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October 8, 2013

ODU-Pitt Under the Lights

Filed under: Football,Media,Schedule,TV — Chas @ 6:20 am

Pitt will host Old Dominion at night on a Saturday, because… well I’m not really sure.

Initial guess, was that it to do with the possibilities of the Pirates being in the NLCS, but that didn’t makes sense as it would suggest a noon game for the NLCS. Sure enough it doesn’t. It would be a Game 7 at LA. No way that would be anything but a night game.

So that’s kind of weird for a 1-AA opponent that will be a RSN televised game to get a 7pm slot. The downside meaning missing most, if not all, of the FSU-Clemson game at 8pm that night. I’m not complaining, though, since it guarantees to be an overnighter for me in the ‘Burgh.

Interestingly, it is Virginia Tech this year that is unlikely to host a night game. Yep, Lane Stadium is seeing it very likely that the entire home slate could be early games.

Perhaps most troubling to Tech faithful: Next Saturday’s contest against Pittsburgh, scheduled to kick at noon, will be the fourth consecutive home date to start at 1:30 p.m., or earlier, leaving just two games at Lane Stadium this season that could land in a 3:30 or later television slot.

The first is Duke on Oct. 26, and that matchup has noon/12:30 written all over it. Eight of the teams’ nine clashes since Tech joined the ACC have kicked off then, the exception a 5:30 start in Blacksburg five years ago.

The Hokies’ home finale is Nov. 16 versus Maryland, undefeated and ranked 25th this week. So if both teams continue to play well, that game might prove attractive enough for ESPN to select for a later start.

If Duke and Maryland don’t fit that bill, Tech would have its first season without a 3:30-or-later home game since 1988, Frank Beamer’s second year as coach. In ’88, all five home games started at 1 p.m.

A bad season last year. Not much on the home slate to lure the later start. No Thursday night game for the first time in 11 years. ESPN. ESPN. ESPN. Oh, and Fox.

Seems that with the FoxSports deal to show Big 12 games and more games on the Big Ten Network, there’s more open slots on ESPN at noon than in previous years. ESPN has the rights to all ACC games so guess who gets to fill the holes.

With a home game remaining against Notre Dame, there’s a chance Pitt could end up with one more game starting at 3:30 or later. That is, as long as Pitt can keep showing progress.





Personally, do not like college games under the lights.

Much prefer an early game start. Ideally 1:00.

This allows time for Saturday morning recovery, a Bloody Mary or two… followed by cold beers prior to Kickoff… still leaving plenty of time for Post Game Celebration prior to dark settling in.

The Perfect Pitt Saturday.

Comment by PittofDreams 10.08.13 @ 7:36 am

Call me crazy but I think a night game is a good thing. This is a trap game. ODU is pretty solid. A night game is a rarity. Gives our boys a reason to be fired up for a game they might not normally be so fired up for.

Comment by Atlanta Panther 10.08.13 @ 7:48 am

I think its because night games get better attendance. When we were in the BIG EAST, they always needed our game to show at noon. There are probably plenty of games they can show at noon in the ACC since they have more inventory. Back when VT and Miami were in the BIG EAST we use to play teams like Kent State and Ball State at night, and we’d fill Heinz Field.

Comment by ContextSwitch 10.08.13 @ 8:06 am

Definitely a fan of the night game. Gives the faithful more time to get lubricated. Old Dominion an odd choice. Anyway, I hate the nooners.

Should be a small crowd, maybe they should advertise fireworks, add another 10,000 to the seats.

Comment by gc 10.08.13 @ 9:09 am

I like it. Gives me a chance to get all other stuff out of the way.

Comment by Sfpitt 10.08.13 @ 11:13 am

Hopefully a night game helps Pitt be motivated – I worry that ODU will be THAT game we Pitt fans dread every year.

Would be nice if either UNC or Miami were night games. UNC is probably unlikely, but Miami could be if it has any divisional ramifications.

Comment by Iron Duke 10.08.13 @ 11:24 am

Not so good for us old timers. Boy my home aid nurse is going to be pissed if I’m not home by 10 pm. I’ll be way late for my Geritol cocktail and evening sponge bath. Oh Well, scarifices must be made from time to time.

Comment by Dr. Tom 10.08.13 @ 11:26 am

A night game here or there is nice. Kids soccer coaching sucks up my Saturday afternoons so at least the chance to see a game in person is welcome.

Comment by Carmen 10.08.13 @ 12:30 pm

If I still lived in Pgh, I wouldn’t mind a night game

Comment by wbb 10.08.13 @ 1:22 pm

That’s a pleasant surprise. These noon games have just about killed tailgating.

Comment by 2$Chuck 10.08.13 @ 3:45 pm

This is a good idea. Noon games suck, since I don’t like drinking that early. Even watching from home.

And in the last couple years as we all know, heavy drinking was a requirement for watching PITT play, most specifically the offense.

PITT should give away tickets to HS school kids or something to help fill up the place.
Some might become lifetime PITT fans, so it’s worth the small investment in the future.

Comment by EMel 10.08.13 @ 3:53 pm

Didn’t realize the ACC actually controlled the whole schedule including non-cons. Overall, Pitt has gotten excellent treatment from the conference, better than its 6-7 record last season warranted. Opening and closing the schedule with Florida schools is a recruiter’s wet dream.

Comment by TonyinHouston 10.08.13 @ 4:29 pm

Strongly agree with Emel. What is better: empty seats on home TV screens or enthusiastic happy kids watching FB. I am sure local merchants would also be happy.

Comment by Frank MD 10.08.13 @ 4:58 pm

I could be wrong, but due to the crazy NCAA rules I don’t think Pitt can give out tickets to High School kids.

It would be a nice move if they could…however when you see tickets on stubhub for under a dollar why even go thru the effort…you can go the game for basically free already.

Comment by milobloom 10.08.13 @ 7:53 pm

I’m tickled. Attendance is a better later in the day.

This game is only potentially a trap game if we beat VT.

SFPitt – I’m in Buffalo at a hotel next to UB. Thought of you braving the elements at that last game up here while driving past the stadium this evening. That place would be brutal in bad weather.

Comment by Joe Lawrence 10.08.13 @ 10:17 pm

I really don’t see this as a trap game. I know that fans may point back to the YSU game as evidence that it can happen to PITT and Chryst but the circumstances for that game were completely different.

First off there was no history with Chryst at the helm yet and no idea of what his offense and defense might be able to do.

Secondly, there were those six suspensions the morning of the game, literally three hours before kickoff, that was a HUGE impact on the rest of the team.

Thirdly, YSU was a big cut above in talent then OD is, it isn’t even close.

Yes, we genuinely lost that game but IMO there were extenuating circumstances involved that contributed – not like what will be the situation facing OD at home. Chryst doesn’t let these kids get big heads.

Comment by Reed 10.09.13 @ 6:34 am

I think it may have something to do with 18,000+ fans attending the 1:00 Penguins game. Just a guess though?!

Comment by Tony 10.09.13 @ 7:09 am

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