Pittsburgh is scary

How does this team lose to Youngstown State and Syracuse then beat teams like (#13 at the time) Virginia Tech?  With their other three wins being against 3-4 Temple, 1-7 Buffalo and 2-6 Gardner-Webb, you can’t be over-intimidated by that resume.   So why are they scary?  Who knows what could happen with a team all over the place? And coupling that with a team with nothing to lose makes for a dangerous scenario.

Realistically, let’s face it, the Irish should win this game and win it convincingly.  Offensively, Pitt is fair at best.  Averaging just over 281 yards passing per game (ranking them 32^nd nationally) and being led by an experienced senior quarterback, the passing game should not be a huge issue for the Irish defense.  The rushing game offers even less of a threat, averaging just over 150 yards (ranking them 77^th in the nation).  Add to that game and against Notre Dame’s front seven, and those numbers  should only get worse for the Panthers.  The offense as a whole is averaging 29 points a game (ranking them 60th nationally).

Pittsburgh is a little more solid on defense, allowing 21.8 points a game (ranking them 33^rd nationally), but let’s keep that in perspective by looking at the teams they have played.  I suspect the Irish running game should do well this Saturday.  The offensive line is too big and strong and the backs are just too good.

Pittsburgh is the type of team which, when you look at the surface, just doesn’t make sense and you often fear what you don’t understand.  For example, for the season as a whole Pittsburgh has won the scoring battle in every quarter but the third, where they have been outscored 59-37.  Most teams who outscore their opponents three out of four quarters are better than 4-4.