The kickoff for the Pitt – GT game is at 8:00pm this evening and will be played in rather horrid 55* weather with heavy rains before, during and after the match.

That said here is some game info.

GT Game Notes:

Here are the odds going in:

OK – got all that as reference for when you watch the game tonight? Here are my thoughts. I always look at big underdogs with a suspicious mind. Upsets do happen every week and while that probably won’t happen today – with this type of weather to play in who knows?

Looking at the weather forecast you see winds steady at 13 mph with gust to 20 mph during game time. That effects the passing game a lot and if you throw too much with that strength gusts then turnovers in the form of INTs will happen. So – stay on the ground?

If you look at the stats and rankings alone it looks to heavily favor Pitt with our rushing yards per game at 181.5 (48th) vs GT’s 123.2 (106th) and our rushing defense at 98.5 (24th) vs GT’s 209.5 (121st).

So on paper it looks as said, heavily tilted towards Pitt. But then throw in rain, wind and cold (‘will feel like 43*’) and who knows?

The supposed turmoil around GT’s bagging the previous HC and replacing him with Ass’t HC Brent Key has been written about but I see that as a smokescreen of sorts. HC Key has this in his background:

“Prior to being named interim head coach, Key was in his fourth season as the Yellow Jackets’ assistant head coach, run game coordinator and offensive line coach. In his first three seasons back at his alma mater, Georgia Tech’s run game produced an all-American, a pair of all-Atlantic Coast Conference honorees and finished in the top half of the ACC in rushing offense twice. Key has also mentored a pair of all-ACC offensive linemen.“

So – HC Key has heavy experience in the run game and because of that he may just throw everything to the winds (literally maybe) and run out of every formation he can think of. And don’t be completely fooled by the old saw that after a HC is fired the players get upset and don’t play well. The word is that the players were not all that happy with Geoff Collins anyway. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Yellow Jackets come out hyped.

In our two FBS games we gave up 281 yards (190 to WVU) for a 4.1 ypc over those games with four rushing TDs. That is a decent showing but again – who knows what the new HC will do, especially if the passing game can’t be well executed due to conditions. OK, predictions:

I see a game that will be lower scoring than some think and that will be determined on turnovers and missed FGs. If GT can hang in with us through the first three quarters I feel they will have a chance of an upset. I say “a chance” but do not think that is how this pans out. The crystal ball tells me :

Pitt 24 GT 17

What is your prediction? Put it comments below and you have a chance to win a $78,000 Hummer Truck (I’m lying).

HTP!!