ADVERTISEMENT

Who Will Pitt OpenUpWith OnSept.2

poconopanther

Redshirt
Jul 5, 2001
672
550
93
We know this much about the 2023 schedule. We have home games with Cincy, BC, FSU,NC, Louisville and Wofford. Road games are at ND, Duke, Syracuse, VTech, WForest and WVa. The only confirmed dates are Cincy on Sept. 9 and WVa. The following week Sept. 16. You would assume that we would play FCS school Wofford on Sept.2 for the opener but they are scheduled to play atClemson that date where they will get a larger pay date. I could think of an option where HL is trying to rearrange the Cincy series to ease our schedule and theirs since they start Big 12 next year. However with the Wisconsin hiring of Fickell I would want to play them since they will have an expected turnover in the rest of their staff and perhaps several players following Fickell their. If the series was rescheduled HL could line up a MAC school or another group of five school for the opener. Another possibility is to open with a league game which the ACC does annually with four of their teams. However some quick research indicates that only one of the teams with an open date that weekend are scheduled to take on Pitt. Any insights on this ? Maybe one of the Pitt beat writers who frequent this board can provide some info as to where this issue is going.
 
Not sure but I agree we would rather play Cincy next year without Fickell and turnover before they get to re-tool like UCF. Who is the other acc team with an open?
 
  • Like
Reactions: HailToPitt725
We know this much about the 2023 schedule. We have home games with Cincy, BC, FSU,NC, Louisville and Wofford. Road games are at ND, Duke, Syracuse, VTech, WForest and WVa. The only confirmed dates are Cincy on Sept. 9 and WVa. The following week Sept. 16. You would assume that we would play FCS school Wofford on Sept.2 for the opener but they are scheduled to play atClemson that date where they will get a larger pay date. I could think of an option where HL is trying to rearrange the Cincy series to ease our schedule and theirs since they start Big 12 next year. However with the Wisconsin hiring of Fickell I would want to play them since they will have an expected turnover in the rest of their staff and perhaps several players following Fickell their. If the series was rescheduled HL could line up a MAC school or another group of five school for the opener. Another possibility is to open with a league game which the ACC does annually with four of their teams. However some quick research indicates that only one of the teams with an open date that weekend are scheduled to take on Pitt. Any insights on this ? Maybe one of the Pitt beat writers who frequent this board can provide some info as to where this issue is going.

Who is the team with an open date? That would have to be our opening game. It doesn't seem possible that it could be anyone else unless if ESPN arranged a switcharoo so we go to WVU in Week 1 or something like that.
 
I'm hoping Heather shapes our schedule to be favorable going forward.

Catching a break with Cincy. Play them next year at all cost. Don't push that back--theyll be good again soon.

Instead of playing the Woffords of the world, Pitt needs to have long term deals with teams like temple, which is soundly in our recruiting footprint. Since teams are renting wins from Duquesne, why not us? A city game in football. A home and home series that's always at Heinz Field. Get credit for road wins and never leave PIT.

Wvcc is a mess. Schedule them regularly.

Ohio Mac teams and YSU should be on the schedule, and I'm sure they don't want us, but I'd try like heck to schedule a long series with Rutgers. I'm okay with playing Florida schools as we recruit them hard. As we will now be rotating through fsu and Miami, we won't have a yearly Florida connection, so scheduling one of the non P5 Florida schools regularly would be another good get.
 
Would be cool if the Backyard Brawl became a tradition that opened the season on Thursday night every year.

Otherwise, yeah... Has to be the ACC opponent you mentioned, unless we ditch Cincy. I normally prefer to get the FCS game over with the first week, but when we're playing 11 real teams, it might be nice to kick that into week 4 and let it function as a bye week before the final eight.
 
Would be cool if the Backyard Brawl became a tradition that opened the season on Thursday night every year.

Otherwise, yeah... Has to be the ACC opponent you mentioned, unless we ditch Cincy. I normally prefer to get the FCS game over with the first week, but when we're playing 11 real teams, it might be nice to kick that into week 4 and let it function as a bye week before the final eight.

They usually do an 8PM ACCN conference matchup in Week 1 so that has to be it
 
They usually do an 8PM ACCN conference matchup in Week 1 so that has to be it

Probably. I have a wild theory that too many 8PM starts ruined our season. For one, you just never know what you're going to get in some of these late, dead environments. Second, you fly home after the game and get back in the wee hours. I can't be convinced that there isn't a certain lag that carries into the next week.

I was going to make a thread about it, but I feared it might end up on Message Board Geniuses so I backed off.
 
FSU started this season a week earlier than everyone else (against Duquesne), and I guess that got them an extra bye week. Looking at our 2023 schedule, I'd say this would be a good year for us to have an early game.
 
We know this much about the 2023 schedule. We have home games with Cincy, BC, FSU,NC, Louisville and Wofford. Road games are at ND, Duke, Syracuse, VTech, WForest and WVa. The only confirmed dates are Cincy on Sept. 9 and WVa. The following week Sept. 16. You would assume that we would play FCS school Wofford on Sept.2 for the opener but they are scheduled to play atClemson that date where they will get a larger pay date. I could think of an option where HL is trying to rearrange the Cincy series to ease our schedule and theirs since they start Big 12 next year. However with the Wisconsin hiring of Fickell I would want to play them since they will have an expected turnover in the rest of their staff and perhaps several players following Fickell their. If the series was rescheduled HL could line up a MAC school or another group of five school for the opener. Another possibility is to open with a league game which the ACC does annually with four of their teams. However some quick research indicates that only one of the teams with an open date that weekend are scheduled to take on Pitt. Any insights on this ? Maybe one of the Pitt beat writers who frequent this board can provide some info as to where this issue is going.
Cincy isn't switching our game, there's absolutely no reason for them to do it.
Their OOC schedule is set up well.

I don't think any of our ACC opponents are open that weekend. In fact, none of our opponents are open that weekend.
 
Probably. I have a wild theory that too many 8PM starts ruined our season. For one, you just never know what you're going to get in some of these late, dead environments. Second, you fly home after the game and get back in the wee hours. I can't be convinced that there isn't a certain lag that carries into the next week.

I was going to make a thread about it, but I feared it might end up on Message Board Geniuses so I backed off.

Sunday is an off day so I dont think that matters. If anything, the 8PM should have helped vs GT because there was a hurricane all day until the ball was kicked off and then there was barely a sprinkle but we made their D look like the 1985 Bears
 
Cincy isn't switching our game, there's absolutely no reason for them to do it.
Their OOC schedule is set up well.

I don't think any of our ACC opponents are open that weekend. In fact, none of our opponents are open that weeke
Louisvilleg WAS open as of last week, but they are opening up with Georgia Tech. I was surprised that information came out. The ACC schedule comes out towards the end of January. At this point, without rearranging things, and Wofford is at Clemson, another one of the 4 schools who play an SEC rival, it looks like a Bye. Poor planning by Heather. Should have been on top of that.
 
You have to play a game in FL every year so you can tell Mom she can see her son play at least once a year.
I would rather play Duquesne than Rhode Island for sure.
WV is a must as well because if you don’t PSU will benefit from lack of buzz.
Most importantly you must consistently win.
 
Louisvilleg WAS open as of last week, but they are opening up with Georgia Tech. I was surprised that information came out. The ACC schedule comes out towards the end of January. At this point, without rearranging things, and Wofford is at Clemson, another one of the 4 schools who play an SEC rival, it looks like a Bye. Poor planning by Heather. Should have been on top of that.

Having a bye the first week of the season would be the most hilariously Pitt thing ever.

That said, there's no way that can happen. I still thing they'll get out of the Cincy game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Snyder412
Good work GB. Just saw that as well. There’s no way we will open up with no opponent that first week. Maybe some scheduling gymnastics going on as well. Posted last week about the vacancies on the future schedules . HL is doing a great job with victory heights and the Olympic sports but football is the first priority and scheduling is extremely important. Not going to criticize her yet for scheduling u til the opponent and the 2023 schedule comes out yet.!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Atlanta Panther
9/2 - Wofford Plays Clemson
9/9 - Cincy
9/16 - at WVU
ND - Will be scheduled in October or November

My guess is we play Wofford on 8/26 or else a conference opponent that is able and willing to swap their own cupcake game to 8/26 and then play us on 9/2.

Note - The Pirates are home on 8/26 and away on 9/2, 9/9, and 9/23
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: daminals76
wvu plays penn state i think on labor day weekend so a backyard brawl first week is out..
 
Probably. I have a wild theory that too many 8PM starts ruined our season. For one, you just never know what you're going to get in some of these late, dead environments. Second, you fly home after the game and get back in the wee hours. I can't be convinced that there isn't a certain lag that carries into the next week.

I was going to make a thread about it, but I feared it might end up on Message Board Geniuses so I backed off.
I think it was too many home games bunched together in the first half of the season.
One good thing about road games is fewer players means fewer distractions.
 
I expect Wofford on Sept 23rd after 3 P5 opening games.

Sept 2 looks like an early ACC game which could be home or away. Louis, Va Tech, Duke, Wake, BC ??

Similar to Nitters opening up Thursday versus Minnesota this year.
 
I expect Wofford on Sept 23rd after 3 P5 opening games.

Sept 2 looks like an early ACC game which could be home or away. Louis, Va Tech, Duke, Wake, BC ??
Louisville plays GT on 9/2
WF might be the easiest switch. They have Elon scheduled on 9/2, so maybe they could move it to 8/26 or later in the year. Then we would open up on the road at WF.
 
I’d expect either Cincy to move Eastern Kentucky for a Primetime week 1 game or Wake to move Elon.

Looks like most of ND dates are committed already… appears we’re heading for a November matchup with them
 
9/2 - Wofford Plays Clemson
9/9 - Cincy
9/16 - at WVU
ND - Will be scheduled in October or November

My guess is we play Wofford on 8/26 or else a conference opponent that is able and willing to swap their own cupcake game to 8/26 and then play us on 9/2.

Note - The Pirates are home on 8/26 and away on 9/2, 9/9, and 9/23

Yep. Wofford in Week 0 or Cincy or Wake switch their Week 1 cupcakes to play us in Week 1
 
Clemson vs Wofford might get canceled or moved, so that would make sense as to why we scheduled them. That would give us a home opener on 9/2 against Wofford.
 
Last edited:
Let's go to hawaii the week before labor day. We get an extra game that year for making the trip and 8 wins is now easier. If we don't make a warm bowl....well we have already gone.
 
I don't know why you guys think Cincy is changing their schedule. Their schedule is setup perfectly for them. Their week one cupcake is playing Kentucky in week two, so there's no switch coming from them. The years we play them we're their only P5 OOC game and each of the years they have 2 home and on away OOC game.

Forget about Cincy accommodating Pitt's inability to properly schedule their football team. Our best hope is Clemson gets an ACC game in week 1 and asks Wofford to push their game out to later in the season, so we take 9/2.
 
It looks like NC State is open Week 1 and they are on Clemson's schedule next year.
I think you are on to something here. In all likely hood Clemson will be the defending ACC champ and they would like to feature them that first weekend which would open up the second of September for the Wofford game.
 
I think you are on to something here. In all likely hood Clemson will be the defending ACC champ and they would like to feature them that first weekend which would open up the second of September for the Wofford game.

The ACC contract states that there has to be a Labor Day Night game. It can be a non-con but hosted by the ACC school. Are there any of these on the slate? Because if not, Clemson/NC State seems possible but what do those teams have in Week 2?
 
Possibly. Check Future schedules.com. Best source of college football s chedules on the internet.
as of now, FBS Future schedules has the Cincy/PItt game on 9/9. they play Eastern KY on 9/2. Obviously things are open to change..

 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT