I’m sure many of you have seen the stories. That Penn State’s new coach expressed a desire to reestablish the Pitt-Penn State series.
Penn State and Pitt last played Sept. 16, 2000, when the Panthers beat the Nittany Lions, 12-0, at Three Rivers Stadium.
“I would love to see that game played on an annual basis,” O’Brien told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in a story published Saturday. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for (Pitt coach) Paul Chryst and their program, and that’s a great rivalry.
“For the fans of Pennsylvania to be able to see that game every year, I think that’s pretty neat.”
From the earliest days of this blog, I have maintained that Pitt-Penn State would resume some time after Paterno not only retired, but had passed away.
Now we have the home-and-home coming up in 2016, and it seemed obvious that there would be some discussions as it got closer to extending it. Especially since by then no one expected Paterno would still be coaching.
Like most of you, I greeted the report with a fair amount of optimism and excitement at the idea of it returning to the annual game. That which I grew up on and should have been an annual battle within my family.
Thinking more about it, I just don’t know if this will happen. For many reasons.
Issue 1: O’Brien answered a question while doing the junket across the state. He only said that he would like it to happen. Hell, Paterno would often say as much. He’d then qualify it with all the problems, preconditions (2-for-1) and reasons why it couldn’t. Wanting it to happen is not the same as making it happen.
Issue 2: How long will O’Brien actually be at PSU? The series to become an annual event wouldn’t be until 2018 at the earliest. That’s still 6-years away. Does anyone want to put money down on the guy following Paterno and a NFL guy to boot will still be there? Since football scheduling is done so far in advance because of the limited games, the Athletic Director at a school usually has more say over the scheduling than the football coach. Unlike in basketball. Obviously Penn State was different with Paterno, but O’Brien doesn’t get that kind of clout at this time.
Issue 3: Room on the schedule. By next year, Pitt will only have 3 non-con games per year to schedule. Pitt has one spot almost continually locked up with the Notre Dame series. As appealing an idea for us to have PSU and ND as annual non-cons, it means Pitt has to schedule a cupcake home game for that 3d non-con. A 9-game conference slate and a schedule with PSU and ND would mean every other year, Pitt would only have 6 home games (4 conference and 2 non-con).
Issue 4: Lack of schedule variety. This ties into issue 3. Want to see Pitt play another major-conference foe occasionally? Not going to happen. No way Pitt can. Forget about an absolute killer schedule. Playing any good team outside the conference means home-and-home. Which means giving up another home game — and the money.
Additionally, there are a couple of unknown variables — both pro and con that can effect this possibility. The first is expansiopocolypse. If it continues, and ND finally surrenders their independence, then one way or another the ND series changes. If the Irish were to got ACC, it frees up the non-con spot on the schedule as ND becomes a conference game (and man, what a battle that would cause in the ACC over scheduling and which division gets ND).
If ND went to the Big 10, the series might also become much more sporadic. Assuming ND keeps USC and Navy, there may suddenly be no room to keep Pitt. Bad for Pitt-ND, but also freeing the spot for Pitt-PSU.
The other unknown is the coming playoff. We know it will be a 4-team situation, but the method is still up for debate. Will it be only on polls? How does winning the conference come into play? Will overall strength of schedule play much of a role? Lots of unknowns that we don’t know, It will be something to consider when planning non-cons.
So, while I welcome O’Brien’s statements, I don’t know how much it matters.
Why would PSU entertain such an idea? PSU has not had a winning record against several Big10 opponents since joining the big10 and it stands in the way of national prominence and relevance. They aren’t the big fish in the big 10, but rather a good big10 team. Quick reference of records since joining big10:
Versus Michigan 6-10
Versus Ohio State 7-12
Versus Iowa 6-9
Versus Wisconsin 6-7
Versus Nebraska 0-1
Versus Michigan St 13-5
Versus Indiana,Illinois,Minnesota,Northwestern Rivals = Alot of W’s.
I can’t see Pitt/PSU fitting each other in to their schedules either on a consistent basis and to be candid, for me, playing PSU once or twice every 15 years, takes the luster out of the rivalry. Best left alone as it may just become another game. Again, just my opinion on that. When you play every year, you are battling for recruiting edges,state bragging rights and workplace victories. Doing it as currently planned says our team beat yours 10 years ago. Okay, so we beat them last !! HA!
Maybe conference expansion takes this in a different direction provides some hope in this regard. It is no secret that PSU is a “red headed step child” in the big10. I hope PSU takes a look at this more closely as they try to move away from the scandal. Sad that when you hear “Penn State”, the first thought will be the scandal. It will be worse than “Kent State” and what occurred there.
hate ND screw them all .
I would rather play wisconsin or ohio state or texas or UCLA or iowa or who ever.
If the Pitt/PSU would again become a Thanksgiving tradition, I would have no problem not playing Notre Dame again. I also doubt whether they will want to play us now that we are leaving the Big Least. As for WVU it is in Pitt’s interest to isolate them as much as possible so it hurts their recruiting in the northeast.
I missed weddings,funerals, many Thanksgivings etc. to get to those games. Win, lose or draw, there is not a single sporting event I would still like to see other than Pitt/Penn State and I cannot wait for the next game in 2016. In 1983 I went up to State College with a good Pitt alum friend expecting to see a 3-7 Pitt team be crushed by a Penn STate team ranked and favored by 25 points. Pitt ran behind their big offensive line and just destroyed Penn STate that day. There is not a finer moment than listening to Penn State call in talk radio after one of those games.
Other than that game and the 1976 Dorsett game where JMajors switched him to fullback at halftime, my favorite game was November 26th, 1987 when Pitt had it’s Blue and Yellow Uni’s at Pitt Stadium. Two very ordinary teams but Pitt won on a (almost walkoff…didn’t have that term then) late interception run back for a TD. What a feeling…hope you young ones get a chance to have it and hope you elders rekindle some memories.
Life is too short….let’s play the game now!!
I HATE PSU just like Frankcam, but not the same way I hate WVU,who if we never play again, I will not mind.
Just one Pitt Alum’s take.
they allways thought they were better than us and i dont mean in just sports.
i hope they fall on there face this year. WVU sucks to. dam red necks.
tino sucks penn state sucks WVU sucks
fine day to day i can see the river from my door
the birds are singing the cat is running in the grass had dinner on the porch kicked back with a iron city and a smoke life is good. hope you had a good day. and yes penn state sucks
I was part of the crew that got the goal post down after the ’87 game you mentioned!
Hail to Pitt!
And to those that didn’t get to have the Pitt-PSU rivalry, I understand that WVU would be your choice.
We had this discussion some months ago when WVU was pretty much a done deal to the Big 12 and it looked and still does look like we won’t be playing them much.
I never thought of this, till now, and let me explain to some younger fans, who consider their main rival (WVU). (Again, that’s fine and I understand).
You know how we look down on West Virginia???
Well, that’s kind of how Penn State fans look at us.
They are very dismissive of Pitt and it’s fans.
Trust me, you will see in a couple years when we play. They will act like Pitt is no big deal.
You will think, oh, that’s because we haven’t played in awhile and they are in the Big10.
Oh, contrere’ mon frere’!!! This is how they’ve always treated us.
I say to you, you will hate them immediately.
Now, one thing that could be different, the scandal has happened, and that has defintiley knocked them down a few pegs.
Believe me though, if Pitt-Penn St would start up yearly, after a year or two, you’d say, the hell with WVU, these guys are the real d*cks!!!
IMHO.
Straightened up the yard, now gonna take a shower, and do some reading.
5 the fires of heaven got to book 7 last time .
but if you like history try team of rivals bye
doris kearns goodwin abought Abraham Lincon it is agood read read that 3 weeks ago.
Reading a book called ‘Sarum’, by Edward Rutherford. Historical Fiction.
Actually starts out back in the ice age, with a family. Then goes through the history of the family all the way up to about pre WWII England.
Each chapter or so, is a different genration.
Nicely written, really enjoying it.
If it is about money. Get a sponser. In theory, it will get someones name out to hundred of thousands college grads, who should have disposable income.
Can;t say enough about it.
If you like historical fiction pick up anything by Bernard Cornwell, especially the Richard Sharp series.
book store.
hate to pay full price if i can help it. there are 14 books in the wheel of time series.
kind of like Dune only different or like lord of the rings sort of.
you know a book that kind of scared me was Dean Koontz The Taking but a good read.
But if you like history try the bunker bye james p
o donnell a good look at Hitler in the last days of ww2 very intersting.
with the best one.
Whether it’s Saturday afternoon, Sunday evening, or Monday morning, yes,………..
Penn St. does in fact, suck!!!
but it is close enough.
if i walk across the street and walk down the path
i am maybe a foot ball field away from the bank
close enough to fish every day if i want to.
hate them they suck,
You are correct, and I’ve also noticed it with some of my PSU friends and relatives (nephews and nieces that went there).
Not quite as chipper at mouthing off as they used to be.
Definitley subdued!!
If I were them, I’d probably knock it off the “Sh*t on Pitt” shirts and buttons when we play again.
Some innovative, young Pitt fans, might have some material for some nasty t-shirts right back at them.
Not me certainly, I’m just sayin’, if I was a PSU fan, I’d kinda be nice to Pitt fans these days!!
and they would have to lump it wouldent they penn state sucks .
the Allegheny river dan
As for having only 3 non-con games. Simple solution, is to go to 13 games with 9 conf & 4 non-con. And I’m sure that is what is going to happen. Since you have all this ‘down time’ for some of these teams between last game & bowl game.
And then of course, it would be more REVENUE for the schools. Which is what it’s all about.
I have to remind people now, down here in the South, that is was Penn State, not PITT that engaged in child rape.
As some of them easily confuse the two. Why sully Pitt’s reputation, by having it further linked to Ped State, by playing them.
At the least, let’s leave 15 years go past BEFORE WE EVEN CONSIDER PLAYING THE PEDOS AGAIN.
As they put us on the back burner for 15 years, we should do the same to them. Shun them and say thanks but no thanks.
We needed them alot more when we were in the Big East but that issue has been resolved. They have made it clear they don’t need us and wanting and needing something are entirely different states of being.
My guess is it will appear as a home and home twice every 8 or 10 years.