After yesterday’s topic regarding how Pitt could win, let’s take a look at why FSU is a 10 point favorite. There are plenty of reasons, unfortunately, and Pitt is justifiably a 10 point underdog. FSU is talented, experienced, and overall appears to simply be better than Pitt at most positions.
Reason #1: Talent. I could go over recruiting stars, the fact that Florida State has 6 preseason All-ACC players, numerous players who could go to the NFL next year, or that Florida is arguably the best state to find D1 talent. It’s just beating a dead horse really. FSU is more talented than Pitt pretty much across the board. The only spots Pitt could be better at is QB (only because Jameis Winston is starting his first game), WR (Street would probably be their best WR), TE (FSU barely uses a TE in the passing game), and DB (Pitt’s best unit). FSU is unquestionably better at OL (4 returning starters), RB, and LB.
Reason #2: Experience. FSU may have lost 11 players to the NFL, but they still have a ton of experience, especially on offense. 4 OL, 2 experienced RBs, and 3 of their top 4 WRs are back. Jameis Winston is walking into a well oiled machine. They are lacking experience on defense though. Of the 11 players who went to the NFL, 7 were on defense. On FSU’s new starting 11, 5 of them have never seen anything more than special teams and mop up duty. If there’s an issue with experience on this team, it’s the DL.
Reason #3: Coaching. Jimbo Fisher is entering his 4th year as FSU’s head coach. He’s 31-10 with an ACC Championship, runner up, and a 3-0 record in bowl games. Paul Chryst is 6-7 and 0-1 in bowl games. Obviously there are a lot of factors that made Fisher’s transition a lot easier than Chryst’s, but success is success. Chryst’s best win? Rutgers (VT was drastically overrated last season). Fisher’s best win? Clemson in 2012 or South Carolina in 2010 (Chick Fil-A Bowl). When you compare track records in recruiting and on field success, Fisher is far more successful.
Reason #4: Battle tested. FSU has been in the ACC for a long time. There’s no doubt the ACC is vastly superior to last year’s Big East. FSU faced 8 bowl eligible teams last season and went 6-2 against those teams. Pitt faced 7 bowl eligible teams last season and only went 2-5. FSU has faced better opponents more often and has a drastically better record against them.
Reason #5: They’re supposed to. FSU should win this game because they’re FSU and they’re up against Pitt. The same Pitt team that lost to Youngstown State in last season’s opener. The same Pitt team that didn’t have a single player drafted last April. The same Pitt team who had a coach quit on them after 1 season a year and a half ago. They’re playing FSU, who won the ACC last year, had 11 players drafted, and will have numerous more next spring.
FSU should not lose to Pitt because they’re FSU and Pitt is Pitt.
It is coach Chryst’s job to get this team to believe that they are better than they actually are at this juncture, RIGHT NOW! And simply will this team into believing that they should win this game.
This entire year has been one of purging of the malcontents, changing of the guard and attitude adjustments of individuals. Now it is time for those changes to have an impact on the team as a whole.
Every time a Pitt player has been questioned on this change in team synergy and mindset, the answer has always been the same, “we are a much closer team now” or “we have each others backs now”, or “we’re really coming together”, etc. This team dynamic can’t be under estimated.
Currently Pitt has perfected the underachieving attitude that has mired it in a morass of mediocrity for years now. There are plenty of reasons/excuses on why that has occurred, but now Chryst is in the process of making this team and it’s players internalize and take charge of that responsibility required to change that on a personal basis.
The mind leads and the body follows. If you think it, you can accomplish it, with hard work. If an entire team thinks “it” the additive effect can result in an exponential increase in the performance of the team as a whole.
This is currently a team that has NO STARS, just a bunch of run of the mill athletes that need to still realize their true potential. Chryst’s recruiting classes have been characterized as containing “diamonds in the rough” so to speak. Really that is a hope more than a fact, because otherwise, on paper the classes end up looking pretty average on paper. It is time for potentials to become realized!
I’m feeling a different vibe this year though, different than I’ve felt in a long time. And I think that vibe is the result of a healthy team spirit that has been missing in the recent past from other Pitt squads that have preceeded them. I think that is an intangible product of what Chryst is attempting to instill into the mindset of this entire team.
If he has successfully accomplished that at this point in time, this Pitt squad could play beyond their potential come Monday night. We tend to play up to our competition anyhow.
If FSU comes here with the attitude that they can “mail it in” for a win against us and we play some inspired football right out of the gate, then momentum could be on our side and good things could result.
We’ll know come Monday about 10 pm whether I’m full of $hit or not concerning these feelings of mind.
I have 2 tickets to the Pitt/Florida State Game that I will not be able to use. Anybody that might be interested, please let me know. I realize that this is “last minute”, but I was holding out hope that I could go, but I can’t. They are in Sec. 508, Row G, Seats, 3&4. I’ll overnight them to you to make sure you get them in time.
What killed us was shitting the bed against YSU and UConn. Those are the 2 shameful games. I’d argue we tend to play to the level of our competition. We play well against good teams lately (past 2-3 years) and like crap against crap teams. The only blowouts I can think of are WVU and Miami in Wannstache’s last year and Cinci last season. 1 blowout in 2 seasons given how mediocre we’ve been is impressive.
Dr. Tom: I feel the same vibe. I just can’t shake this hunch that this year will be different. I’m not saying we’ll win 10, but we’ll be respectable and even in the games we lose, they’ll be to good teams in a hard fought game. I won’t be ashamed if we lose to UNC or Miami by 6 points. 7-8 wins with a few quality ones in there would be a huge step forward.
Yoda
Wow $$$ talks.
Brilliant. Way to go NCAA, you somehow managed to make a slap on the wrist look severe.
Pitt usually wets the bed on National TV.
Hopefully we play like we did at ND (sans the 4rth quarter flop) than the way we did against Ole Piss.
The games against better bowl teams really shows the difference between the 2 teams. We didn’t see anyone last year with the overall team speed of FSU, I guess Ole Miss was the closest and that was a real ugly game.
But a new year, a new chance to change Pitt’s image. Golden opportunity for the boys in blue & gold. Got nothing to lose, we’re expected to lose.
Let’s Go Pitt !
But didn’t the team want to play hard for their senior QB’s last career game at PITT. lol
Thx but I get nosebleeds up there. 🙂
don’t be surprised to see pitt throw a lot of little bubble screens and quick slants that will essentially serve as run plays. I be leaf james conner will be ready to go but the run game could use help ie with screens and slants. I also expect pitt to try to stretch the field with some deep attempts early to help set up the run game.
could have put Ray Rice or Billy Graham in the backfield against Ole Miss – and outcome would be the same
really ?
Hope they can get Justin Morneau from the Twins, so both G. Sanchez & GI Jones can ride the bench. Along with J. Tabata. Too many automatic outs in this lineup, the pitching has carried us a long way.
Beat em Bucs
Let’s Go Pitt.
(i feel as if the 2 teams are tied together somewhat with Forbes Field, Mazeroski Wall, etc.)
How does a 1rst year coach not have his team up to play in his very 1rst bowl game as coach ??
Inquiring Pitt minds want to know ! haha 🙂
Pitt, 30 years of futility (mostly).
Pirates won NL in 1927. Pitt appeared in our 1rst Rose Bowl in 1927.
Pirates won the NL & WS in 1979. While Pitt enjoyed it’s first of 3 successive 11-1 seasons with true freshmen Danny Marino, who grew up within spitting distance of Forbes Field, at the helm.
Frankie Gustine of the Pirates, restaurant was a staple on Pitt’s campus for many years. Last time I was in OAKLAND it is now called ‘Hemingways’.
Believe it or note, Gustine was from Hoopeston, Ill. Not to be confused with Hoopiestown. lol
Pitt originally played our home games in Forbes Field, Home of the Pirates. Before Pitt Stadium was built in 1926.
Oakland WAS THE HUB OF SPORTS IN PITTSBURGH PRIOR TO 1970. As all 3 major Pitt sports teams played in Oakland. Of course Pitt, the Steelers also played at Pitt Stadium until 1970 and of course Forbes Field was home to the Bucs and the Green Weenie. lol
Perhaps the Pirates rebirth this year will coincide with a PITT football rebirth (of sorts)
Let’s hope.
Veritas et Virtus !
But like Jackie the administration dicked him in the end.
Sutherland, who was described as “a national hero” in a Saturday Evening Post article,[56] was perhaps the most highly admired and influential coach in the history of the university. Following his years at Pitt he never coached again in college and moved on to a career in the NFL including a head coaching stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers before his untimely death in 1948 of a brain tumor. During his 15-year tenure at the university, the longest of any football coach at Pitt, he compiled a record of 111-20-12 which included 79 shutouts. Sutherland never lost to rival Penn State and lost only once to West Virginia, and his teams were named Eastern football champions seven times: 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, and 1937.[57] During this time, Pitt appeared in four Rose Bowl games (1928, 1930, 1933, and 1937) and turned down a bid for the 1938 Rose Bowl.[58] Sutherland’s teams were named “National Champions” by various selectors for nine different seasons including 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, and 1938.[29][59] Of these, the University of Pittsburgh officially recognizes five of those years as national championship seasons: 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, and 1937.[59]
Who is the ONLY College football team to turn down a Rose Bowl invitation ??
All because of our glorious Chancellor at the time…….John Bowman. (and his flunky AD named Whitey Hagan) lol
Isn’t it always about the money?
Wow, the fact that Savage almost quit is incredible. Have to wonder if that would have affected how he attacked the Juco recruiting grounds for a Quarterback….
Last year, Chryst and Co. prepared and motivated Pitt to TOTAL TEAM performances against VaTech, Temple Rutgers and Notre Dame that would have never been possible under Graham or the “Great” Wannstedt given the same average players.
The concerning thing is that the a large factor in those performaces was a Defense orchestrated by a grizzled veteran coach.
If Dave Huxtable were starting his second year here at Pitt, I would feel a lot better going into Monday night.
More than last year, this year’s defense is full of athletic experienced players including a couple of stars named Hendricks and Pitts.
However, the question is whether these players respect and/or fear Huxtable’s replacement enough to put in an over-the-top performance the likes of what was witnessed a year ago?
We’re going to find out just how high Matt House rates on the Respect and/or Fear Meter come Monday.
“Quarterback Tom Savage said he was starting to get some jitters this week, but calmed down after talking to Chryst and quarterbacks coach Brooks Bollinger.
“It’s unique to talk to coach Bollinger who’s been through the experience,” Savage said. “We talk about situations that we had, good or bad. It comforts you a little bit to know there’s people out there who have been in the same boat as you.”
Neither of them is a completely unexpected thing for a college football player, but something to look for out of Savage this season is how he responds after making a mistake out on the field. He has experience so that should help.
God, my English language skills are going downhill fast.
What I do hope to see at the least is a Pitt team that plays hard, keeps their poise and shows signs of improvement over last year, despite the flight of talent.
I would also argue against #3 as a reason FSU will win. There are 6 new coaches on the FSU staff. I wouldn’t say advantage Pitt, especially with this being House’s first DC game, but it is probably a draw.
On paper, FSU should never lose to anyone – except maybe to Alabama – let alone Pitt. But they have a recent track record of losing games on the road in the ACC that they shouldn’t. Emotion and inexperience are huge factors in the college game. With 20 year old, regardless of talent sometimes you just don’t know.
I see this game going one of two ways – 1) Like last years Cincy game where Pitt gets rolled early and is shellshocked after the first quarter, or 2) like last years ND game where Pitt build a tenuous lead on emotion and FSU mistakes, only to wither in the end and lose by <7.
I will be thrilled and absolutely shocked if Pitt ends up with a W on Monday night. I just dont see it. But I'm going with the more optimistic losing scenario #2, and saying Pitt hangs in. FSU 28 Pitt 23
Savage is a little shaky because he knows what’s at stake: his entire future. Play well against FSU and he could catapault himself through the season to the NFL. If he turns those nerves into extra work, it would really be beneficial. Perspective is very important.
We may see that play call sooner rather than later.
So, one would hope that they have kinks to work out.
