The University of Pittsburgh Panthers
Posts tagged Jonathan Baldwin
Baldwin on the Biletnikoff List
Aug 10th
Another preseason award watch list was announced today with a Pitt Player on it. Today’s list being the Biletnikoff Award, and is awarded to the nation’s top receiver.
Jonathan Baldwin was announced to the preseason list and is considered a favorite to reach the semifinals of the list when it is announced in November.
Congratulations Jonathan!
Panthers on Preseason Watch Lists
Aug 9th
The Maxwell, Walter Camp, and Bednarik trophies preseason lists were released today and have Panthers on each list.
The Maxwell Trophy is awarded to the “most outstanding college player”. Dion Lewis and Jon Baldwin were among the nominees.
The Walter Camp Trophy is awarded to the “best college player” and Dion Lewis was among the nominees.
Finally, the Bednarik Trophy is awarded to the “best defensive college player” and Greg Romeus was among the nominees.
Congratulations to these 3 players and all the best in the upcoming season.
Lindy’s Football predicts big year for Pitt
May 13th
Lindy’s Football preview was just released and they are predicting a big year for Pitt this year. They have Pitt ranked 14th in their preseason Top 25 poll and are predicting the Panthers to win the Big East and clinch a BCS Bowl bid.
They also named their Preseason All Americans, Dion Lewis and Greg Romeus were named to the 1st team, while Jonathan Baldwin was named to the 2nd team.
Congratulations to these three players.
2009 Panthers Football Season Recap
Jan 15th
Well Panther fans, that’s it for the 2009 Panthers Football team. The season is over, the National Champion has been crowned, and the final rankings are in (Pitt found themselves at 15th in both the AP Poll and the USA Today Poll). Now that the season is over and you’ve had some time to digest everything, we’re going to take a look back at 2009 and what a successful season it was for Pitt. We’re going to give our analysis and thoughts on the year and let you know how we felt about the year.
Dan_P:
Well we all know the season outcome. 10-3 with a bowl win over UNC. It was the Panthers best record since 1981 under Dan Marino. I don’t think any Panther fans are complaining about the results now that they’ve had some time to soak it in. Sure, we’re all a bit disappointed that we were 2 points away from a Big East title. Sure it sucks that we lost the Backyard Brawl to WVU. Of course we would’ve liked a better bowl game than the Meineke Car Care Bowl. But when it boils down to it, this season was a successful season that took the Panthers one step closer to greatness.
One of the most impressive things about this season was the dominance of the younger players. Nobody can complain about the caliber of play we saw from Dion Lewis, Mike Shanahan, and Ray Graham. These three freshman stepped up and showed Pitt fans (and Pitt foes) that Pitt has some talent that’s going to be around for a few years. The rest of the Big East has to be a little bit concerned with facing these guys for the next two to three years.
Another great story from this year was Bill Stull. The Panthers have had a question mark at the QB position since Tyler Palko. Bill Stull really stepped up this year and played like a true leader. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the Big East this year. Losing him after this year will be one of Pitt’s big concerns for 2010.
The defense was impressive due in part to the play of Greg Romeus and Mick Williams. Having Romeus return next year is a huge positive for the Panthers.
It would have been easy to lose faith in Pitt after the loss to NC State. But Pitt proved that they had the composure to bounce back from a bad loss and make a legitimate run at the Big East title and battle for a spot in the BCS. Even though the two losses late in the season knocked the Panthers back into 3rd place in the Big East, they were within 4 points of winning the Big East outright, and only 2 points from splitting the title with Cincinnati and taking the BCS bid.
Attendance was up this year at Heinz Field as well, which is a very welcomed change. It’s not quite where it needs to be just yet, but as long as it’s improving, you won’t hear any complaints from this season ticket holder. I can only imagine this 10 win season combined with the allure of a pretty good home schedule in 2010 will help sell a few more season ticket packages next season. I can truly say that this season had a few games, most notably Notre Dame and Cincinnati, that reminded me of the days of playing a top ranked Miami team a few years ago. I can honestly say that I haven’t seen an atmosphere like that since 2004.
So to sum it up, it was a great season full of thrilling highs and a few not-so-thrilling lows. It was a season that should leave Panthers fans salivating and waiting for more. Pitt football is looking great again. September can’t come soon enough.
Mike_B:
What a year for Panthers football? 10 wins for the first time since 1981, highest finish in the polls, 15, since the 80s. It seems like Dave Wannstedt is slowly rebuilding the Panthers to greatness. It’s not what we wanted, the lack of a Big East Championship and a BCS Bowl game, but looking back to where the Panthers were 5 years ago, it’s hard to say many bad things. To think Pitt was 11 points away from being undefeated, really makes you want next season to be here tomorrow. I want to give out a couple year end awards for my part of the post.
Offensive Player of the Year: Dion Lewis
Was there any doubt who would win this award? Lewis broke the freshman scoring record and freshman yard record. Going into the season everyone was asking who would replace Shady McCoy and how; by the end of the season, everyone was asking, “Shady Who?” We all know the stats, and we all cannot wait until next year to see what the sequel holds for this young man. He is already back in the gym getting stronger knowing everyone will be gunning for him.
Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Baldwin, Dorin DickersonDefensive Player of the Year: Greg Romeus
In one word, beast, that’s what you would use to describe this phenomenal talent. Listed as 6’6”, 270 pounds, he hits offensive linemen up for breakfast. With 8 sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss, this young man is still developing after only playing one year in high school. He will anchoring the defensive line next year with Jabaal Sheard. Look for a repeat for Big East Defensive Player of the Year next year. Romeus coming back is huge news for Pitt.
Honorable Mention: Mick WilliamsMost Improved Player of the Year: Dorin Dickerson
What a journey for Dickerson his career at Pitt has been, coming in as a Running Back, being changed to a Wide Receiver, to a Line Backer, and then a Tight End. Dickerson finally found his spot and I believe will be drafted this year. Dickerson went to a no one thinking of him to being a main highlight in this offense. Nate Byham was supposed to be top dog and Dickerson snatched up the chance when he could. It was disappointing to see Dickerson disappear in the last 3 games of the year, as I believe it cost him the John Mackey award. A great year nonetheless for Dickerson though.
Honorable Mention:Bill Stull2010 Breakout Player of the Year: Mike Shanahan
Ok, so more of a prediction award, but this one is pretty easy to give out. Shanahan looked great in the Meineke Car Care Bowl with 5 receptions for 83 yards. Look for Shanahan to get more involved in the offense with Byham and Dickerson gone and defenses to double team Jonathan Baldwin.
Honorable Mention: Brock DeCiccoGame of the Year: Cincinnati Game
A loss as game of the year? Yea, I’m going there, simply put this game left you wanting more. More of the two potent offensives, more of the snow and the cold, more football, and the 2010 season to be here. While Pitt blew a big lead and they broke our hearts, if left you sitting there wishing the season wouldn’t end. You wanted to be going to Heinz Field the next week for another game. It was a close game, and this game took all the emotions out of you, the joy of being up big, the sadness and anger of blowing that lead.
Honorable Mentions: UConn, WVU, Notre DameThere are my awards for the year. Personally, I cannot wait for the 2010 season to begin. I can’t wait for the Blue-Gold game and for the end of August to be here to go back to Heinz Field. We have a lot to look forward to next year. You have to place Pitt at the top of the class for chances to win the Big East Championship. Sure Pitt has a couple question marks with their offense and defense, but I feel like Pitt will be able to answer these questions relatively easy just like they did this year. I feel like Tino Sunseri will be able to run the offense efficiently and maybe even open it up a bit more then Stull did. The defense should still be top notch and on the offense you still have Lewis and Baldwin. It’s going to be a fun year.
Hail To Pitt!
Well that’s it for 2009 Pitt football on The Pitt Blog. Our coverage of Pitt football will still continue in the offseason. We’ll keep you updated on recruiting, player development, and of course, spring camp when the time comes. Rest assured that any football developments will be posted here. Until then, enjoy our basketball coverage as the Panthers try to continue their surprisingly pleasant Big East run.
Bowl Preview: The Meineke Car Care Bowl (vs. North Carolina)
Dec 23rd
In just three days, Pitt will take the field in its second bowl game under Dave Wannstedt, their seventh postseason game in the past decade. With a win, the Panthers can rack up their first 10 win season since 1981. It’s a poor consolation prize after coming within a single point of playing in the Sugar Bowl, but it’ll have to do for Pitt.
North Carolina comes into the game at 8-4. That’s not bad considering that just over halfway through their season they had a 4-3 record overall, 0-3 in the ACC. They bring with them one of the higher ranked defenses in the NCAA. With Charlotte only a short 2.5 hour drive away from the campus, the Tar Heels will likely be playing in front of an overhelmingly pro-North Carolina crowd.
So can Pitt overcome one of the top defenses in the league in what basically amounts to an away game? Let’s look at what our writers have to say about the game:
Dan:
North Carolina has a great defense, statistically speaking. They’re 6th in the nation overall, 9th against the run and 15th against the pass. But I’m not sold.
The Tar Heels’ biggest wins of the season (Virginia Tech and Miami) weren’t overly impressive. The defense may have held VT to only 256 yards, which is certainly respectable, but they gave up 435 yards to Miami. In their loss to Georgia Tech, arguably their best opponent all season, the Tarheels gave up 406 yards, 317 of which were on the ground. In my opinion, the defense of North Carolina is overrated due to their weaker opponents like the Citadel, East Carolina, Georgia Southern, and Duke. When faced with an offensive challenge, they just don’t appear to have the ability to come up big.
That’s all goes without mentioning the Tar Heels’ two embarrassing losses to NC State and Virginia. Virginia went 3-9 this season. Way to go North Carolina. Pitt may have a regrettable loss to NC State as well, but the Panthers certainly didn’t lose to a team as wretched as Virginia this season. Pitt’s other two losses this season were to their biggest rival, WVU, and the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats. Those games were lost by a combined 4 points. They’re certainly respectable losses against very talented, ranked opponents.
So what do I predict? I predict a tough challenge for North Carolina’s defensive line. Moreso, I predict a challenge in catching Dion Lewis. Lewis has proven his ability to squeeze through even the tiniest hole, sometimes even emerging from a crowd of linemen. And if the Panthers can hold off the Tar Heels’ defensive line, look for Stull to find Baldwin after North Carolina starts looking for the run. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see more play action from Pitt and even a few trick plays like we saw against Cincinnati.
On defense, the pressure from Greg Romeus and Mick Williams will provide TJ Yates with a challenge, one that could force him into costly mistakes. Yates isn’t exactly the pride of the ACC quarterbacks club. Provided the secondary has a decent game, the defense should take care of business pretty easily.
Even with the expected overwhelming pro-Tar Heels crowd, look for Pitt to put on a show against UNC. Pitt is certainly down on its luck, and probably its spirit considering how close the Panthers came to finishing at 11-1 and playing in the Sugar Bowl. But the Panthers are looking to bounce back and post their first 10-win season since 1981.
Prediction: 38-17, Pitt.
Mike_B:
It’s finally that time Panther fans: the bowl game. Now I know this isn’t the bowl game we wanted to be at, especially with how we started this season. We all had BCS bowl game in our heads, but the end of the year collapse killed that dream. Now we get to play North Carolina in what is, more or less, a home game for them. This is the second consecutive year that North Carolina will play in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Last year they lost to West Virginia. This is the second trip to Charlotte for Pitt, who lost to Virginia in their first trip.
It will be nice to see if Pitt can recover from the two heart breaking losses to West Virginia and Cincinnati when they play on Saturday. What will be even more fun to see is Dion Lewis rushing the ball again. This man has been a blast to watch all year, and it will be disappointing to not see him run again until the Blue-Gold game in April. It will be interesting to see how Lewis performs against North Carolina’s stout run defense. As many will remember, the only other time the Panthers played a team from the ACC this season, the Panthers lost to NC State in a miserable fashion, blowing a big lead.
Pitt outranks the Tar Heels in every offensive category. Where the Tar Heels win their games is with their defense, 6th against the run, 15th against the pass. It could be a long day for Lewis, Bill Stull, Jonathan Baldwin, and Dorin Dickerson, but with a nice balance, I feel like the Panthers could solve the Tar Heels defense. TJ Yates will be seeing a lot of Greg Romeus throughout the day, as he was the 10th rated QB in the ACC.
Overall, this game can be no worse than the Sun Bowl from last year which Pitt lost 3-0 to Oregon St. I feel this year’s bowl will be different with Pitt cruising to a victory and reaching 10 wins for the first time since 1981.
Prediction: 38-21 Pitt
Panthers Named All-Americans
Dec 18th
Dion Lewis, the freshman phenom running back, was named to the second team All American Team for the Associated Press, Sporting News, CBSSports.com, SI.com, Rivals.com, and Scout.com. Lewis was the only true freshman named to the first or second All American AP team.
Dorin Dickerson was named to the third team AP All American team, a first team All American for CBSSports.com, and a second team All American for Walter Camp Football Foundation and Sporting News.
Jason Pinkston, a man who helped pave the way for Lewis, was named to the second team All American Team for SI.com and Rivals.com
Jonathan Baldwin, the new Fitz, was named to the third team All American Team for Rivals.com
Greg Romeus, Big East co-defensive player of the year, was named to the third team All American Team for Rivals.com and Sporting News
Congratulations to these 5 individuals on these great accomplishments and a great year.
Pitt Cleans up in Big East Awards
Dec 9th
Running Back Dion Lewis won the Big East Offensive Player of the Year and the Big East Rookie of the Year awards. He is the first person to do so since Virginia Tech’s Michael Vick.
Defensive End Greg Romeus and Defensive Tackle Mick Williams each won a share of the Big East Defensive Players of the Year, the first time two team members have shared the award.
First Team Big East:
Offense:
WR Jonathan Baldwin
OT Jason Pinkston
OG John Malecki
TE Dorin Dickerson
QB Bill Stull
RB Dion Lewis – unanimous decision
Defense:
DL Greg Romeus – unanimous decision
DL Mick Williams
LB Adam Gunn
CB Aaron Berry
Second Team Big East:
Offense:
TE Nate Byham
K Dan Hutchins
Defense:
DL Gus Mustakas
S Dom DeCicco
Game Recap: Pitt falls to Cincinnati
Dec 7th
Pitt fell to Cincinnati on Saturday by a single point. The Panthers led most of the game, but were unable to hang on for the win at the end. It’s a disappointing and costly loss for Pitt, as they lost the Big East Championship and a bid to the Sugar Bowl. Now that the smoke has cleared and the bowl games are set, we can take a look at the game and the aftereffects.
Coming into Saturday’s game, Cincinnati was undefeated at 11-0. Their closest margin of victory was just 2 points (UConn gave the Bearcats a scare in a 47-45 game). Pitt was aware of Cincinnati’s offensive power and playmaking abilities. They were also aware of the Bearcats’ weakness: their defense. Cincinnati gave up an average of 34 points in it’s previous three games. With Pitt’s offensive power this season, it was expected to be a shootout.
The game started out pretty much as everyone had expected. Pitt scored first on a nice opening drive (Dion Lewis, TD), only to have their score answered by a Cincinnati touchdown (Jacob Ramsey, TD). Then Pitt scored again (Jonathan Baldwin, TD). Then Cincinnati answered again with a field goal (Jake Rogers, FG). This was looking like the shootout that everyone expected. It was only then that Pitt took control, scoring an additional 17 points in a nice stretch of play that made it appear that Pitt was going to blow out the Bearcats (Baldwin TD, Dan Hutchins FG, Bill Stull TD). Pitt held the lead near the end of the first half by a 21 point margin at 31-10.
Then it happened. Pitt kicked off to the Bearcats after their last touchdown of the first half. Mardy Gilyard, Cinci’s playmaker on special teams, returned the kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown with 1:10 left, cutting the score to 31-17. Pitt would take this lead to the locker room at halftime.
Now Pitt knew all week that Cincinnati would make big plays. They specifically knew that Gilyard was a threat. And boy were they right. In the third quarter, Pike found Gilyard who took it in for a 68 yard touchdown pass to cut the Panthers’ lead to just 7 points. Pitt would answer in the fourth quarter with another Dion Lewis touchdown run. But Cincinnati would score soon after with a DJ Woods touchdown. The Bearcats botched the extra point, leaving Pitt with an 8 point lead.
After Pitt intercepted Tony Pike, they gave it back with their own interception thrown by Stull. Cincinnati scored again a few minutes later (Isaiah Pead, TD) and needed a 2 point conversion to tie the game. Pike found Gilyard for the conversion and tied the game at 38.
With time dwindling down, Pitt drove down the field with a drive that included a nice Baldwin catch on 3rd and 9 for a critical first down. Dion Lewis helped push the ball forward, eventually scoring with 1:36 remaining. However, Pitt would make a costly mistake. Andrew Janocko couldn’t handle the snap on the PAT causing Pitt to leave the lead at 6 points, 44-38.
Pitt kicked off to Gilyard once again, who returned it 26 yards to the Cincinnati 39 yardline. Cinci drove down the field on the Panthers, scoring with barely half a minute remaining. They would make the extra point, putting the Bearcats ahead by one point, 45-44. Pitt would fail to move the ball after the kickoff and fell to the Bearcats by a single point.
Now it was clear all week that the Panthers knew that Gilyard was a threat, yet they still kicked off to Gilyard all game. Even the north endzone crowd urged Pitt to kick it away from Gilyard by pointing to the opposite side of the field before the kickoffs. So with the knowledge that Gilyard was a special teams threat (he did have 1276 return yards this season after all), why on Earth did Pitt kick to him? It was clear at times that they were kicking away from him on punts, so why did they kick to him on the kickoffs?
Through the course of the game, Pitt was called for 8 penalties totalling 65 yards while the Bearcats were called for 4 totalling 40 yards. At the game, fans were irate with some of the calls against Pitt, as well as some of the calls not made against the Bearcats including a facemask flag that was picked up by the officials. Was it a poorly officiated game? Absolutely. Did it cost Pitt the game? Probably not. It takes more than a few bad calls to lose a 21 point lead.
Pitt was on fire in the first half. They had Pike’s number and they were relentless on offense. Through the first half, it looked like a lopsided victory in favor on Pitt. It even appeared that Pike was on the verge of being benched in favor of Collaros. But it was the second half that made the difference. Pitt struggled to move the ball on offense with the same efficiency as the first half. Even more detrimental to the Panthers was the play of the special teams. On 8 kickoffs, they allowed 278 return yards, an average of 34.8 yards per return. They also botched an extra point that would have left the game tied after Cincinnati’s last touchdown. Pitt’s special teams played a huge role in this loss.
In the end, it was a perfect storm of mishaps, poor play, and questionable officiating that allowed Cincinnati to win this game. Give credit to the Bearcats. They made the big plays that they needed on special teams. They moved the ball through the air with 302 receiving yards. They scored 45 points. Pitt’s offense wasn’t terrible. They racked up 44 points on 176 receiving yards and 193 rushing yards. Lewis broke the school record for carries. That’s a pretty productive day for your offense. Stull did throw two interceptions, but neither resulted in a Cincinnati score on the ensuing drive. While the defense had some nice plays, it failed to contain the Cincinnati offense in the second half when it mattered.
With the win, Cincinnati won the Big East Championship outright. They completed a perfect regular season (12-0, 7-0) and earned their BCS bid to the Sugar Bowl to face Florida. Pitt was left with a 9-3 (5-2) regular season record. With the loss they fell from a possible Sugar Bowl bid to an invitation to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, NC. This marks the second year in a row that the Panthers lost to Cincinnati in the River City Rivalry game. That brings the overall series record to 7-2, still in favor of Pitt. But give credit to the Panthers. They lead in all three losses they suffered this season. And in the two Big East losses, the two losses that mattered the most, it came down to the final seconds with combined margin of 4 points. So when you reflect upon this season, remember that Pitt was 4 points away from an 11-1 record, a Big East Championship, and a BCS bowl.
Pitt’s focus will now turn to the Meineke Car Care bowl on December 26th against North Carolina (8-4, 4-4).
Recap: The Brawl Gets Ugly
Nov 29th
Well the 102nd edition of the Backyard Brawl is in the books. Unfortunately, it’s not going in the way Panthers fans would have liked. WVU upset our Panthers 19-16 in Morgantown Friday night. It was a close game, as the Backyard Brawl tends to be, with the Mountaineers kicking a field goal with no time left to win the game.
The first half was relatively quiet. WVU seemed to stall on offense and was only able to put up a single field goal in the first half. Pitt’s offense was equally unimpressive, missing a field goal and also only putting up three points in the first half.
In the third quarter, WVU’s Noel Devine broke through the Pitt defense and ran 88 yards for the game’s first touchdown. Pitt was unable to score their first touchdown until late in the fourth quarter when Bill Stull found Jonathan Baldwin deep for 6. That touchdown tied the game at 16 points each with 2:54 left in the game.
In the end, WVU got the ball off of the kickoff and was able to drive 42 yards into field goal position with a drive that included a fourth down conversion. The Mountaineers’ freshman kicker, Tyler Bitancurt, made his fourth field goal of the game to take the win.
The game had a completely different look than what was expected. Pitt’s dynamic offense was nowhere to be found for most of the game. Dion Lewis was one of only a few bright spots for Pitt as he racked up another game with over 100 yards rushing. Lewis ran for 155 yards on 26 carries. Ray Graham only got the ball once for a loss of one yard. Baldwin seemed well covered, but was able to somehow rack up 127 yards and Pitt’s only touchdown. Dorin Dickerson was fairly quiet aside from dropping a few passes that should have been caught. Cedric McGee had only one catch, as did Hynoski. Mike Shanahan was Pitt’s second leading receiver in the game, yet he only managed 17 yards on 2 receptions. Stull threw two interceptions and looked unsettled all game.
Pitt’s defense was actually quite strong. In the first quarter, it looked like WVU was going to struggle to go anywhere with Pitt’s defense. On the Mountaineers’ first two drives, they actually lost yardage. When they finally drove down the field on Pitt, the defense stuffed them on fourth and goal. Overall, the defense was able to manage Devine and stop the Mountaineers from putting up big yardage. Unfortunately, they got no help from the offense. Their few mistakes, allowing Devine’s 88 yard touchdown and allowing the final drive, cost the Panthers more than they should have.
In the end, the loss means nothing to the Big East race. Pitt hosts Cincinnati next weekend at Heinz Field for what is essentially the Big East Championship game. If Pitt wins, they take the Big East BCS bowl bid. However, Pitt now needs Rutgers to beat WVU next week to ensure that the Panthers take second place in the Big East if they lose to Cincinnati. The second place Big East team will now go to the Gator Bowl since Notre Dame is ineligible after losing to Stanford and dropping to 6-6. If WVU were to beat Rutgers and Pitt were to lose to Cincinnati, Pitt would tie for second place with WVU. As the head-to-head tiebreaker winner, WVU would get the Gator Bowl invitation leaving the Panthers to a less attractive bowl game.
Pitt wasn’t the only ranked team to fall to their rival. Georgia beat #7 Georgia Tech (30-24). Oklahoma shut down #12 Oklahoma State (27-0). South Carolina beat #18 Clemson (34-17). NC State edged out #24 North Carolina (28-27). And Mississippi State crushed #25 Ole Miss (41-27).
But that’s how rivalries go. It wouldn’t be a brawl if each team didn’t wreak havoc for the other. This year isn’t exactly payback for the 2007 loss that Pitt handed a #2 National Championship-bound WVU, but it’s a bit of relief for WVU fans. For Pitt fans, it’s just another reason to hate WVU.
Game Preview: 102nd Backyard Brawl – Pitt vs. WVU
Nov 25th
In just two days, Pitt travels to Morgantown for the 102nd edition of the Backyard Brawl. Pitt leads the series 61-37-3 and has won the last two. You might remember one of the more famous meetings between these two as the 2007 Brawl. That year, WVU was ranked 2nd in the nation and only had to win against a 4-7 Panthers team to visit the National Championship game. Pitt won the game 13-9.
Last year, the Brawl came back to Pittsburgh and the Panthers won 19-15. Can Pitt make it three straight this year? While they’re not quite in contention for a National Championship this season, they are undefeated in the Big East with only WVU and Cincinnati left to play. The Cincinnati at Pitt game on December 5th will decide the Big East Champion no matter what the outcome of this Friday’s game is, but a Pitt victory against WVU will secure at least second place in the Big East.
We’re giving you our predictions one day early this week. Enjoy!
Mike_B:
Sorry Pitt fans, I have to keep my post short today as I am getting ready to board a plane to Orlando for Thanksgiving. Here are my quick thoughts on the game though.
WVU’s running back Noel Devine may not play, and if he does, he probably won’t be 100% which is huge for Pitt. Jarrett Brown isn’t the best quarterback to light up the Panthers secondary.
Shady McCoy never understood the rivalry until his trip down to West Virginia. As soon as the bus stopped, it was pelted by rocks. He then understood and made it personal. I’m not sure if Dion Lewis needs this kind of motivation or not, but Pitt needs a big game from him. Cincinnati torched WVU for 175 yards on 18 carries in their game, Dion Lewis needs to do the same. WVU doesn’t have the greatest defense, so look for Lewis to carry the load, while Bill Stull manages the game using Dorin Dickerson and Jonathan Baldwin.
This may be a rivalry game, and WVU wants revenge for the past two years, but this is the best Pitt team in a long time in this rivalry and I feel that WVU is not up to Pitt’s level. The line maybe Pitt giving 1, but I feel a blowout is in store.
Prediction: 34-17 Panthers
Dan_P:
You have the honor this year of watching the best Pitt football team of modern times. Pitt hasn’t been this good since the early 80′s. The talent is abundant across the board. This is a Pitt team unlike any that WVU has seen in recent years.
Sure, this is a rivalry. Sure, WVU is going to try to turn this into revenge for 2007. But a few things are worthy of noting here. First, this isn’t the same WVU team that played that game in 2007. There’s a new coach, a lot of new players, and it’s just not the same team. The fanbase will remember and want to make it about revenge, but the team is going to make this game about this year, not 2007. Second, no matter how much anyone tries to point out the similarities, Pitt is simply not in the same position that WVU was in 2007. Pitt is not fighting for a National Championship game. Pitt isn’t even fighting for a chance at the Big East Championship. They’ve already secured a shot at it. All they have to do is beat Cincinnati for the Big East BCS bid. So really, Pitt has very little at stake in this game other than pride.
But make no mistake, that’s enough for Pitt. Pride is everything. A rivalry is unlike any other competition. You want it bad. You want it at all costs. And even though Pitt has virtually nothing to lose in this game, they’re going to come out with intensity. They want to make a statement. They know this game is a chance to make a statement. A big win against a formidable Big East opponent will go a long way with the national audience.
Look for Pitt’s defense to step up in this game once again. The defense against Notre Dame for the first three quarters was outstanding. They shut down the Irish. That’s the defense that you’re going to see this week, but not until they get a kick start. Look for WVU to put up some points early, but for Pitt to respond and shut them down after with maybe just a field goal later on in the game. I predict Pitt holds WVU to their lowest point total of the season.
As for offense, you’re going to see another outstanding game from Dion Lewis. He’ll go for 100+ yards yet again. Stull should come out comfortable and under control. He’s been here before. Look for him to lead the offense with some good play from his receivers to back him up.
I’m calling a fairly easy Pitt victory in this one.
Prediction: 28-17 Pitt
Pitt upset #2 WVU in 2007, the last time the Panthers were in that pile of dung that they call Morgantown, WV.
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