I watched the USF-Pitt game in the morning. Went to a total media blackout to avoid finding out what actually happened. I have to admit, though, I had a suspicion of good things. Mainly because my one friend didn’t try to send me any texts. Last year, I had to DVR delay a couple games. Both times a friend sent pissed-off texts. I didn’t even look at them, but he tends to fire off texts to me when Pitt is losing games. This time, nothing.  Still, the way it happened was a surprise.

Really, if someone had told you that Pitt would lose Lucas Nix on the second play of the game and Pitt would absolutely kill USF, would you have believed it? I wouldn’t. Maybe the USF D-line isn’t that good (maybe?), but even then the job by the Pitt O-line was a big surprise.

The O-line gave Sunseri some time. They opened up some holes for Ray Graham, and coupled with the speed with which the offense was executing, flat out wore down the USF D-line.

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   There is a lot to discuss about PITT’s solid, and welcomed, win against the USF Bulls at Heinz Field last night.  Team play, individual play, units charging ahead even with the injury of a key player… but most of all it is important to discuss just how wrong the author of yesterday’s article was, whoever that may be.  Here are some key Blather whiffs.

“Sorry, I’m not optimistic at all about this match.  I think USF deserves it’s #16 ranking this time and shows why against PITT tonight.  38-17 USF

WRONG!  PITT wins 44-17, surprising the hell out of almost everyone and on national TV yet.  I don’t know if USF deserved that high ranking or not but this was the biggest game so far in 2011 and we came through with flying colors.

“Our running game, the most overrated part of our offense, will fall short and it will be ugly out there.”

WRONG!  PITT rolls up 308 yards on the ground for 5.3 ypc.  Ray Graham slips his name under the door for Heisman consideration with 226 yards on 26 carries for 8.7 ypc and we reiterate that this is a run-first offense.  All this done with a make shift OL who played their hearts out.

He’s (B.J. Daniels) having a career year this season and has all the confidence in the world, as do his teammates in him.  Stand by for heavy rolls as he rips us up tonight (with his passing).  

WRONG!  PITT’s pass defense holds Daniels to 226 yards on 18/36 attempts with zero TDs, very respectably limiting him to a 50% completion percentage.  The best thing though is that we held fast on the third down passing situations this game.  By my count USF was 0/9 in 3^rd down pass attempts… that’s zero completions folks, not just zero 1^st downs passing off those third downs.

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