8-5 is not the standard we want Pitt football to be at, but 8-5 is actually a pretty miraculous record considering this team finished with a -17 scoring margin (275 PF vs. 292 PA) and the only ACC team with a winning record in both home and away games (besides Clemson). Despite the record, 2019 Pitt was not really different than the previous 2 years.
2019 Pitt -17 8-5
2018 Pitt -32 7-7
2017 Pitt -22 5-7
2016 Pitt +74 8-5
2015 Pitt +28 8-5
What does the scoring margin look like for other potential 8-5 P5 teams in 2019 (including teams that could finish with 8 wins with a bowl win or loss)?
8-5 Pitt -17
7-5 Louisville -14
8-4 Wake Forest +42
8-4 Virginia Tech +87
8-4 Oklahoma State +77
8-4 Kansas State +110
7-5 Texas +73
7-5 Iowa State +105
8-4 Indiana +97
7-5 Cal -24
8-5 Washington +164
8-4 USC +65
7-5 ASU +25
7-5 Tennessee +31
7-5 Kentucky +95
7-5 Texas A&M +88
If Cal wins their bowl game by more than 7 points, Pitt would have the worst scoring margin of any 8 win team in P5. The average scoring margin of the teams above is +68. What does it take to get to 10 wins? P5 teams that currently have 10 wins are an average of +241 and 9 win teams are +138. So basically, if the defense stays the level, Pitt needs to find a way to score more than 10 more points per game next year.
2019 Pitt -17 8-5
2018 Pitt -32 7-7
2017 Pitt -22 5-7
2016 Pitt +74 8-5
2015 Pitt +28 8-5
What does the scoring margin look like for other potential 8-5 P5 teams in 2019 (including teams that could finish with 8 wins with a bowl win or loss)?
8-5 Pitt -17
7-5 Louisville -14
8-4 Wake Forest +42
8-4 Virginia Tech +87
8-4 Oklahoma State +77
8-4 Kansas State +110
7-5 Texas +73
7-5 Iowa State +105
8-4 Indiana +97
7-5 Cal -24
8-5 Washington +164
8-4 USC +65
7-5 ASU +25
7-5 Tennessee +31
7-5 Kentucky +95
7-5 Texas A&M +88
If Cal wins their bowl game by more than 7 points, Pitt would have the worst scoring margin of any 8 win team in P5. The average scoring margin of the teams above is +68. What does it take to get to 10 wins? P5 teams that currently have 10 wins are an average of +241 and 9 win teams are +138. So basically, if the defense stays the level, Pitt needs to find a way to score more than 10 more points per game next year.
