Crap, I would rather have more doubters. After last year, seeing people falling over themselves to pick Pitt in the ND game and preseason gushers, I’m feeling gun shy at anything that seems too laudatory to Pitt.
Bad enough Pitt is a 2 point favorite, essentially declaring this a toss-up if you assume the home field is worth 3 points. It’s reading borderline effusive praise that makes me nervous.
What will happen: With so many big games this weekend, this one will reside beneath the radar. Too bad. It’ll be high-scoring, entertaining, and won by Pittsburgh, the one team at Heinz Field that’ll make key defensive stops late in the fourth quarter.
CFN Prediction: Pitt 37 … Michigan State 31 … Line: Pitt -2
Admitedly, Michigan State has caused the doubt on their side.
I get especially when its those who are paid, ostensibly to offer gambling-esque advice.
Game number two has Pittsburgh hosting Michigan State. The Panthers are a completely different team than the club that began last season by dropping its first three games. They blew away Virginia in the opener, 38-13, and followed that up with a 33-15 win at Cincinnati, Quarterback Tyler Palko has been impressive in the early going, throwing six TDs and only one interception. Michigan State, on the other hand, got by a pesky Idaho squad, 27-17, in its opener and blew out Eastern Michigan last week. QB Drew Stanton has four touchdown passes and only one pick. The Panthers have one main advantage heading into this game. The Spartans most likely will be looking ahead to their matchup with Notre Dame the following Saturday. Based on the results from the past six years, Michigan State has done just that. The last time MSU covered in the game prior to facing the Irish was back in 1999. Go with Pittsburgh minus the points.
I doubt Michigan State is really looking ahead. Not with a road game and everyone already questioning them after the effort from their first two patsy games. That just seems like a rationalization to pick one way, when you just have no clue. And let’s be honest, we don’t know.
MSU hasn’t played anyone, and their winning hasn’t looked overly spectacular. They let Idaho keep it close. Central Michigan forced a scream fest from John L. Smith at halftime. Their coach says their focus is on Pitt (of course every coach always says they are just looking at the next opponent, never ahead).
Pitt has beaten a predictably bad Cinci team in a very uneven performance of their own. The win over Virginia lost some of the luster when UVA eked out a 1 point home win over Wyoming.
I’m just saying, that if there is one thing I am sure of, it is that no one has a frickin’ clue how this game will go.
Who knows what will happen but there were a lot of things from the Cincy game that needed to be addressed and no doubt the staff has let the team know. It will be great to see how the team responds. They seem to be a teachable bunch.
Walt’s team not able to stop the run, who’d a thunk it!
“Walt Harris (30), Stanford. This looked like a tough year on paper for the Cardinal, but it’s even worse on the actual playing surface. Stanford is 0-2 after an embarrassing come-from-ahead loss to San Jose State and ranks last in the nation in rushing defense, surrendering a stratospheric 7.11 yards per carry.”