If you remember we clinched the coastal at WForest and then finished the regular season with a dud losing to Miami ( 24-3) which was followed by two more duds against Clemson and a beaten down Stanford team in the Sun Bowl. Thinking and looking back I think most of our regulars played but not with much passion looking ahead. If we beat UVA. What happens with Syracuse game. Do we sit some of our playmakers or play to win since a ten game season would be on the line as well as possible bowl pecking order , higher rankings and more positive recruiting information. Despite the score of the Louisville beat down of Syracuse they won’t be pushove at the Dome where they play better than on the road. tThey can be a physical team. I saw we play to win but repast some of our regulars if we get a decent lead. Pitt has fared well up there but they are always close games. What say you .
Similar Scenario To 2018
- Thread starter poconopanther
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Miami has always had more talent. Pitt will beat Syracuse for the same reason, just more talented. I could see early substitutions, but if Pickett is still in contention for Heisman, I see at least a first half with starters. Pitt will play for a top 15 ranking. The game is still meaningful on a lot of levels. 2018 was not as talented as this bunch, hence the subsequent Miami and Clemson lashings.
lol, I've been posting over & over.....college football is about rankings & perception. Hopefully Narduzzi prevents the team from having the inevitable letdown against cuse assuming an emotional win over UVA. A 2-loss regular season is very important.
More importantly, hopefully Lyke reminds Narduzzi of the importance of this. I don't think he has the NFL mentality like Wanny and realizes College football places more emphasis on rankings and not just making the championship game. I'm willing to chalk up the 2018 loss to Miami as being related to he can never beat Miami. Had we closed that year with Cuse, probably would have won and played better.
This is the exact reason I wanted Miami to win on Saturday. I did not want Pitt to clinch against UVA. I wanted Pitt to be hungry when they go to Syracuse.
Everybody on this site disagreed with me.... because they don't understand Narduzzi's history and nature.
He has repeatedly said that "rankings don't matter to me, only championships". If we beat Virginia, he will rest any players that are even slightly banged up against Syracuse. They will also not have the focus and intensity needed for Syracuse.
Maybe we'll beat Syracuse anyway, because Syracuse is bad. But I wanted Pitt hungry in that game. And now they won't be.
Someone just needs to remind Narduzzi that I think over the last 35 years there are only like 2 or 3 teams that haven't had a season with under 3 losses and we are one of the three and it is an opportunity to get a huge monkey off the back of the program.
I don't think he cares.
After every game this season, he had a "24 hour rule" about celebrating wins... because "our goals are still in front of us".
Having achieved the goal of winning the Coastal.... I believe Narduzzi will treat the Syracuse game as a glorified scrimmage, and sit any key player that is even slightly banged up. This is a mistake - but it is what he will do.
Hopefully we'll still be good enough, and focused enough, to beat Syracuse anyway.
I just want to beat UVA first. And worry about the rest later.
I know, I know, this is a message board, we don't control that stuff. I'm just not thinking that far ahead. I still think UVA is going to be a tough game, especially if Armstrong plays and is somewhat healthy.
I know, I know, this is a message board, we don't control that stuff. I'm just not thinking that far ahead. I still think UVA is going to be a tough game, especially if Armstrong plays and is somewhat healthy.
I'd be fine with resting anyone who is banged up against Syracuse. First of all, you should still be able to beat them. Second, 10-3 with an ACC Championship is better than 10-3 without an ACC Championship.
How many more times are we going to have an opportunity to win this conference?
How many more times are we going to have an opportunity to win this conference?
I think a major difference between 2018 and now is we were underdogs against Miami and Clemson. We are/will be big favorites against UVA and Syracuse. Unsure what a Wake line would look like. Another difference is in 2018 were were blown out by a combined score of 96-20 against PSU and UCF. Very physically demoralizing games where we looked slow.
This is just a better team, especially with senior leadership, and it's not close.
This is just a better team, especially with senior leadership, and it's not close.
Pitt winning out meant that we didn't have to worry about getting Miami "out of the way".
All the Miami loss did was make it less likely for Pitt to win the Syracuse game than otherwise would've been. Hopefully we still beat them anyway.
Their QB can't throw, which typically makes for a long day against Pitt. I know they almost always have a decent d-line and secondary, and of course they also have Tucker. But a QB who can't throw isn't the ideal candidate to exploit Narduzzi's scheme. The game would have to go similarly to that 2019 BC game for us to lose it, but I like to think we're a lot better than that now. At least on offense.
Now run through that scenario again... but with half of Pitt's 22 starters sitting... including maybe even Pickett.
I don't think that would ever happen. Second half with a lead, yes. If a guy is injured, yes. Otherwise, no. We're talking about Pat Narduzzi here. He would have Pickett in against Hofstra, let alone Syracuse.
I've seen Syracuse. They're bad. But they did beat a couple teams, and have the best RB in the country.
They've not played horribly before this past weekend. Only lost by 3 to FSU, Wake, and Clemson. Beat VT and BC, not that either of those wins are huge accomplishments. They could be playing for bowl eligibility against us.
But we're a lot better than them and should still beat them. We'd probably still be favored even if Pickett didn't play (assuming we didn't have too many other guys sitting out as well).
They aren't that bad. The last 2 matchups against Syracuse weren't exactly easy, and this Syracuse team is much better than those teams were. The Orange looked like a total train wreck Saturday at Louisville, but that isn't what they have been throughout most of this season.
Assuming Pitt beats UVA, that's a classic trap game. I think Pitt matches up pretty well with Syracuse though.
A 10 win season recruits better then a 9 win season and if Pitt wins the ACC that is 11 wins and if they win the bowl game that is 12. Now you are a HC with double digit wins. I know Captain Obvious
Heather needs to “ remind duzz” seriously what planet have you been living on. I love Heather but most importantly she knows she doesn’t need to remind duzz .
This. I don't worry about our scheme against the run. And even though Tucker looks like a really nice back, he won't do it on his own. Teams need 80+ yard passing TDs to beat us. Can Syracuse do that? I haven't seen much on film this year to suggest they can.
Given our scheme, I'll take playing a Heisman candidate running back 10 times out of 10 rather than playing a mobile and accurate QB with big receivers.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
It's weird because we hear about this being a B1G defense that is designed for a run-first team every time Pitt gives up 30 points. Syracuse is as close to a B1G team as any ACC school, this year. Even if Syracuse has a decent day on offense, Pitt has been boat racing people. UNC and UVA are good examples.
Also, Duzz said that nobody is resting. I only believe that to a point. I expect a lot of people to come out if Pitt can get far enough out front.
Plus it seems that their back is getting his yardage but Syracuse is still getting blown out.
Remember the last time we played in the dome? We knocked out DeVito and the first pass the back-up threw was a deep sideline route for six. Even a bad QB can chuck it downfield and get lucky.
Remember the last time we played in the dome? We knocked out DeVito and the first pass the back-up threw was a deep sideline route for six. Even a bad QB can chuck it downfield and get lucky.
I'd like to get the monkey off our back regarding the 3 losses every year since 1981 thing too, AND I think Narduzzi is right to say the ACC championship is this team's goal. We exist and we vote!
(I think he'll do fine playing our players, legitimately trying to win, and pulling starters if we get a two score or so lead.)
(I think he'll do fine playing our players, legitimately trying to win, and pulling starters if we get a two score or so lead.)
