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December 1, 2012

Open Thread B: Pitt-USF

Filed under: Football,Open Thread — Chas @ 6:32 pm

Curse the fates that have two games at the same time. No way to avoid the basketball score, even if I stayed off the net. Our TV is a projector so the painter tape over the portion of the screen that is the ticker on ESPN trick, just won’t work.

Big game for Pitt as it is the difference between bowl eligibility and the ignominy of not even managing a 6-6 record. To say nothing of only managing 2 conference wins in the final go-round.

The options are either the Pinstripe or Beef bowl if Pitt wins. The Beef O’Brady Bowl just announced that incoming Big East team — but presently a C-USA refugee — Central Florida will be the C-USA rep. Pitt, as you may remember, had to cancel their home game with UCF for this year when the Big East thought TCU was joining. That led to the need to schedule Gardner-Webb at the last minute. So there could be a whole logic to it all.





Interesting, Syracuse has only been bowl eligible like twice in the last 10 years or so.

Both bowls would be the Pinstripe. Seems like that bowl was created for them by ESpn. lol

Comment by Emel 12.02.12 @ 5:29 pm

College football is ALL about money so not surprised by anything unless it is NOT about money.

B10 looking at GT but I cannot believe GT would entertain going to play all sports in Midwest.

It is musical TV chairs.

Comment by frank MD 12.02.12 @ 5:57 pm

BTW…Pitt did not cancel with UCF. UCF dropped Pitt in lieu of playing in Columbus for a real big pay day.
UCF could have beaten OSU that day: only their “wide eyed” mistakes took them out of the game.

Comment by SFPitt 12.02.12 @ 6:05 pm

frank MD, I sure can. Money, stability, and a seat at the table. What’s not to like?

Comment by Chris 12.02.12 @ 6:05 pm

“Pittsburgh is headed back to Birmingham for the third year in a row, where it will meet Ole Miss in the BBVA Compass Bowl”

Comment by Bossdaws 12.02.12 @ 6:47 pm

With about 75 yards receiving in a bowl game, Shanahan or 125 by Street, Pitt would have an unprecedented 3,000 yard passer, 1,000 rusher & receiver in the same year.

H2P

Comment by Hey Fralic, what do you do for fun? 12.02.12 @ 6:48 pm

Pitt will NOT be in BBVA bowl next year because BBVA not affiliated with ACC.

Comment by frank MD 12.02.12 @ 6:56 pm

Post Gazette: WVU vs Syracuse in Pinstripe Bowl.

Comment by Bowling Green Panther 12.02.12 @ 7:02 pm

lol apparently wvcc didn’t rate a better bowl.
PG says our ACC conf. pals Cuse get NYC with
the Hoopies.

Which confirms my hypothesis from above. lol

Comment by Emel 12.02.12 @ 7:06 pm

Got the trifecta – I was the one standing in the end zone with the Black and Gold with Suisham’s kick. Hail to Pitt…Glad we are not playing the wretched refuse from WVU/ Getting my ticks to Birminghan on Monday. Great weeked for Pittsburgh Sports##

Comment by Dan 72 12.02.12 @ 7:42 pm

Birmingham again stinks.

But, I love the matchup. Ole Miss. SEC. Someone we haven’t played in forever, if at all.

Comment by Dan 12.02.12 @ 7:50 pm

Don’t know if there is a Song named this, but there should be !

Singin the Birmingham Blues

Comment by Emel 12.02.12 @ 7:51 pm

Since BBVA in January at least Chryst has much time to work with team although practice times fixed.

Comment by frank MD 12.02.12 @ 7:54 pm

So it’s the Redmont Hotel in Birmingham with their 14th floor rooftop bar.

I was hoping for the Peabody Hotel in Memphis instead. Oh well drinks will be more economical at the Redmont. Always a bright side !

Comment by Emel 12.02.12 @ 7:55 pm

yep all that extra practice time for Sir Tino.

Helped a lot against YSU !

Comment by Emel 12.02.12 @ 7:57 pm

@dan

must live in the same area!! i saw u on the tube. yellow shirt right?

Comment by goalie44 12.02.12 @ 8:03 pm

I can’t ever remember playing the Rebels as long as I’ve followed Pitt football. Will Archie Manning be at the game?

BigEast teams have done well against lower echelon SEC teams this year.

Buttgers won @ Arkansas
Syracuse won @ Mizzou (when Mizzou needed a win to get to 6 wins)

Ole Miss has a dual threat QB who passed for 19 TD’s and ran for an additional 8 TD’s. Also throws a lot of picks (15). Haven’t seen him play so I can say if he’s worse than Sir Tino.

Comment by Emel 12.02.12 @ 8:34 pm

Since I live in Atlanta, I’ll go to see Pitt play the Rebels. HTP!

Comment by MariettaMike 12.02.12 @ 8:40 pm

Nashville here. I think I may go as well.

Comment by Pitt Is IT 12.02.12 @ 8:57 pm

That loss to YSU continues to pay dividends. I was pumped to get a shot at WVU in the Pinstripe. Although, I do like the chance to take on an SEC team. If you listen to Finebaum you know that even the worst SEC team is better than any other BCS Conferences best.

Comment by HbgFrank 12.02.12 @ 9:00 pm

Per an old Media Guide, Pitt has not ever played Ole Miss (nor Miss St. for that matter).

Kind of weird for a program with over 600 wins.

Comment by Hey Fralic, what do you do for fun? 12.02.12 @ 9:24 pm

Really pissed about not getting to play WVU, but the worst part is playing in January when it’s meaningless. I like playing during ‘Bowl Week’. I’m happy that Pitt gets another game, but I was really preferring the beef or pinstripe bowl.

Comment by Vulcan Rob 12.02.12 @ 9:36 pm

I blame Stevie for not getting us the Pinstripe or Beef. He is worthless.

Comment by TX Panther 12.02.12 @ 9:52 pm

While I like playing old Miss, the powers that be really blue this one. Back Yard Brawl in the Big Apple would have been a real winner. I think Pitt Fans would have attended and the PR and viewership would have been amazing. Outside of the immediate fans, who is going to watch either one of these bowls? Pitt vs. WVU would command more of a National audience, and a much better build-up.

Comment by gc 12.02.12 @ 9:59 pm

Per link to cfbdatawarehouse.com

Pitt has never played Ole Miss. That’s the one thing that will make it interesting – but Go Pitt!

Comment by KeyboardKev 12.02.12 @ 10:22 pm

Worthless? We should all get down on our knees and thank Stevie the Pete for getting us to the Birmingham Grand Kleagle Bowl three years in a row. And packing litterally hundreds into Heinz Field for Pitt home games.

It is not just any AD that would give Dave Wannstedt a contract extension, then have no Dave Wannstedt, then hire Mike Heywood, then have no Mike Heywood, then hire Toddie praise the lord Graham, then have no Toddie Graham, then hire Paul Chryst (maybe, because all of the reports were he was against him, and wanted to hire the legendary Mario Christobal).

Hats off to Paul Chryst. If Pitt had a real QB this year, even a Bill Stull, it would be playing in a BCS bowl. This may be the best 6-6 team in the country. And there could not be a person that deserves a bowl game more than him. The guy is a total class act.

But, I will admit, he is no Bill Callahan.

Comment by PO'd Panther 12.02.12 @ 10:24 pm

Ole Miss under Hugh Freese is legit. They had LSU beat and they beat the piss out of Mississippi State. They are in first year under Freese who was a top coach option last year. They are on the upswing. Offense is just like Tex AM. I hope we destroy them but I’m afraid it won’t be close. Plus 3/4 of Legion Field will be Red and Blue.

Comment by Upittbaseball 12.02.12 @ 10:31 pm

Considering how the Panther’s lost the 1st two games and then after the heartbraking loss in South Bend, laying an egg at UConn, I’m just glad they were able to play well in the last two games and make it to a bowl.

Any word on recruiting on the recruiting outlook?

Comment by Justinian 12.02.12 @ 10:42 pm

Don’t worry Upittbaseball,

We will fall behind by 3 TD’s and Sir Tino will lead his first ever and last ever 4rth quarter comeback to lead us to victory.

I’ve had a vision ! lol

P.S. won some money on Charlie Batch today so anything is possible 🙂

Comment by Emel 12.02.12 @ 10:47 pm

After all I did predict ND in the NC game before we played them.

And Georgia covered the spread !!

Comment by Emel 12.02.12 @ 10:48 pm

Sagarin’s rates Old Miss 4 points better than Pitt. Giving home field advantage to Old Miss based on likely butts in seats, Sagarin’s would have them a 7 point favorite.

Comment by Pitt1972 12.02.12 @ 10:50 pm

Well, at least we are going to a bowl. Something that I would not have predicted after the YSU loss. NYC would have been nice (and cold) but so be it. I’ll fill up the tank and make the short trip across the border 1.5 hours to Birmingham to watch PITT. Will load up the SUV with the family and friends. Not so bad after all.

It will be nice to see how we play now that we have a head coach for the first time in this bowl.

ole Miss should be an interesting game.

HTP

Comment by PITT FAN in ATLANTA 12.02.12 @ 10:55 pm

@Po’d Panther
Just hope/pray that SP does not get a contract extension.

Comment by sfpitt 12.02.12 @ 11:33 pm

I’ve always been a fan of Ray Graham, but this quote makes me cringe:

“To get to run out of that tunnel with my boys one more time before I take my talents to the next level, and I’m happy about this.”

Comment by panther94 12.03.12 @ 12:39 am

Woke up to find out we’re playing Ole Miss.

Very solid team at 6 and 6.

Passing offense competitive with Pitt. Rushing better than Pitt. Overall Defense better than Pitt.

Ole Miss Qb Bo Wallace does have a tendency to turn the ball over. The other good news is he’s no relation the other Wallace from Ole Miss and not nearly as fast.

Guessing Pitt will be the underdog in this one.

Two pretty evenly matched teams. Sets up as a hard fought physical football game.

Comment by PittofDreams 12.03.12 @ 5:14 am

Correction… Pitt Defense better overall than Ole Miss with regard to Points Allowed.

However, Ole Miss is ranked 13th in sacks with 34 to Pitt’s 23.

When you’re playing against Tino this alone can make you the BETTER Defense.

Comment by PittofDreams 12.03.12 @ 5:36 am

7 point spread sounds right given home field advantage. Pitt’s D is peaking and Chryst will have a full month to work on the offense. Injured and banged up players get to rest. I like our chances. Think Pitt will get a good turnout at this bowl? I’m hoping for at least 5k fans to bring some yellow to the sea of blue and red. Is Ole Miss the school that used to parade the Confederate flag?

Comment by TX Panther 12.03.12 @ 6:44 am

Monday morning,lets get ready for “The City Game”.

Comment by alcofan 12.03.12 @ 8:02 am

I just finished doing the math and even though I would have loved the “Brawl in the Bronx” match up I must admit that my checking account is going to start off much fuller in 2013 than it would have if Pitt played WVU in the Pinstripe Bowl.

See, my wife caught scent of that potential last week and already has us ready to make reservations at a NYC hotel with a room overlooking Central Park. She wanted to see “The Lion King” on Broadway and ring in the New Year in the Big Apple as well during our stay in the city. So needless to say, we were going to spend a few days in New York City if Pitt played there.

Tickets to the Pinstripe Bowl x2 $250
Three nights hotel reservations $1,900
Three nights hotel parking $180
Three days dining $400
Broadway play tickets x2 $225
New Year’s Eve party tickets $180
The required “shopping” bill $900

Sitting at home watching the Panthers beat Old Miss on TV with beer in hand on Jan 5th, PRICELESS!!!!!!!!

Comment by Dr. Tom 12.03.12 @ 8:14 am

TX Panther & PO’d Panther, you do realize that if PC grows into a decent HFC and good recruiter, I’m afraid yinz might need to find a new cause to champion. With that, the Pete, football facilities second to none (yes, thanks to the Stillers), Jamie Dixon, getting Pitt into the ACC… and my personal fave: renewing the PUS series (even if only briefly for now), I think Steve Pederson done a pretty good job, all considered. Excuse me for a moment as I dodge flying tomatoes (smile).

I LOVED Wanny and really wanted to see him thrive. But I got tired of getting kicked in the onions by losing every game — EVERY!! game — which would have given Pitt a BCS bowl, especially with too much talent for such continual underperformance.

And an argument can be made that Wanny should have been fired just for recruiting Tino the Magician, but I’ll let Wanny write off that brain fart as 20/20 hindsight.

Plus Wanny played NFL-style offense from 20 years ago (read: boring) instead of learning & adapting to the modern college game. All of which was tolerable (barely) until his guys started a private crime wave.

Todd Graham was absolutely the right idea, albeit maybe the wrong guy or two years ahead of time, or both (Coach-Killer Tino running TG’s offensive was like running the Kentucky Derby riding on a donkey…).

My main knock against Stevie-P was killing the Script unis and “Pitt” brand.

Comment by Imma Man! Im 40! 12.03.12 @ 8:39 am

@Dr. Tom – where were you getting two New Year’s Eve party tickets in NYC for $180??????

Comment by Pitt Dad 12.03.12 @ 9:13 am

@Kev – interesting chart. Thanks. Also interesting to note that we have played WVU 104 times and PSU only 96.

Comment by Pitt Dad 12.03.12 @ 9:18 am

I’m a proud member of the ABS fan club. I stopped paying my dues in the ABT club.

Comment by TX Panther 12.03.12 @ 10:14 am

I thought 6-6 was a disappointing record until I really thought it over. Given the turmoil in the program, the impact it had on the past recruiting class, Chryst learning on the job, new O and D systems again…etc, PC did a pretty good job.

He is obviously a damn good O coach. His best characteristic IMO is that he is aggressive during games. Something we have been longing for.

This spring the staff will not be installing from scratch. They will start with player already having a good understanding of the play book. That is a huge difference from this past spring. Add the extra practices for the bowl game and you are advancing even more before next year.

PC will prove Pitt found its coach next year!

Comment by notrocketscience 12.03.12 @ 10:30 am

As the alumnus who first & proudly coined the acronym “ABT” (during halftime of the Blue-Gold Game in 2010 on the NFL Network, when I first saw how poorly the lad played despite hype by the P-G’s then Pitt blogger & beat writer…), I think we’d better hustle to collect ABT Club’s back dues, as the club is about to go out of business.

Is that Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” that I hear?

Comment by Imma Man! Im 40! 12.03.12 @ 10:44 am

I was going broke paying those ABT dues.

Comment by TX Panther 12.03.12 @ 11:21 am

You guys think Tay Graham even gets drafted? I know the nfl loves small backs but I don’t see it especially with a bad knee. He will sign as a FA. His comment also made me laught. My talents to the next level.

Comment by Upittbaseball 12.03.12 @ 11:50 am

wishing the best for Ray “at the next level”. His knee injury may hurt him with the NFL scouts–despite his Sr. yr stats—unless he posts good times (40, shuttle) at Pitt’s Pro Day. He may get an invite to Combine or more likely one of the new regional NFL Combines in 2013. think he finished around 40th in NCAA rushing. He is not a feature back, but either was LaRod, and he is doing quite nicely in the NFL. Don’t remember Ray returning any kicks (post-ACL injury), which would help. Short and under 200. Prob looking at 6-7th round or FA.

Comment by Bossdaws 12.03.12 @ 12:22 pm

King of Kings, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
Forever and ever, Hallelujah!!!

Comment by Dr. Tom 12.03.12 @ 7:49 pm

@ Pitt Dad, that was jusT one ticket for me, my wife would be too tired out from shopping all dayon News Year’s Eve! LOL

Comment by Dr. Tom 12.03.12 @ 7:59 pm

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