Pitt biggest game of the year? (So far)

[Cuse1985]

We should learn alot about this team against Pitt. I wanna see how we respond to a tough loss. Do we move forward and win against a not so good team or do we lay an egg? Do we move forward or let the Clemson loss spiral our season out of control? Years past I believe we would unravel but not this team. Cuse 35 Pitt 17

 

[upperdeck]

it was always the biggest game.. FSU was a hoped for thing but normal assumptions were we would be 3-2 going to Pitt and the bye to follow.. it was the linchpin to a solid season, now its even biggers to break thru the 4 win barrier.

 

[sufan4eva13]

It’s huge for so many reasons. The chance to equal our ACC win totals for the last 4 years, to surpass our win total for those same seasons, and a very real opportunity to break into the top 25 if we do win. If we lose, suddenly we are no longer ahead of schedule for a bowl, and are simply on schedule. Furthermore, the momentum we have built is gone. We win this, and a special year is in play. If not, it becomes merely a more optimistic possibility.

 

[CousCuse]

Is Pitt's football team now as bad as their basketball team?

 

[cuse309]

We should learn alot about this team against Pitt. I wanna see how we respond to a tough loss. Do we move forward and win against a not so good team or do we lay an egg? Do we move forward or let the Clemson loss spiral our season out of control? Years past I believe we would unravel but not this team. Cuse 35 Pitt 17

Great take.
I agree. I'm really anxious to see how they respond to adversity. Will there be finger pointing, and blame? Are they able to get over that tough loss, and refocus? As much as I hate Va Tech, I was impressed with their ability to overcome such a brutal loss, regroup, and then go smoke a good Duke team. That's another sign of taking a big step forward.

 

[Chip]

It’s progressive. Pitt because it was a road swing game. Win it and UNC because of bowl eligibility. Win that and NC State for more national recognition and controlling our destiny for 2nd place in the division.

Then of course, ND for the formal national arrival party.

Buckle up, it’s gonna be a fun ride. And tell a friend that no matter their hangup, get over it and get out to the Dome for the last 3.

 

[kcsu]

Pitt is going to be a difficult game. Opponents now have a book on us. Keep Eric in the pocket take away the outside throws and make us throw over the middle. On O pound the rock.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It's big because it's more proof of growth.

I expect to get Pitt's best shot. They need some wins before their season gets away from them.

I expect us to come out angry and focused.

Ultimately, I don't think Pitt will have enough offense. They're limited at QB. Their defense won't keep up with us for 4 quarters.

We get the W.

 

[upperdeck]

Clemson has size and speed at the DB spots which limited some of the stuff we run a lot.. Pitt does not. I think Ed was trying to win the game without getting into bad spots

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Pitt is going to be a difficult game. Opponents now have a book on us. Keep Eric in the pocket take away the outside throws and make us throw over the middle. On O pound the rock.

Pitt doesn't have Clemson's defense, is the thing.

 

[djorange1989]

Pitt is going to be a difficult game. Opponents now have a book on us. Keep Eric in the pocket take away the outside throws and make us throw over the middle. On O pound the rock.

That book works with Clemson’s talent on D. Pitt isn’t remotely close to Clemson. It will be a tough game potentially because it’s a conference road game against a semi desperate team

 

[Finwad32]

Yes, big... springboard to the second half of the season with the bye to follow.

Huge.

 

[qdawgg]

Pitt is going to be a difficult game. Opponents now have a book on us. Keep Eric in the pocket take away the outside throws and make us throw over the middle. On O pound the rock.

Everyone has a book on everyone. It doesn't matter, you are either coached and play better or you lose. Clemson had a book on us too and almost lost... again.

 

[mvorange]

We're 4-1 with one to go. Concentrate on the game and we win.

 

[Ish88888]

Pitt is going to be a difficult game. Opponents now have a book on us. Keep Eric in the pocket take away the outside throws and make us throw over the middle. On O pound the rock.

Pitt is going to be a tough game. Always was. We have developed this cocky vibe the last few weeks for some reason. I love Dino and ED and our line play, but we still have questions all over the place including lb, wr, and db. Love what i saw on Saturday but many still see us as an enigma after the schedule has really broke our way with fsu being a TRUE mess, not Clemson and us playing most of the game against Clemsons 6th string qb after Lawrence got knocked out.

Agree, opponents do have a book on us. Keeping ED in rhe pocket and MAKING him throw to our questionably wrs is gonna be the gameplan.

 

[TheCusian]

Pitt is going to be a tough game. Always was. We have developed this cocky vibe the last few weeks for some reason. I love Dino and ED and our line play, but we still have questions all over the place including lb, wr, and db. Love what i saw on Saturday but many still see us as an enigma after the schedule has really broke our way with fsu being a TRUE mess, not Clemson and us playing most of the game against Clemsons 6th string qb after Lawrence got knocked out.

Agree, opponents do have a book on us. Keeping ED in rhe pocket and MAKING him throw to our questionably wrs is gonna be the gameplan.

I have the utmost confidence in Dino to scheme around that and make it work against most opponents. In-game with 5* athletes - the “stuff we can do” - is severely limited.

I don’t think it’s a cockiness born out of air. We’ve seen these other teams play, we’ve seen the stats, etc. We should feel confident going into every game because we’re good.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Pitt has a power running game and they will have success running the ball. They can ball control us and keep our offense off the field. We need to start fast and get a lead.

 

[Cuseregular]

VERY worried about this game. We're banged up, coming off such an emotional low, away game. I see a down to the wire game. And not pretty. If we win this one were on the right side of the turnaround fence. Worried about this one more than Clemson believe it or not

 

[longislandcuse]

This game is gigantic. Win and we’re top 25, heading into a bye week and then a rocking Dome against UNC.

Lose, and I don’t want to hear a peep from those that are worried about Dino’s wandering eyes coming out of the tunnel and looking into the stands.

Winning will bring national recognition and the casual fans. It will also signify that this isn’t the same old Syracuse of the past friggin decade.

 

[shu 49]

I think we come out mad and aggressive. We win and I don’t think it’s close. Time to grow up and do our job..

 

[GoSU96]

Pitt is going to be a difficult game. Opponents now have a book on us. Keep Eric in the pocket take away the outside throws and make us throw over the middle. On O pound the rock.

If Pitt could do what Clemson does, they wouldn't suck so bad.

112 in Total Offense, 102nd Total Defense. They are a three win team right now.

52-13

 

[djorange1989]

Pitt has a power running game and they will have success running the ball. They can ball control us and keep our offense off the field. We need to start fast and get a lead.

They are 43rd in the nation in rushing. They are one spot ahead of Rutgers in passing offense. They are one dimensional, and they don’t have Clemson’s elite talent on both lines to wear us down. Will be a challenge, we haven’t won there since 2001, but we are the better team and it will show

 

[CA Monk]

It's great having games that matter again. And this one does. Plenty of traps: We're away. Maybe we experience a let down after Clemson. And sometimes teams just have bad games. But the fact that we're even talking about a "let down" against Pitt, when in the past we'd be discussing bringing our A game just to stay close, speaks volumes to the progress the Orange have made. It's a sea change. The needle has moved. But like all things it can also move the other way and that's why keeping this momentum thru the Pitt game is so vital.

Working in our favor we only have one loss and plenty of good things can happen to teams w/1 loss. The players and coaches know this. Our improvement in depth is starting to materialize w/Williams/Harris contributing. Last year, and in recent years past, there really wasn't much depth to replace a starter that went down or underperformed.

Orange Nation (OK, Orange Fiefdom at least) has waited a long time for this dynamic - including yours truly. We need to be at our best for this game against a traditional Eastern foe. I'm flying back for the NC & NC St games where I hope to find 40K+ in the Dome and big Orange plays on the Ernie Davis Legends Field.

 

[djorange1989]

If Pitt could do what Clemson does, they wouldn't suck so bad.

112 in Total Offense, 102nd Total Defense. They are a three win team right now.

52-13

Yep Clemson is 11th/14th. A wee bit better than Pitt.

 

[pattycuse]

Huge for many reasons, but actual win/loss results aside- this game is big for home attendance moving forward. Lose and it’s “same old Syracuse” to the casual fan locally. Win...and some of the folks on the fence begin to believe, with a bye week to get healthy and extra time to hype a 5-1, ranked SU team at home vs. UNC.

41-17 Orange.