Still a lot to play for in the last two games...turning the page on last three weeks.

[Gep Dawg]

I know we are all disappointed Pitt won't make the CFP now. Although we never could have imagined at the beginning of the season this team would have had a chance for a 7-0 start…it also obviously (and perhaps unfairly) elevated our expectations. I also think a healthy Holstein (he really hasn’t been fully himself since he got hurt against Syracuse) would have won the Virginia game and probably Clemson too despite how admirably Nate played as his replacement.

But we will never know for sure and here we are feeling a little let down and hungover after a close loss to a very good Clemson team. As bitter as it is to swallow for me its time to move on and focus on the rest of the season.

With all of that said, it is still very critical for Pitt to still do everything in their power to win the next two games for a variety of reasons:

• Going 9-3 gives Pitt a great shot at an upper tier bowl game like the Gator, Mayo or Sun Bowl. These bowl games are played around NYD against a quality P4 opponent and have much higher visibility than the slate of mid-tier bowl games available to ACC teams the weekend before.
• Heading into a high visibility bowl game with a 9-3 record and chance to win 10 games is huge not only for team pride but for recruiting and program recognition.
• I don’t think we will see many (or any) major players (i.e. Holstein or Reid) going into the portal. So, I expect them to also play in the bowl game if they are healthy. Pitt really needs to compete in the bowl game as if it’s the first game for next season. A win or close loss against a high-level opponent with set the plate for the program and how it’s viewed by the national media heading next year.

So, with all that top of mind, I am excited for this week’s game against Louisville! I know they lost a shocker against Stanford last week. But they are an extremely good and dangerous football team. But so is Pitt! Just hoping we can sustain some drives on offense and give our defense an opportunity to make some plays and get a big win on national TV.

H2P!

 

[jivecat]

Perhaps this Louisville matchup is a better litmus test of where PITT is as a program then the Virginia and Clemson losses. I do believe SMU was the better team....clearly.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Perhaps this Louisville matchup is a better litmus test of where PITT is as a program then the Virginia and Clemson losses. I do believe SMU was the better team....clearly.

Clemson is more talented too .
But agree SMU was firing on all
Cylinders

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

The UVA loss stings... It was like once Holstein went down the team was deflated and the entire game changed.

I fear they left a lot on the field against Clemson. So many guys hurt, carted, carried, limping off the field... for Clemson as well. Physical football game. Follow that up by going on the road against a good team. Tough spot IMO.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Clemson is more talented too .
But agree SMU was firing on all
Cylinders

Clemson was more talented, but they honestly weren't that good. They carry the name brand, but they're probably more akin to like a UNC team we're used to seeing than past Clemson teams we've seen. Especially with the musical linemen situation they had going up front on offense. And Cade Klubnik reminds me of basically every quarterback Penn State gets. Big time expectations; mostly a disappointment.

And SMU is better than Pitt, but they're not as better as it seemed that night. If we played them ten times, I think we beat them at least 3-4.