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November 9, 2009

Some Quickies

Filed under: Bowls,Conference,Football,Indies,Opponent(s) — Chas @ 11:00 am

I’m actually happy that GameDay is not coming to Heinz Field this Saturday. There are enough parallels to the 2005 from a storyline perspective to keep piling on.

Here’s what confuses me about the Navy-ND game. Doesn’t the Navy win somewhat help Pitt’s computer numbers, at least right now, since they already beat Navy? Would it have been better for Pitt’s computer numbers if ND had won and then beaten ND?  Is it a wash?

It’s BCS or Meineke for Pitt, by all appearances. The Gator can take ND as long as they are within 2 wins of who they would have to take from the Big East. If you want to assume Pitt beats ND, then WVU but loses to Cinci, then Pitt finishes 10-2. Notre Dame would have to lose their remaining games versus UConn and Stanford to finish 7-5. Even then, the Gator would work like hell to make it happen.

This year the floor is probably 8-4. “Last year our alternatives were mostly teams with seven or eight wins,” Catlett said. “This year, there could be Big East teams available at 10-2. It wouldn’t be impossible to take a 7-5 Notre Dame over a 10-2 Big East team, but it would be difficult.”

Cue outrage and frustration in 3, 2,…

One game at a time. Of course all opponents look vulnerable. This is a very flat year in college football. It’s not like Pitt doesn’t have big weaknesses concerns that could cost them (secondary, kicking).

Notre Dame will be difficult enough. They managed to screw up so much in the redzone, that it is somewhat hard for me to believe that will happen in a second straight game. This is one of those games where they can fall back into total sports cliche mentality: Us against the world, back against the wall, nobody believes in us, we love our coach, etc.





you can never take a team that has talent for granted, even if that team doesn’t always optimze it. Our favorite team a few hours east of us found that out on Saturday night.

They should be coming in here on a mission … but again.if we can establish the run, we will compete. I believe the other key is if our front 4 can pressure Clausen.

If we can beat them, they still have to play home to UConn and at Stanford … they cannot afford to relax for either.

Comment by wbb 11.09.09 @ 11:26 am

When is the last time Pitt was ranked above PSU?

Comment by Yeti 11.09.09 @ 11:42 am

If the NCAA “2-win” rule applies, how is it possible for a 7-5 Notre Dame to leapfrog a 10-2 Big East team for the Gator Bowl? Or does that rule no longer apply?

I know this is all hypothetical at this point, but I’m curious…

Comment by Pantherman13 11.09.09 @ 12:07 pm

If Pitt beats ND and ND loses to either Sanford or UConn (not both), they are 7-5…ND has 3 losses right now. It isn’t a stretch to think that ND gets to 7-5 if Pitt beats them.

Comment by quaziemoto3 11.09.09 @ 12:10 pm

AP ranking… Higher than the OSU, USC, LSU and PSU. All is good!

ND loses to us and Stanford (or UConn) they finish 7-5. Gator sure would look too foolish passing up the Pitt v. Cinn loser if both win out coming into that game. But the bowl system is all about the $$$…

Comment by Stull for Heisman 11.09.09 @ 12:23 pm

Hey guys, stop worrying about if a 7-5 ND team will beat out a 10-2 Pitt team. What we should wonder is which team our 11-1 Panthers will play when they make it to a BCS bowl…

Comment by merlin 11.09.09 @ 12:32 pm

I agree with what the wizard posted!

Comment by Pittastic 11.09.09 @ 12:50 pm

ND should join the Big East in football or get out of the Big East in basketball. Does the Big East need ND?

Jabba the Hut will be looking for a job shortly, Pitt is a better team all the way around.

Pitt 24 Neuter Dame 13

Comment by Howard 11.09.09 @ 2:09 pm

Yeti, Pitt was ranked above PSU many times in the beginning of this decade. We went to 5 straight bowls (2000-4) while PSU had 4 of 5 losing records. I would have to say that the last time Pitt was ranked higher either the final poll of 04, or the beginning poll of 05.

Comment by wbb 11.09.09 @ 2:20 pm

That ND article was written before the Navy game. With that humiliation fresh in everyone’s mind, the Gator would be hard pressed to pick ND over Pitt if Pitt beats them and they squeak by vs. Stanford and UCONN.

As far as the BE needing the domers, keep in mind that the could punish us by not scheduling BE football teams. They play two this year, three in 2010, and three in 2011. Does the BE want to lose these games, especially when our bowl choices after the BCS are craptacular?

Comment by Chuck Morris 11.09.09 @ 2:28 pm

There is no such thing as an NCAA 2-win rule.

also, I highly doubt that the Meineke bowl would choose us. It is the day after Christmas and Pitt would bring about two dozen fans.

Comment by Jamie H 11.09.09 @ 2:36 pm

Charlie Weis is so fat that when he arrived in Notre Dame, they changed the town’s name from South Straight to South Bend.

Comment by THEapostles 11.09.09 @ 3:01 pm

Fellow Pitt fans…we just need to concentrate on the game ahead…everything else will take care of itself if we continue to win.

Comment by Dan 72 11.09.09 @ 3:11 pm

I did a little digging, and the “2-win” rule is actually a Big East rule for bowl selection, not an NCAA rule. Therefore, a bowl cannot select a Big East team for its bowl if another Big East team has 3 more wins (e.g., a 7-5 team cannot be selected over a 10-2 team). Apparently, the bowls with Big East tie-ins have agreed to honor this.

I thought that in years past Notre Dame was also subject to this Big East rule, but given the statement from their chairman, I’m guessing they are not. If this is the case, it means that as long as Notre Dame is bowl eligible, they are eligible to get the Gator Bowl bid. Seems crazy that a 7-5 Notre Dame could jump an 11-1 Cincy team, but I guess its possible…

Comment by Pantherman13 11.09.09 @ 3:29 pm

Dan, the man of few words…I agree 100%.

Rumors that I have heard from my South Bend buddies, the ND fatcat alums have already raised $4M for the Chubbie Charlie buyout.

Let’s put an end to the Chubbie Charlie era on Saturday!

Comment by Pauly P 11.09.09 @ 3:37 pm

“Fellow Pitt fans…we just need to concentrate on the game ahead…everything else will take care of itself if we continue to win.”

Dan, you’re wrong. The players need to concentrate on the game ahead. We as fans can have a lot of fun speculating on different scenarios. It makes for interesting discussions.

Comment by BigGuy 11.09.09 @ 3:41 pm

Not to bring up a sore subject, but from my vantage point, Greg Cross was in sweats….could he be heading for a RS? Is that possible?

Comment by Pauly P 11.09.09 @ 3:52 pm

yes…cross is redshirting.

Comment by quaziemoto3 11.09.09 @ 4:08 pm

how can cross redshirt?

Comment by mike 11.09.09 @ 4:17 pm

When the Gator Bowl commish says it would be difficult, what he means is it would be expensive. The Gator bowl would have to pay off Pitt/Cincy and the Big East to bend the rules and allow a team with more than a two loss difference go to the bowl.

Comment by Twink 11.09.09 @ 4:21 pm

going two years to a JC, Cross hass the same eligibility as anyone else … he came last year with junior eligibility, and if he doesn’t play this year, can come back next year.

Comment by wbb 11.09.09 @ 4:37 pm

And your concern, Chas, with the secondary is?

Comment by Steve 11.09.09 @ 5:01 pm

I might have mentioned this before but it deserves mentioning again, especially after watching the team in person over the weekend:

Just watch the special team players fly. Wanny’s been accumulating lots of speedy players and it’s now paying off. I haven’t seen this much depth since the late 70s, early 80s.

I may be going out on a limb here but I think we are now able to compete with anybody.

Comment by Steve 11.09.09 @ 5:04 pm

The concern is about money. The Big East doesn’t share bowl revenue with Notre Dame; so if they take the Gator Bowl spot, that’s 2.5 million dollars that goes directly to South Bend, rather than spread around the Big East.

We know the Sun Bowl folks would have taken a 7-5 Notre Dame over a 9-3 Pitt last year; even with the head-to-head result. My concern was whether the “within 2 games of a big east team” agreement is clearly in our bowl contract or more of a “gentleman’s agreement” that the Gator Bowl selection committee might or might not be willing to break for the Irish TV dollars.

Comment by Kyle 11.09.09 @ 5:07 pm

Has anyone realized that since the Buffalo and NC State debacles our D has quietly asserted themselves? I believe we’re now somewhere between #19 and 21, depending on what site you look at, in total defense in the NCAA. We were second in the BE in total D, but since Cincy got lit up by UConn I believe our D is now #1 in the conference.

Comment by dugdog 11.09.09 @ 5:20 pm

Steve, myself, and most importantly, the players and coaches, also agree with you. ANYBODY!

Comment by dugdog 11.09.09 @ 5:22 pm

Steve, (if you’re the Steve from eastern PA) your boy is a big reason why the secondary is playing much better. Chris Peak made the point on his Pantherlair radio show a few weeks ago just how much more comfortable (and better) DeCicco has been playing since Holley began starting next to him. I believe Holley a 9 tackles and an interception on Saturday.

Comment by wbb 11.09.09 @ 5:41 pm

Being there, it was indeed a Holley Jolly day for me, wbb. Thanks for the shout out.

HAIL TO PITT!

Comment by Steve 11.09.09 @ 6:21 pm

FWIW, Rivals rate QB Mark Myers as 4th strongest arm in 2010 class. Whether 4th or 14th, this 1st year starter is undefeated, 6’4 220 and runs the 110 high hurdles … and is not the highest rated QB in Pitt’s class.

More evidence of all the talent being accumulated for this porgram.

Comment by wbb 11.09.09 @ 8:29 pm

maybe more evidence of the talent being accumulated …

Rivals rate Mark Myers as having the 4th strongest arm in the 2010 class. 4th or 14th, Myesr is 6’4 220, runs the 110 high hurdles and is 6’4 215 … and is not the highest QB in Pitt’s class.

Comment by wbb 11.09.09 @ 9:02 pm

I meant to say that Myers is also a first year starter and is undefeated (10-0)

Comment by wbb 11.09.09 @ 9:05 pm

link to highschoolsports.cleveland.com

Interesting comments from the opposing coach regarding Myers. Heard a couple grumblings on local Cleveland Sports Radio about why this kid is going to Pitt and not OSU. Also a little bit of grumbling about Wanny stealing one from Tressel’s backyard. Ironic that Tressel did the same with Pryor two years ago. Regardless, this young man appears to be a nice recruiting win for Wanny.

Comment by Pauly P 11.09.09 @ 9:20 pm

Weis’s buyout is more like $18M vice $4M. If they want to can him, that will take some really deep pockets…Look for Weis to return.

Comment by HbgFrank 11.10.09 @ 1:03 pm

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