in Pitt Football 260 Words

Clemson Game Day Thread & Predictions

Here is the Gameday Thread for PITT football as we play the Clemson Tigers at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA at 3:30 pm Saturday October 23th. Following are some items that might help you all get ready to cheer the Panthers to a win.

For those of us who will not be attending the game, you can watch or listen to the game on:

  • Television – ESPN Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst), Molly McGrath (reporter)
  • Radio – Pitt Radio • 93.7 The Fan & Pitt Panthers Radio Network Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play), Pat Bostick (analyst), Larry Richert (reporter)
  • SiriusXM Satellite Radio – Sirius Channel 85, XM Channel 85, SXM App Channel 85
  • WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM
  • Online Audio – 937thefan.radio.com

Below is the link to the Pitt Football Homepage:

https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/football

Lots of interesting tabs on the Pitt Football Home page including Roster (by number).

Editor’s Note: These can be used for in-game commenting research also:

Pitt Football Homepage

Pitt ESPN Homepage

Pitt Football 2021-22 Schedule

Pitt Football 2021-22 Stats

Pitt Football 2021-22 Roster

Here are some sites for info on our opponents:

Clemson Football Website

Pitt vs Clemson Game Notes

Atlantic Coast Conference 2021-22 Standings (w/ links to team pages)

Clemson Stats (current & historical info)

For those attending the game, cheer the Pitt Panthers to VICTORY and treat the Clemson fans with respect. (unlike my experience at Clemson – though that may be due to wearing the Garnet and Black of the Gamecocks and a feisty wife),

Hail To Pitt

258 thoughts on “Clemson Game Day Thread & Predictions”

  1. I guess I just missed this. It’s tough for me to predict, but I just see us losing this one. Probably because I’ve been on this ride before. Prove me wrong Panthers!

    Bad guys:31
    Good guys: 17

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  2. Oh yeah. Follow up if this happens. We get humbled, win the coastal, and then the ACC championship. There’s my optimism.

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  4. One thing I hope and that’s the rain stops. KP is really playing well, but his history in rain games is terrible, think PSU and this team in the ACC championship game. Those are two of the worst performances I’ve seen.

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    1. Dorin Dickerson was on the Fan yesterday. Sounds like he’s gotten very comfortable talking on the radio. He did a good job.

      They had Wanny on for a bit. Wanny said he visited Pitt earlier this year and was really impressed by the facilities. Obviously a big upgrade since he coached.

      Wanny said, with clear disdain, that while at Pitt he talked to Steve P. as little as possible…

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 2 people

  8. Rich – I added a bit…

    My predicting sucks these days (I thought we’d be 7-5 and Pickett average this season!) however I’ll call a Pitt win on this game. but it is weird to see Clemson ranked #24.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You are honest enough to own up to your predictions. You are also the one who first touted Kenny Pickett and said that he threw the ball better than the upperclassmen ahead of him. So your predictions aren’t too bad. Our thoughts are with you and your family.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Oh would I like to say I believe Pitt will win! Alas I see us losing by at least a touchdown. The Clemson quarterback finds his MOJO and has a career day!

    To add insult to injury, I see Pitt volleyball losing tomorrow as well. Louisville has been playing ‘lights out’. Pitt has not been playing that great lately. Last night against Notre Dame they used the middle blockers on ‘slides’ to the pins to generate more offense. When Pitt had Layne Van Buskirk, they used that technique a lot. Since then they have hardly used it at all.

    Even with these predictions I will be pulling for our Panthers in both games! Hail to Pitt! Please, please prove me wrong!

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  10. Rich: I always wear my Pitt gear at Clemson. I can now understand why you were not treated well there if you wore your USC east gear. That is just asking for trouble! LOL!

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    1. When I married my late wife, she had already had UofSC season tickets for 30+ years. We decided to go to great visits at Mississippi & Mississippi State. I mentioned going to instate Rival Clemson (90 minutes in normal traffic) . She said no. I said yes. We went. I was wrong. The she said we are NOT going to Georgia or Tennessee. We didn’t and I still follow her advice.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. However this game turns out, these Big Pitt games make me feel young again. My sleep #67 last night and I avg 80. 52 years of investing energy,
    time and passion for Pitt and the chance for a payoff today! Or SOP.

    Better action than a casino bet!

    Liked by 4 people

  13. The law of averages (whatever that is) says that at some point almost everything will even out to a 50/50
    outcome. Well, my fellow Panthers we are WAY, WAY below a 50/50 average when it comes to winning
    “big” games>>>>>we are so overdue that I will predict that SOP will not exist today and we will be smiling after a 31-17 victory!!

    Liked by 2 people

  14. Still have Pitt winning 31 – 17

    Just back from grocery shopping “Rocing my Royal”. Turned a corner and looked directly at a women in a Orange Clemson sweatshirt. She said “oh my, please have pity on us”. I smiled and said plenty of Pitt fans feel that same way about Clemson. Exchanged other pleasantries and went on our ways.

    Getting ready to pop my first beer wishing I was in Red Lot 5A.

    Liked by 2 people

  15. I am nervous about this game… I don’t have high blood pressure but I probably will today. I just want Pitt to win so bad. I can’t pick Pitt to win because all I have known in my Pitt fandom is heartache and letdown…l

    Let this be the day SOP dies.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Dread and panic. Still waiting for my wife to return from outing with her sister. Almost forgot to take my blood pressure meds. Will most likely miss pregame tailgate. Hope to see everyone post game. Man, I’m nervous, anxious, excited, well…………you know!

    Liked by 2 people

  17. I think Ugli-booglie learns how to throw the football and torches our corners.
    I think Clemson’s defense rises to the occasion.
    I think just when we think we’re going places, SOP sneaks in and steals our gas.

    Clemson -34
    Good guys – 10

    Hope I’m wrong.

    H2P!

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  18. Clemson does not have a good offense even when healthy, and their center is out as well as some receivers. We may get some pressure on the QB and he will be throwing to less familiar receivers today. They have a great defense, so I predict a low scoring game that Pitt pulls out, like maybe 24-17.

    Addison is going to have to get open and KP is going to have to use his TE’s. Whoever wins the turnover battle will win this one.

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  19. Agree, Jackagain. 24-17 seems about right. But I said earlier that Pitt would win by a FG. Let’s face it, SOP totally clouds our judgement, and makes it nearly impossible to predict..

    Liked by 1 person

  20. The B1G is trying to fix the PSU game. Illinois scores a TD then 5 minutes later they call a bogus 15 yd penalty against them to negate the TD.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. More than anything else, Kenny Picket’s return has fired up this team. They exude confidence. Not for many decades of being a Pitt fan have I been more certain of their success. SOP is over. Pitt by 14.

    Liked by 3 people

  37. To say this game is not going Pitt’s way would be an understatement.
    Getting gashed on D and intimidated on O. Clemson much the better and more physical team so far.

    Liked by 1 person

  75. Hate these games. On porch. drinking beer & smoking cigarettes looking through the living room window at TV with commentary by Hillgrove on Sirius. Running back & forth getting another beer at commercials and checking POV to get sense of commenters. H2P

    Liked by 4 people

  81. HOLY SH#$%!!!!!

    after the near miss where they should’ve just dropped on the fumble rather than pick up and run!!!

    far from breathing easy but now let’s see large doses of #2 and the D continue to be disruptive!

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  136. These refs are doing the very best to keep Clemson in the game. ACC should be ashamed of this BS.

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  139. what is Cam Bright doing knocking everyone down in the secondary? 😦

    Mathis call a little shaky but Pitt has had their share earlier

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  148. Too much time left on the clock. Once Clemscum gets the ball the refs will be calling penalties to keep them in the game. The ACC does not favor Pitt

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  165. 27 is well below our average, but the Clemson D is more than we’re used to. Credit the coaches today.

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  171. Pitt Offense put up almost 500 yards on Clemscum despite all the ACC penalty specials.

    Most on clemscum all season….maybe in a long long time in ACC

    Liked by 1 person

  174. Pitt wins YUGE game and Pedo’s get beat by a B1G scrub in Creepy Valley.

    The Stars are aligned magically. Like in 1976 perhaps.

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  175. Anyone know how PSUcks did?
    I hear five-finger Jimmy is being courted by LSU, USC, the pro’s. Wonder how he’s going to do against OSU, Michigan, Michigan State.
    It’s a beautiful day to gloat.

    Liked by 1 person

  176. Alright guys. I just wanna say I want our big boys back next week. Izzy and Jordan. But for tonight, let’s root for NC State and ga tech. That would be serious cushion.

    Liked by 1 person

  177. Wow, what a great win by Pitt! It is the biggest win since Pitt joined the ACC. I was amazed that we did it!! Fully expected for us to lose especially after how the first quarter went. Very ecstatic they proved me wrong!

    Much to Pickett and the rest of the team they kept it together and came roaring back! Pitt was lucky on the one drop by the Clemson receiver but otherwise the defense played well enough for us to win! We need to get our two injured players back as soon as possible!

    Liked by 2 people

  179. Seriously funny…..Billy Hilgrove references that Kenny looks like actor Ray Milland of the 1940’s & 50’s.

    Most noted for his Academy award performance in……The Lost Weekend !
    (which also won Best Picture of 1946) (Billy has had a few lost weekends as have a few of us)

    Liked by 3 people

  180. For what its worth Hammond is the best running back we have. He might not be the best pass blocking back but IMO he is our best RB.—–Great win today. The many dropped passes by Clemson sure did help turn the tide. Most especially the drop by Shiply.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Clemscum was the beneficiary of many penalties too….especially on their only TD drive of the 2nd half.

      And Pitt WR’s dropped more than a few passes.

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  181. I’d go with Izzy for now. I just hope he’s not hurt.

    Also, seems like our o line might be opening holes for these guys. Maybe?

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  186. My freshman daughter was raised up and passed around the student section after the Sir Voce masterpiece! 🤣 H2P!

    Off to Pittsburgh for parents weekend and Miami. Can we sniff a top 15 this week?!?!

    Liked by 2 people

  187. I was a huge Whipple critic but HE made the call on 4th down I’m sure that changed the trajectory most to lead the momentum surge through halftime to the 2nd half

    .
    tough week to do G/B/U as there was little B and no U unless any of the injuries are serious

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    2. With that offense….no way they were going to have more than 1 loss with Ohio State, Mich and
      Mich State left to play. So that Peach Bowl matchup was never going to happen on their end.

      I posted several times, they were frauds being in the Top 10, let along Top 5.

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  190. OMG. H2P.

    Clemson and the goood ole’ boy refs put up quite a battle, but the 3 pt underdogs could not cover the spread.

    H2P!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    1. buhahahahahaha…..i think i missed the word…..NOT….in my last post.

      The crowd looked and sounded great on TV.

      Loved the graphic…..Pitt has 9 players in the NFL Hall of Fame…..to Clemscum’s one !

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  197. Almost 61,000 at the game today. PG’s says the North Shore is abuzz !

    Pitt being Good is………Good for Pittsburgh !

    Let’s get Great again !

    Liked by 3 people

  200. ~ Per Paul Zeise

    “Pitt coach Pat Narudzzi said he thought the Panthers should have won by more and that wasn’t being cocky, he was actually right.

    This game wasn’t as close as the score and would have been an even bigger blowout had it not been for a referee gong show of holding penalties against Pitt in the fourth quarter. This wasn’t a fluke as Pitt is superior — and I would say far superior — to Clemson. And, by the looks of it, above the rest of the ACC as well.

    Pitt’s offensive line mauled Clemson’s vaunted defensive front and the Panthers’ defensive front made it impossible for the Tigers to make anything happen on offense ”

    That’s 3 straight games where Pitt dominated the 4th Q clock running the ball and basically ran Out the Clock.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Narduzzi must not have seen Shipley’s dropped pass. Also the fact that after Pitt took that 17 point lead Clemson scored a TD with taking 1 minute 34 seconds off the clock. Pickett’s two FD runs in the 4th Q may have his biggest plays of the game.

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  201. Wake Forest and NcState should be writing thank you notes to the Panthers tonite. Definitely made their paths to Charlotte a lot smoother.

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  203. Missed the game due to a wedding and will watch in full tomorrow when I get home.

    Sounds like a special afternoon at Heinz. Beat two opponents today?

    Sure sounds like sufficient evidence has been provided to the make me believe contingent. Anyone still in doubt?

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  204. I just watched this again and forgot how good the game was. Today’s game was more important though of course.

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  206. W. Michigan lost to Toledo 34-15 and were shut out in the 2nd half. Maybe Toledo went with the zone D…

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  207. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I am so bummed I couldn’t get to the tailgate. It’s a long story, but at least we got to the game. I actually got emotional during that game, just so proud of the team. Duzz is really, really have to go to work now to lose those 5 games. H2P

    Liked by 1 person

  208. Probably one of the most fun games I’ve been to at Heinz field and Kudos to WMG for a great play call at the end of the first half on the pass to TMack. I’m not too proud to admit that it was a great decision by WMG and an even better pass by KP.

    If HCPN can keep their heads in the check, I don’t see how they lose to another Coastal team and then they will have the chance for an ACC championship and serious New Years Bowl. Congrats for a great performance by KP and his band of brothers.

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  212. A common theme on the POV has been Pitt’s lack of offensive recruiting. It did lag behind the D but it has caught up. Addison, Izzy, Bartholomew, Krull, Hammond, Davis, Wayne, Mack, etc. The O was better than the best talent in the land.

    The OL is pure great development and great coaching by Borbs.

    Don’t say transfers aren’t recruits, that is full on recruiting now.

    I give PN credit for forcing WMG to develop a run game. Borbs has the coaching history to get the OL going, the OC has to be all in. The adjustment was made this year.

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  213. Here are some amazing stats that I stole from a post on the Lair. These are the 4th Quarter time of possession figures for Pitt versus their opponent:

    —Today versus Clemson it was 13:26 to 1:34.

    —Versus VT it was 11:28 to 3:32.

    —Versus Georgia Tech it was 12:56 to 2:04.

    Wow!

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  215. What a great day at the tailgates and at Heinz. Start of the game was tough, looked really bad for a while.
    Clemson’s guys much bigger than ours.

    So many big plays starting with the Mathis Interception, the KP to Mack fourth down play, the Dennis shuttle pass shuffle, the running game, KP’s third down runs. KP definitely the difference maker. Got his own chant from the students, Ken nee, Ken nee Ken nee!!!

    Attended the Forever Panthers tailgate with Majormajors, he was like a little kid when he got his picture taken with Jackie Sherrill, Brandon Knight, Billie Knight, Ken Macha, and many others attending.

    At the game this year’s HOF included Curtis Martin and Cam Heyward, standing in for his dad. Shady McCoy the Honorary Captain firing up the crowd, so three of Pitt’s all-time great running backs represented.

    The students were fantastic and the crowd in general was great and loud with everyone standing on every defensive third down. Our defense was excellent on many of those.

    No this wasn’t the Clemson of the previous six years, QB’s not up to their standard and many dropped balls, but they weren’t chopped liver by any means. Could have done without the cheap shots, hope our guys recover fast.

    Interested to watch the replay to see how bad the refs performed, hard to tell at the game, but it was very frustrating. They stopped a couple of our drives and gave them a free TD, or did they?

    Hail to PITT!!!!!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Agree – Dabo is a class act and he saw a good Pitt team declaw his injury-ridden Tigers. Clemson will be back – their QB showed signs that he is good, time will tell.

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    2. I noticed that when the teams met at mid-field when the game ended, the first thing Dabo did was to give KP a big hug.

      Regarding his post-game presser, Dabo was very good in the role of the losing coach – a part he hasn’t had to play much in a while…

      Go Pitt.

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    3. Always liked Dabo. I remember him coming to the Pitt locker room to congratulate the team after we beat them in 2016.

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  222. Watching the Shady highlights yesterday makes me wonder about his HOF chances. Probably borderline, but he did run for the most yards in a decade, has the Superbowl rings and played for Philadelphia that has very few HOF guys. Would be great to see him join Fitz and Revis.

    Liked by 2 people

  223. A big thanks to GC and Richard and everyone who has been posting links. Appreciate it.

    Go Pitt

    PS: Hey, ike, I see your team won! 👍

    Liked by 1 person

  224. With apologies to songwriters everywhere:

    There’s something happening here
    What it is ain’t exactly clear
    There’s a man named Pickett over there
    You playin’ Pitt, you got to beware…

    When it comes to Pitt, there does seem to be “something happening here” this season. I mean last night, down 7-0, we score a TD. Then we “doink” the point-after off the upright. We’re all thinking – oh crap, we probably lose this game by a point. Cincinnati anyone? Same end of the field. We’re cursed!

    But wait, there’s a flag. Well it’s probably against Pitt.

    But wait, it’s not against Pitt. We get another chance at the PAT! And holy crap, we make it. The blunder is erased!

    The Fightin’ Pitt Panthers then take over the game and go on to win.

    Is the USS Pitt slowly but surely making that large, painstaking arc of change from mediocrity to something better? Indeed, is something happening here?

    Nah. Just a blip… 😊

    Go Pitt!

    Liked by 2 people

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