a prediction.
    HEART = PITT 28 Clemscum 27
    REALIST = Clemscum 41 PITT 21

    Reed – What year did you graduate Allderdice? I was ’74

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  69. Heart = 23-19 Pitt wins

    Head = 42-3 Pitt loses

    I can’t get the Miami performance (or lack thereof) out of my head…

    Enjoy Charlotte and leave it in worse shape than you found it.

    Tame the Tigers!
    H2P!

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  70. My friends in Columbus claim Clemson hasn’t played any good teams and hope Pitt wins as much as we do.
    My predictions:
    Pitt fans will be loud on TV.
    Lots of trick plays.

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  71. This trip to the ACC Championship is the kind of thing that is much needed for exposure and recruiting. Just have to be respectable and go focus on winning a bowl game. That said, the season left something to be desired for me. Drubbings by PSU and UCF, another loss to a putrid UNC club, and ending the season at UM getting beat by 3 tds against a team that completed 6 passes. However, credit goes to Narduzzi for not losing the team after the UCF debacle. Pitt turned the season around in the come from behind win against a solid Syracuse team. The following week against Notre Dame, may have been the Panthers’ best game all season. The defense finally got on track and the kids gained confidence in themselves after taking a top 10 team to the wire.

    Against Clemson, you have to be able to convert 3rd and 8’s. Keep the chains moving and keep the Tigers offense off the field. I just don’t think Pitt can do that with this personnel in this matchup. Clemson isn’t the same team that played Syracuse in September. This offense is hitting on all cylinders since Trevor Lawrence took over for Kelly Bryant. I totally bought in to Clemson after the 41-7 defeat of NC State. This team may be one of Swinney’s best teams. Still a long way to go for this Pitt program, but it begins and ends with recruiting. Playing in these games matters. I see Pitt keeping it close for a half, but Clemson’s offense will likely open things up in the 2nd half. The 2016 thing will prevent Clemson from looking ahead. Dabo will have them prepared.

    Prediction: Clemson 34 Pitt 10.

    Liked by 1 person

  72. Left coast “LA Panther” checking in after yinz are all asleep. Much needed rain this week. Squirrels eating my oranges….

    I’ve never been able to pick pitt to lose, because I can almost always see a way they can win. After that Miami stinker, who knows, I am having a hard time seeing a way against another great defense and players that are not as likely to be phoning it in as Miami. If we win, it’s because of two fluke TDs and an amazing kick or two on our side, and some inexplicable bad luck—unforced fumbles into the end zone, wide open dropped passes and tipped ball interceptions. We’ll score maybe 17 legit points and they should score 38 or so cleanly, but under the flukes for Pitt plus jinx on ‘scum scenario, we score 34 and they score 31. I’d say there’s about a 5% chance of that, and that’s good enough for me!

    HTP

    Liked by 1 person

  73. We win the game on a toss to V Carter who rockets up the sideline with less than a min on the clock.

    PITT 28
    Clemson 21

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