Here is the official game thread for the game tonight. The predictions are in the record book and we start in about one hour.
There are a lot of things to look for but for me two things are key; how do the QBs play and can our CBs stay in man one-on-one coverage against a better passing attack and hold their own?
Let’s hear your thoughts….
LINK (PDF): Pitt Game Notes (Iowa)
GAME STORYLINES
- Pitt continues non-conference play this week when it travels to face Big Ten foe Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. The Panthers and Hawkeyes are both 2-0 and looking to continue their early season momentum. Pitt is coming off a 24-7 victory at Akron, while Iowa defeated rival Iowa State, 31-17.
- Close calls and fourth-quarter drama have ruled recent Pitt-Iowa series history. In the past three meetings, the average margin of victory has been three points. The Hawkeyes rallied from double-digit deficits to win each of the past two games, 31-27 in 2011 and 24-20 in 2014. The Panthers won in 2008, 21-20.
- The Panthers are seeking a 3-0 start for the second consecutive year and fourth time since 2000. Pitt previously opened a season with three victories in 2000, 2009 and 2014. Those quick starts ultimately resulted in bowl invitations in each of those years.
- Although only two games into the season, Pitt’s play on defense has been very encouraging. The Panthers boast national top 25 rankings in quarterback sacks (fourth, 4.50 sacks/game), third-down defense (10th, 19%), total defense (20th, 258.5 yds./game) and rush defense (22nd, 88.0 yards/game).
- The Panthers have nine sacks in two games. Last year Pitt had only 19 sacks in 13 games.
- With All-America tailback James Conner out for the year due to injury, Pitt is relying on a youthful backfield to carry the running game.
- Redshirt freshman Qadree Ollison and true frosh Darrin Hall combined for 133 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries in the Akron victory. A week prior, Ollison rushed for 207 yards in just two quarters of play against Youngstown State.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television • Big Ten Network
Joe Beninati, play-by-play
Chuck Long, analyst
Pitt Radio • 93.7 The Fan & the Pitt IMG Sports Network
Bill Hillgrove, play-by-play
Pat Bostick, analyst
Larry Richert, reporter
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
Sirius Channel 135, XM Channel 196
WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM
Pitt IMG Sports Network Online Audio Options
PittsburghPanthers.com via CSLive
Pitt Gameday LIVE App
Just as a reminder here is the pre-game press release. It is a good thing to have the :Game Notes” in your hands for the rosters and other info…
HTP!!
VT – L 27-17
UVa – W 28-20
GT – L 35-21
Cuse – W 31-17
UNC – W 41-35
ND – L 31-20
Duke – W 27-24
Ville – W 31-27
The U – L 38-17
So… 7-5(5-3) Not too bad.
Not saying they will do that but they just may be better than we think … again, we will see.
Dan – I also think Toledo would smoke us. The game was winnable but playing not to lose is BS especially from a guy who says he is playing to win.
Not going to beat teams scoring 10 points on Offense. Hell Iowa State hung what??? 30 on Iowa?
People need to get a grip.
How he knows this, how anyone knows this 3 games into a season??
The amazing Karnack??
See, anyone who says Same Old Pitt instantly loses their credibility right off the bat.
(which does not matter to anyone I’m sure, and I could care less too) more of just a figure of speech.
I’m just saying, 3 games into a coaches tenure to say SOP is totally impossible.
It’s just not possible. That’s smells of just trolling, or just saying things to get a response.
I’m no expert by any means, but even a college football “expert” would not say
Same OLd Anything about anyone or any team out there, after 3 games.
Could we end up being SOP eventually???
Sure, of course we could.
After 3 games, there isn’t anyone in the country or involved in football that can say that.
Because of how one game ended, in the very first year of a new coach, to then compare that game with others that have stung us for oh so many years,
Not from a Pitt fandom perspective, just from any perspective.
Think of how ridiculous it sounds.
Take a random team, say whoever, Oregon State.
Say they get a new coach. Totally new staff, throw in a new Ath. Director and a new chancellor to boot.
Only been at Oregon State for about 9 months.
Haven’t even got his recruits in place, hasn’t even had a full year, let alone a couple years to recruit.
They then win two games, against teams that have beat them before, small time teams certainly, have beat them before none the less, go 2-0,
then go on the road against a mid-pack Power5 conference team,
and lose on a last second 57 yard field goal.
“welp, Same Old Oregon State”.
Can you see that now, how clear that is now, that it just doesn’t make sense to make that comment??
No one has ever accused me of being a Kool-Aid drinker either, but after 3 games????
C’mon.
Yeti — thanks for the picture!
Emel et al — even if Peterman ends up the starter, which looks like the direction things may be heading, I still think there’s a place for Voytik. I would give him 2-3 series a game just to keep him loose as well all know about injuries. Plus, he’s a good runner and still has a pretty strong arm, so I might use him for goal line plays running an option-read or use that jump-pass like Tebow did at Florida to hit an open TE in the endzone.
Your two-deep always has to be ready and viable if you expect to win tight games, which we’ve been really bad at for about a decade…but this team looks different to me so far.
Need to get that gorilla off our back.
But I am hopeful that changes soon, maybe this year.
Just for kicks, the hottest, and I mean the hottest guys in coaching commodities that everyone wanted. The go to guy. The guy everyone had to have, the next best thing in college coaching at the time,
Nick Saban. Went 6-6 first year Alabama
Brian Kelly. Notre Dame 7-5 first year, including losses to Navy and Tulsa.
Gene Chizik. Auburn went 7-5 first season. Won National championship his 2nd season.
Fantastic, huh? Then went 7-5, 3-9 and was fired.
Spurrier is on the ropes. Charlie Strong, he was THE hottest thing in football two years ago.
He’s on the ropes already after 2 years at Texas. They fired the AD, so that will buy him another year or two. But fans, they ain’t a happy in the Lone Star State.
I’m just sayin, easy fellas, easy.
Doesn’t mean we can’t criticize, I have already done that, didn’t like not going for it on 4th and inches, didn’t like running 3 plays in a row after we just passed in all the way down the field.
But SOP already from a few of you??
Come off it.
– pretty sure VT’s QB will still be out in 2 weeks (it will be close)
New regime gets to make their own SOP.
What if we do come back a couple times this year and next year in the 4th quarter and win??
Is the Iowa game then SOP or was it just a tough loss to a half decent Power5 team on the road?
Right….it’s to early to tell.
Now, if the coach loses the team, goes 4-8, recruiting not so hot in February and we stink next year and after, then sure, SOP.
I guess I’m just saying I think it’s impossible to label this team, until we’ve had enough evidence to decide.
In any sport, any coach gets a couple of years to see how they are doing. NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, and college football and hoops.
No?? Maybe I’m the crazy one. Maybe I should know that this is SOP already???
More power to you guys if you know that already.
Meetings this afternoon, good day gents, have at me!!!
Hail to Pitt!!
BTW, funny how reference to past opponents comes up when they stub their toe further down the schedule, like YSU’s OT win against Robert Morris, but no one references these same teams when the beat up on somebody later on. Like Akron, winning over Savannah St. By a mere seven TDs. The ZipS found an offense since last week apparently.
kudo’s to Iowa.
That was one hell of a college football, hostile, fun atmosphere they have going there.
Throw that in there too, that wasn’t playing at Akron in front of 15,000 people that could care less.
Ok, over and out.
Something I thought about but hadn’t mentioned.
Youngstown State and Akron.
Doesn’t apply to all, I believe UPITT even said we should be destroying these teams, and in a couple years, I agree, that’s where I want the program to be also.
But, right here on this blog, from other bloggers, fans, people in the media
I heard a lot of, “don’t take YSU lightly”, “they have Pelini”, “they’re offensive line is huge”, “they will be fired up”
“Don’t take Akron lightly. They beat us last year, they have some skilled players.” “Bowden is their coach, better be careful”.
I’m not saying those thoughts were wrong. Actually they were pretty right.
Guess what though. We did beat them.
So, going along with your thoughts Dr. Tom,
yes, many were pleading with Pitt to not take those teams lightly, they’re better than you think.
Ok, now they suck?????? Because we beat them??
We didn’t take them lightly and we beat them both.
Ok, out before I get fired!!!
Believe me, we have great RBs in these three. All getting valuable game experience. No need to worry about them. They will prove to be a force to be reckoned with once our OL starts to gel.
