ACC Regular Season Conference Wins Last 3 Years

[PittPanther84]

Clemson 22
Miami 17
Louisville 16
VT 15
Pitt 14
FSU 14
UNC 14
NC State 12
GT 9
Duke 8
WF 8
Virginia 7
BC 6
Syracuse 6

I think it's clear we're in the upper tier of ACC teams regardless of last season. I guess everyone on this board complaining about the program wants to see us be Clemson?

 

[H2P 4 EVER 17]

Imagine if our Out of Conference Schedule wasn't so difficult every year, we can roll through most of our Coastal opponents every year, except with maybe VTech and Miami being pretty tough most years, but still beatable. Going forward I'd prefer to schedule mostly cupcakes for the OOC games, maybe one big name each season and then have a better overall record. I understand the Administration's views of wanting big names to come to Heinz field to fill the stadium, but a few seasons of going 9-3, 10-2 will help with attendance as well.

 

[Pittstudent313]

Imagine if our Out of Conference Schedule wasn't so difficult every year, we can roll through most of our Coastal opponents every year, except with maybe VTech and Miami being pretty tough most years, but still beatable. Going forward I'd prefer to schedule mostly cupcakes for the OOC games, maybe one big name each season and then have a better overall record. I understand the Administration's views of wanting big names to come to Heinz field to fill the stadium, but a few seasons of going 9-3, 10-2 will help with attendance as well.

Our side of the conference is weaker , so while we are telling the story , this is also part of it

 

[Pittstudent313]

I personally don't want to pay hard earned money to see Bowling Green, Albany, Arkansas St, Vanderbilt to be honest.

 

[H2P 4 EVER 17]

I personally don't want to pay hard earned money to see Bowling Green, Albany, Arkansas St, Vanderbilt to be honest.

I agree, especially as a season ticket holder that I get way more excited on game day for psu or Oklahoma St. rather than Albany, Rice , or YSU, and ultimately we'd like to play a tough OOC and have high profile names on the schedule and still go 9-3, 10-2, but we haven't proved to be at that level yet. Right now it's a tradeoff of rather playing a tougher OOC and seeing big names playing at Heinz and going 7-5 or 8-4ish level, or playing a weak OOC with a better chance at going 9-3, 10-2, or possibly even better and then going to a better bowl game. Some programs thrive on playing weak OOC schedules and averaging 9-10 wins a season which greatly helps with recruiting.

 

[Jpripper88]

I personally don't want to pay hard earned money to see Bowling Green, Albany, Arkansas St, Vanderbilt to be honest.

Well, then don't complain about having fewer wins and be prepared for Pitt to struggle to build a winning program. I'd prefer to see Pitt win.

 

[revampedpanthers]

Imagine if our Out of Conference Schedule wasn't so difficult every year, we can roll through most of our Coastal opponents every year, except with maybe VTech and Miami being pretty tough most years, but still beatable. Going forward I'd prefer to schedule mostly cupcakes for the OOC games, maybe one big name each season and then have a better overall record. I understand the Administration's views of wanting big names to come to Heinz field to fill the stadium, but a few seasons of going 9-3, 10-2 will help with attendance as well.

Yep, when I clicked on the title of the thread, even before reading it I was expecting Pitt would be in the upper middle tier which is where we were. Now even more interesting would be seeing a overall wins the last 3 years. I would suspect Pitt would finish significantly lower, closer to the bottom of the middle. Fact is Pitt has over scheduled the OOC for a long time and if Pitt wants to ever get out of the changing coaches winning 5 or 6 games then getting to a top level of 7-5 or so they need to change the way they schedule OOC. It needs to be 2 guaranteed wins, one likely win and a tough opponent. Imagine if Pitt had added a OOC win each of the last 3 years. That would have given us a 9-3 record two seasons and a 6-6 last year. Perception would be different in regards to the team.

 

[Pittstudent313]

Well, then don't complain about having fewer wins and be prepared for Pitt to struggle to build a winning program. I'd prefer to see Pitt win.

That an each their own kind of thing. I do not believe there is a right or wrong to the argument.

 

[Pittstudent313]

I agree, especially as a season ticket holder that I get way more excited on game day for psu or Oklahoma St. rather than Albany, Rice , or YSU, and ultimately we'd like to play a tough OOC and have high profile names on the schedule and still go 9-3, 10-2, but we haven't proved to be at that level yet. Right now it's a tradeoff of rather playing a tougher OOC and seeing big names playing at Heinz and going 7-5 or 8-4ish level, or playing a weak OOC with a better chance at going 9-3, 10-2, or possibly even better and then going to a better bowl game. Some programs thrive on playing weak OOC schedules and averaging 9-10 wins a season which greatly helps with recruiting.

I am thinking our conference foes are getting better and we are staying stagnant. So we might need 4 cupcakes to get to 7 wins soon. I hope to be wrong but last year's record, recruiting recently and it adds up to me.

 

[Pittstudent313]

I have the last 30 years of history to show me how it is here. I had NO FAITH in last administration, I am a little hopeful with this one.

 

[pittdan77]

Clemson 22
Miami 17
Louisville 16
VT 15
Pitt 14
FSU 14
UNC 14
NC State 12
GT 9
Duke 8
WF 8
Virginia 7
BC 6
Syracuse 6

I think it's clear we're in the upper tier of ACC teams regardless of last season. I guess everyone on this board complaining about the program wants to see us be Clemson?

Yeah, Pitt lost at least five one score games in conference the last two years. What a difference that would have made.

Also, why wouldn't you want to see Pitt be as good as or better than Clemson?

 

[pittdan77]

That an each their own kind of thing. I do not believe there is a right or wrong to the argument.

You're new. Jpripper88 is saying that there is little reason to beat yourself up in the OOC if you're Pitt. It's not gaining you anything. Probably cost Pitt a bowl last year. Look at 2016. Pitt beat PSU but lost to OkState then had to head into the conference. It's possible (we'll never know) that after two dog-fights, the team was already beat up heading into the conference. The NC loss was devastating. You yank the OkState for a winnable game and win NC, you're 7-0 heading into the VaTech game. Instead you're 5-2 with two heartbreaking losses.

It's all hypothetical but momentum and perception is huge. Being a 10 win team is pretty cool. Being an 8 win team is kind of "meh".

 

[joeydavid]

To your point, not only are you 7-0 but you are ranked in the top 15 if not the top 10 playing in a showcase game of the week. College football is 95% perception and that perception feeds the other 5%.

You're new. Jpripper88 is saying that there is little reason to beat yourself up in the OOC if you're Pitt. It's not gaining you anything. Probably cost Pitt a bowl last year. Look at 2016. Pitt beat PSU but lost to OkState then had to head into the conference. It's possible (we'll never know) that after two dog-fights, the team was already beat up heading into the conference. The NC loss was devastating. You yank the OkState for a winnable game and win NC, you're 7-0 heading into the VaTech game. Instead you're 5-2 with two heartbreaking losses.

It's all hypothetical but momentum and perception is huge. Being a 10 win team is pretty cool. Being an 8 win team is kind of "meh".

 

[PittPanther84]

You're new. Jpripper88 is saying that there is little reason to beat yourself up in the OOC if you're Pitt. It's not gaining you anything. Probably cost Pitt a bowl last year. Look at 2016. Pitt beat PSU but lost to OkState then had to head into the conference. It's possible (we'll never know) that after two dog-fights, the team was already beat up heading into the conference. The NC loss was devastating. You yank the OkState for a winnable game and win NC, you're 7-0 heading into the VaTech game. Instead you're 5-2 with two heartbreaking losses.

It's all hypothetical but momentum and perception is huge. Being a 10 win team is pretty cool. Being an 8 win team is kind of "meh".

Agreed. Playing PSU was fun and exciting but then having a top 10 OSU the week after was unnecessary. Everybody would rather watch good teams then bad teams, but it's not worth having an 8-4 season over a 10-2 season.

 

[President Stache]

Yeah, I agree. Cupcakes I would go watch every year if it meant 9-3. Other teams do it regularly.

Also, thinking the same thing PitDan77, I was like "yeah, I want to be like Clemson". As you correctly point out, we are not far off, losing so many heart breakers, and of course beating Clemson at their place.

 

[Kenny Football]

To your point, not only are you 7-0 but you are ranked in the top 15 if not the top 10 playing showcase game of the week. College football is 95% perception and that perception feeds the other 5%.

That same team could play Alabama 7 times, lose all 7, and be in last place. But hey the stadium was packed!

 

[pittdan77]

Yeah, I agree. Cupcakes I would go watch every year if it meant 9-3. Other teams do it regularly.

Also, thinking the same thing PitDan77, I was like "yeah, I want to be like Clemson". As you correctly point out, we are not far off, losing so many heart breakers, and of course beating Clemson at their place.

We'll see. The thing is, it shouldn't take much to rise to the top of the Coastal.

 

[HailToPitt725]

I personally don't want to pay hard earned money to see Bowling Green, Albany, Arkansas St, Vanderbilt to be honest.

One of these things is not like the other...

 

[joeydavid]

You just described the current #4 team in the AP pre-season poll.

The PedSt/Wisconsin game will get all kinds of hype but the Pitt/PedSt game will have every bit the amount of talent on the field.

That same team could play Alabama 7 times, lose all 7, and be in last place. But hey the stadium was packed!

 

[SSS811]

Look at 2016. Pitt beat PSU but lost to OkState then had to head into the conference. It's possible (we'll never know) that after two dog-fights, the team was already beat up heading into the conference.

PSU lost to us and Michigan in the first 4 weeks. That's two dogfights, on the road. They lost both. Then they went on a 9 game winning streak. Two tough games and a 2-2 start to the season didn't seem to effect them. Why are we making excuses?

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

PSU lost to us and Michigan in the first 4 weeks. That's two dogfights, on the road. They lost both. Then they went on a 9 game winning streak. Two tough games and a 2-2 start to the season didn't seem to effect them. Why are we making excuses?

If they beat Akron instead of losing to Pitt in week 2, they would've made the playoff.

 

[FireballZ]

If they beat Akron instead of losing to Pitt in week 2, they would've made the playoff.

Instead they lost to “Akron”. HAHAHA!!!

 

[revampedpanthers]

PSU lost to us and Michigan in the first 4 weeks. That's two dogfights, on the road. They lost both. Then they went on a 9 game winning streak. Two tough games and a 2-2 start to the season didn't seem to effect them. Why are we making excuses?

Also who else did they beat after that 2-2 start? A bunch of stiff's and OSU. After MI they had 3 or 4 soft teams(IU was decent that year but had a third string QB) before beating OSU. MSU had a terrible year that year. Had they played another tough OOC there is a good chance they lose that one early as well.

Bottom line Scheduling plays a huge part in college football. Who you play, where you play them and when you play them makes a huge difference. As mentioned earlier maybe Pitt beats OSU if it wasn't the week after PSU, maybe if they play akron they win a tough emotionless game but are rested ready to battle NC. Both those games were close and not playing them in a 3 straight tough games probably makes a difference. IF you are clemson or Bama you can schedule like Pitt and expect 11-1, even though neither schedule like Pitt(proof its stupid), if your Pitt and you play 3 top 21 opponents OOC you aren't setting yourself up for anything more than a 7-5 type of year. Even a really good team would have trouble going more than 2-2 OOc with this schedule and most top 10 teams likely lose 1 of them.

 

[pittdan77]

PSU lost to us and Michigan in the first 4 weeks. That's two dogfights, on the road. They lost both. Then they went on a 9 game winning streak. Two tough games and a 2-2 start to the season didn't seem to effect them. Why are we making excuses?

It’s not an excuse. It’s a great “what if” but for PSU, Michigan is a division opponent they have to play. They went 2-1 OOC.

PSU ended up in a down-to-the-wire battle with Temple in 2016 that left them banged up going into the conference. They were down to the second team at LB. that hurt them against UM so my point stands.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I think it's clear we're in the upper tier of ACC teams regardless of last season.

I think it's clear that the upper tier of the ACC contains one team, and it ain't us.

 

[Pittstudent313]

Let's first win our side of the conference before we cry about playing good teams. I want to win the Coastal conference, that has ziltch to do with paying Duquesne 4 times each year. SOFT , my generation is so SOFT

 

[joeydavid]

We? That's funny. Sorry your life is this pathetic. LOL at you.

PSU lost to us and Michigan in the first 4 weeks. That's two dogfights, on the road. They lost both. Then they went on a 9 game winning streak. Two tough games and a 2-2 start to the season didn't seem to effect them. Why are we making excuses?

 

[McKee Place]

Frankly we've shown that only playing PSU, ND and perhaps WVU (but not even as much) amps the attendance (Ohio State and Michigan also might, but won't schedule us). Otherwise it's been proven, not even solid P5 opponents move the fans to come all that much more than MAC or other lesser D1. Nebraska, Okla State, Mitch State, Iowa ... may as well be Buffalo, as far as attendance. And we mostly lose em!

So play the lesser schedules. Build up wins. Build up rankings. Improve recruiting. Get to point talent and depth have been upgraded, and capacity to compete. Then, maybe, introduce better P5 onto the schedule again... might actually be able to win them!

 

[FourPanthers]

I personally don't want to pay hard earned money to see Bowling Green, Albany, Arkansas St, Vanderbilt to be honest.

The problem with your philosophy is it puts Pitt at a disadvantage when fans of other teams support their team no matter who the opponent. When you can pack the house against Temple, GA Southern and Akron, you don't have to commit schedule suicide. Automatic wins with a packed house gets you to 10-2.

 

[FourPanthers]

Frankly we've shown that only playing PSU, ND and perhaps WVU (but not even as much) amps the attendance (Ohio State and Michigan also might, but won't schedule us). Otherwise it's been proven, not even solid P5 opponents move the fans to come all that much more than MAC or other lesser D1. Nebraska, Okla State, Mitch State, Iowa ... may as well be Buffalo, as far as attendance. And we mostly lose em!

So play the lesser schedules. Build up wins. Build up rankings. Improve recruiting. Get to point talent and depth have been upgraded, and capacity to compete. Then, maybe, introduce better P5 onto the schedule again... might actually be able to win them!

Totally agree. Everyone says they want Oklahoma St but it has to be 72 and shady with a light breeze for those folks to consider leaving their couch.

 

[SSS811]

If they beat Akron instead of losing to Pitt in week 2, they would've made the playoff.

Probably not, since they still had a 40 point loss to Michigan on their resume, and none of the 4 playoff teams that year suffered any blowout losses. But it's still fun to pretend that we kept them out.

 

[ValentinoRossi]

You just described the current #4 team in the AP pre-season poll.

The PedSt/Wisconsin game will get all kinds of hype but the Pitt/PedSt game will have every bit the amount of talent on the field.

Do you realize Wisconsin has four preseason All-Americans?

 

[pittdan77]

Probably not, since they still had a 40 point loss to Michigan on their resume, and none of the 4 playoff teams that year suffered any blowout losses. But it's still fun to pretend that we kept them out.

That was the main point of conversation for College Football Playoff Selection Committee Chair Kirby Hocutt when he spoke Sunday following the release of the final rankings. Basically, Hocutt said, the decision boiled down to the Huskies having the edge in just about every other aspect besides strength of schedule.

“We looked at a lot of things,” Hocutt told ESPN. “We looked at two conference championship teams. … We looked at one-loss Washington — that loss being against a top-10 opponent — compared to a two-loss Penn State team — one loss they were not competitive in that particular game, the other loss was to an 8-4 team. We talked about strength of schedule. Obviously, strength of schedule favored Penn State. Had Washington had a stronger strength of schedule, I don’t think the conversation and discussion would have been as difficult.

https://www.foxsports.com/college-f...ttany-lions-were-left-out-kirby-hocutt-120416

 

[Mikefln]

The way I see it, on any given year Pitt should be able to beat Duke, UNC, GT, Virginia, plus the annual crossover with Syracuse. Outside of the occasional upset those should be 5 ACC wins every year. The fact that Pitt has not been able to do this is concerning. I will understand the occasional upset were Pitt went 4-1 against those 5 teams but Pitt should get 5 wins every year from this group more times than not.

Next you have Virginia Tech and Miami. Obviously we cannot expect (at least in the foreseeable future) for sure wins against these 2. There will be years were we lose both. There will be years where we split. Then on those special years where we win both and move to the conference championship game is the years were our OOC schedule will matter. Personally, at this moment, I see more losing to both or splitting these 2 rather than winning both.

I say schedule OOC respectably. Play 1 rival (PSU/ND/WVU) play a lower P5 (Purdue/Vandy/Colorado/etc.) then play you G5s teams to balance the schedule. Under no circumstance should we play a FCS team other than Duquesne at least 1 time as I think that would actually be cool to do once, but only once and not done for 15 years until done again.

 

[pittdan77]

The way I see it, on any given year Pitt should be able to beat Duke, UNC, GT, Virginia, plus the annual crossover with Syracuse. Outside of the occasional upset those should be 5 ACC wins every year. The fact that Pitt has not been able to do this is concerning. I will understand the occasional upset were Pitt went 4-1 against those 5 teams but Pitt should get 5 wins every year from this group more times than not.

Next you have Virginia Tech and Miami. Obviously we cannot expect (at least in the foreseeable future) for sure wins against these 2. There will be years were we lose both. There will be years where we split. Then on those special years where we win both and move to the conference championship game is the years were our OOC schedule will matter. Personally, at this moment, I see more losing to both or splitting these 2 rather than winning both.

I say schedule OOC respectably. Play 1 rival (PSU/ND/WVU) play a lower P5 (Purdue/Vandy/Colorado/etc.) then play you G5s teams to balance the schedule. Under no circumstance should we play a FCS team other than Duquesne at least 1 time as I think that would actually be cool to do once, but only once and not done for 15 years until done again.

Pitt tried that with Iowa and OkSt. It didn’t work out so well. There’s nothing wrong with an FCS game as a tune up. Like I’ve said before, the Villanova game a couple years ago drew a big crowd (by Pitt standards) because there was a lot of excitement for the season. Pitt got the easy W and moved on.

Don’t make your OOC a meat grinder. Don’t even take that chance. At least not until you’re better than those other schools.

 

[Mikefln]

Pitt tried that with Iowa and OkSt. It didn’t work out so well. There’s nothing wrong with an FCS game as a tune up. Like I’ve said before, the Villanova game a couple years ago drew a big crowd (by Pitt standards) because there was a lot of excitement for the season. Pitt got the easy W and moved on.

Don’t make your OOC a meat grinder. Don’t even take that chance. At least not until you’re better than those other schools.

First I sat there and saw youngstown State beat Pitt. I saw Furman take Pitt into overtime. I saw Youngstown State and Villinova come way too damn close to beating Pitt other times. I watched on tv with great happiness Appalachian St beat Michigan. Not that I am scared of Pitt playing FCS teams because I am not, lets not act like Pitt takes care of business against those type of teams.

As far as Iowa and I will through in Mich St, they were good games that I enjoyed watching. Do I wish Pitt won of course, but I was entertained for the 3 hours of the game. Yes we caught them on up swings but more times than not you will not so why be scared of those type of teams. Hell Pitt is catching UCF on a upswing but there should never be fear to schedule any G5 team no matter what kind of upswing they are on.

 

[pittdan77]

First I sat there and saw youngstown State beat Pitt. I saw Furman take Pitt into overtime. I saw Youngstown State and Villinova come way too damn close to beating Pitt other times. I watched on tv with great happiness Appalachian St beat Michigan. Not that I am scared of Pitt playing FCS teams because I am not, lets not act like Pitt takes care of business against those type of teams.

As far as Iowa and I will through in Mich St, they were good games that I enjoyed watching. Do I wish Pitt won of course, but I was entertained for the 3 hours of the game. Yes we caught them on up swings but more times than not you will not so why be scared of those type of teams. Hell Pitt is catching UCF on a upswing but there should never be fear to schedule any G5 team no matter what kind of upswing they are on.

I’m not saying you’re wrong. I just feel like the program has a perception issue as a perineal 8 win club. You obviously have to fix that on the field but it sure wouldn’t hurt to put up 10 once. Maybe twice? Seriously, it’s been forever.

 

[McKee Place]

Ive looked at it both ways. As a season ticket holder, I would prefer more legit opponents, sure. I dig seeing interesting variety like Ok St or upcoming games with Tennessee etc.

However, the problem is, we tend to lose to them.

I agree with the above poster who pointed out we have our share of struggles too with the lower tier FBS or FCS. Losing even one of those is frankly inexcusable IMO, but it is thankfully still relatively rare. So even if there have been some ugly exceptions, there are far fewer losses than there have been to bigger P5 OOC opponents.

While conference games do matter more, the OOC Losses impact national rankings and local perception.

As recent other threads note, our crowds are jaded by pro experience and Steeler success, and want to see us with big numbers of victories and national relevance, before they'll come out. Regardless of opponent.

If we are .500 or worse late in the season, no ranking and no prayer of one, it doesn't matter if we knock off the number 2 team, like the Clemson win. It won't bring out the crowds for the next game if that game still "means nothing". As was the case with that Duke game that followed.

The system (and human nature) stinks, that larger number of victories are rewarded (by poll voters and fans alike), regardless of the low grade opponent. But that's how it is, and it is frankly futile for Pitt not to adhere to it.

 

[joeydavid]

Do you think it's difficult to put up satistics or look like an All-American when your team plays the equivalent of a MAC level schedule?

Max Browne looked like an All-American versus Rice last season. Imagine if he got to play six Rice level schools...

Do you realize Wisconsin has four preseason All-Americans?

 

[Mikefln]

I’m not saying you’re wrong. I just feel like the program has a perception issue as a perineal 8 win club. You obviously have to fix that on the field but it sure wouldn’t hurt to put up 10 once. Maybe twice? Seriously, it’s been forever.

Oh I agree. But let's face reality, Pitt's biggest opponent has always been Pitt. How many times since Walt was named HC did Pitt crap the bed? I agree the whole play PSU then go play OSU is bad scheduling, but more times than not, the reason why Pitt does not get 10 wins is they screw up not because the other team beats them. Last year, they should have won Cuse, UNC, and VT to be 8-4 with a bowl not 5-7. Those teams didn't beat Pitt, Pitt screwed up and lost. In 2016 UNC and Northwestern there is your 10 win season. there are more examples of this that I do not have time to think about to list. You mention Iowa, guess what Pitt lost both games, Iowa didn't beat Pitt. W/ Fraud Graham, Pitt was running all over them with a huge lead. I heard it straight from a starting O Linesman himslef that they told Todd "we are pushing them around like nothing, lets go old school pop warrner dive plays we got this" Todd flips out says "I'm the coach not you guys!" Plays his High Octane ball and we lose the game and Lumpy also for the year. Then in 2015 we miss a FG in the wanning seconds. That is Pitt losing instead of being beaten.

Pitt needs to stop beating themselves first, before we fans worry about who is on the schedule.