Syracuse vs. Pitt: The rivalry that isn't

[Scooch]

This weekend's game will make Pitt the most played opponent in Syracuse history: 71 times.

That ties Pitt with Penn State, and its more than we have played BC (47), West Virginia (60), Rutgers (40), Maryland (36)... even Colgate (54). SU and Pitt have played annually since 1955 -- 60 consecutive seasons. We were eastern independents together, played in the Big East together, and joined the ACC together.

Historically and statistically speaking, Pitt is our biggest football rival. And yet, realistically, they are not. At least it sure doesn't feel that way. There is no name for this series, no trophy to play for, no fevered "Pitt Week" build up. Before the season starts no one opines that going 1-11 is OK if only that one win is against Pitt. In short, there is no heat.

It's a fascinating undertaking to examine why. The cities involved are culturally similar: eastern, blue collar towns with a Midwestern sensibility. Both programs have tremendous football history with alumni that are among the best in college history. But the series has infrequently been competitive and has been marked by one side dominating the other for long stretches. Consider...

• 1957 to 1968 - SU was 9-3 against Pitt
• 1973 to 1983 - Pitt beat SU 11 straight times
• 1984 to 2001 - SU was 16-1-1 vs. Pitt, including 11 straight wins from 1991-2001
• 2002 thru today - Pitt has been 11-2 vs SU

Aside from a few years in the early 70s this "rivalry" has been nothing but long stretches where one team dominates the other. And it's hard to remember many games when both teams had something significant on the line. No October clashes of two ranked teams, no November meetings with conference championship ramifications.

A friend of mine used to say about SU football that we had a lot of history but very little tradition. I think the Pitt series perfectly symbolizes that.

Kind of disappointing honestly.

Maybe we beat 'em Saturday and get something started.

 

[K Otto XLIV]

Yeah there is no back and forth which kills it. There really is no reason to dislike Pitt.

Everything about Penn State is hatable.

Miami & VA Tech had hatable players and we played for Big East championships.

Rutgers & UConn had hatable HCs and fans.

WV had hatable fans and we played important games.

BC had hatable fans and high school talent evaluators.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

How about the "We each have 1 more National Title than BC Brawl"

 

[tipphill]

there used to be shitt on pitt buttons----i still have one----as i remember this was a big game in the 60's and early 70.

 

[CusePitt]

This weekend's game will make Pitt the most played opponent in Syracuse history: 71 times.

That ties Pitt with Penn State, and its more than we have played BC (47), West Virginia (60), Rutgers (40), Maryland (36)... even Colgate (54). SU and Pitt have played annually since 1955 -- 60 consecutive seasons. We were eastern independents together, played in the Big East together, and joined the ACC together.

Historically and statistically speaking, Pitt is our biggest football rival. And yet, realistically, they are not. At least it sure doesn't feel that way. There is no name for this series, no trophy to play for, no fevered "Pitt Week" build up. Before the season starts no one opines that going 1-11 is OK if only that one win is against Pitt. In short, there is no heat.

It's a fascinating undertaking to examine why. The cities involved are culturally similar: eastern, blue collar towns with a Midwestern sensibility. Both programs have tremendous football history with alumni that are among the best in college history. But the series has infrequently been competitive and has been marked by one side dominating the other for long stretches. Consider...

• 1957 to 1968 - SU was 9-3 against Pitt
• 1973 to 1983 - Pitt beat SU 11 straight times
• 1984 to 2001 - SU was 16-1-1 vs. Pitt, including 11 straight wins from 1991-2001
• 2002 thru today - Pitt has been 11-2 vs SU

Aside from a few years in the early 70s this "rivalry" has been nothing but long stretches where one team dominates the other. And it's hard to remember many games when both teams had something significant on the line. No October clashes of two ranked teams, no November meetings with conference championship ramifications.

A friend of mine used to say about SU football that we had a lot of history but very little tradition. I think the Pitt series perfectly symbolizes that.

Kind of disappointing honestly.

Maybe we beat 'em Saturday and get something started.

 

[CusePitt]

scooch, great piece of work--I had the honor of graduating from both schools and have attended the Cuse-based football games since 1960 since it's much more convenient---didn't get to all but got to most---I always felt there was more than just a casual connection between the schools---many of the young posters will be surprised by how long this has gone on---I know on the Pitt boards only a few appreciate the longevity

 

[shandeezy7]

I think it really is just as simple as neither team is seemingly ever good at the same time. Tough to build up a rivalry when one team is always trouncing the other. Everything else makes sense as to why it should be a rivalry, but true rivalries form out of a competitive hatred for another team. When that doesn't exist, none of the other factors matter nearly as much.

 

[OburgOrange]

there used to be shitt on pitt buttons----i still have one----as i remember this was a big game in the 60's and early 70.

Wearing mine on Saturday!

 

[SU68]

This weekend's game will make Pitt the most played opponent in Syracuse history: 71 times.

That ties Pitt with Penn State, and its more than we have played BC (47), West Virginia (60), Rutgers (40), Maryland (36)... even Colgate (54). SU and Pitt have played annually since 1955 -- 60 consecutive seasons. We were eastern independents together, played in the Big East together, and joined the ACC together.

Historically and statistically speaking, Pitt is our biggest football rival. And yet, realistically, they are not. At least it sure doesn't feel that way. There is no name for this series, no trophy to play for, no fevered "Pitt Week" build up. Before the season starts no one opines that going 1-11 is OK if only that one win is against Pitt. In short, there is no heat.

It's a fascinating undertaking to examine why. The cities involved are culturally similar: eastern, blue collar towns with a Midwestern sensibility. Both programs have tremendous football history with alumni that are among the best in college history. But the series has infrequently been competitive and has been marked by one side dominating the other for long stretches. Consider...

• 1957 to 1968 - SU was 9-3 against Pitt
• 1973 to 1983 - Pitt beat SU 11 straight times
• 1984 to 2001 - SU was 16-1-1 vs. Pitt, including 11 straight wins from 1991-2001
• 2002 thru today - Pitt has been 11-2 vs SU

Aside from a few years in the early 70s this "rivalry" has been nothing but long stretches where one team dominates the other. And it's hard to remember many games when both teams had something significant on the line. No October clashes of two ranked teams, no November meetings with conference championship ramifications.

A friend of mine used to say about SU football that we had a lot of history but very little tradition. I think the Pitt series perfectly symbolizes that.

Kind of disappointing honestly.

Maybe we beat 'em Saturday and get something started.

The first game was played in 1916.

 

[Toga]

Meh

 

[CuseCactus]

11-2 against us. Blech. Time to turn the worm. Pitt and Pittsburgh.

 

[RoatanCuse]

there used to be shitt on pitt buttons----i still have one----as i remember this was a big game in the 60's and early 70.

Also in the 60's: "under the arm-Pitt" and " we eat Pittsburgers"

 

[CuseCactus]

Has there been a single post from a Pitt fan this week? They must be cocky. Hopefully the their team will be as well. It'll be fun knocking them out of the rankings. And then watching the Top 25 scoreboard streaming all day on Saturday.

 

[orange79]

Has there been a single post from a Pitt fan this week? They must be cocky.

Or non-existent.

 

[CousCuse]

Pitt is only ranked because B1G voters are giving them some votes to make Iowa's pathetic schedule look quasi-legit.

 

[Alsacs]

I dislike Jamie DIxon and hate Pitt basketball. Pitt FB is like our cousin. I don't hate them and we have a healthy rivalry. No hatred at all.

Their fanbase for FB is respectful of our history and they hate Penn State and have the insane WVU fans hate them.

Pitt rivals are clearly WVU and they want PSU to be there rival.

 

[Chip]

We just haven't both been good at the same time. Either we were good and they were horrible, or they were good and we were horrible. Or both of us were somewhere between mediocre to horrible. Probably the best "matchup" was 2004. And it was a battle of a couple of 6 to 7 win teams.

The hoops rivalry with Pitt became interesting overnight. Because both were good.

When we were good in the 90s, VT was good, Miami was good. BC and WVU had some good years, which gave some life to those games either at the Dome or at their stadiums.

If we both could get good (like each having an 8 win season), that and the history can make it more interesting. Otherwise, zzzzzzz...

 

[Millhouse]

We just haven't both been good at the same time. Either we were good and they were horrible, or they were good and we were horrible. Or both of us were somewhere between mediocre to horrible. Probably the best "matchup" was 2004. And it was a battle of a couple of 6 to 7 win teams. The hoops rivalry with Pitt became interesting overnight. Because both were good. When we were good in the 90s, VT was good, Miami was good. BC and WVU had some good years, which gave some life to those games either at the Dome or at their stadiums. If we both could get good (like each having an 8 win season), that and the history can make it more interesting. Otherwise, zzzzzzz...

there can be only one

 

[Scooch]

Heading into tonight's game, I was thinking about this post I authored four years ago... The premise was that, despite Pitt being our most-played opponent (tonight marks our 75th game), there has never really been much of a passionate rivalry between the programs.

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like the worm has turned somewhat in the past four years. Not that anyone is going to confuse Syracuse-Pitt with Alabama-Auburn, but does it feel like there's a bit more juice to this series than there has been in a long time?

Perhaps it's that our past few games have been highly competitive -- an average winning margin of 7 over the past four years.

Perhaps it's that the games have been somewhat meaningful -- three of the past 4 years have been mid-October games with both teams fighting for bowl eligibility.

Perhaps it's just that every game feels a bit more heated now that we're settled in the ACC.

But, for whatever the reasons, SU-Pitt feels more like a 'thing' to me now, when it hadn't for a long, long time.

Curious to hear what others feel about it.

Also, we've lost 14 of our last 17 against these chumps, which is disgraceful. Gotta win tonight.

 

[Orangello]

Has there been a single post from a Pitt fan this week?

They are crying in their Terrible Towels over the Steelers.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Yeah there is no back and forth which kills it. There really is no reason to dislike Pitt.

Everything about Penn State is hatable.

Miami & VA Tech had hatable players and we played for Big East championships.

Rutgers & UConn had hatable HCs and fans.

WV had hatable fans and we played important games.

BC had hatable fans and high school talent evaluators.

Pitt is just a boring team in both sports. There's nothing sexy or exciting about them. They might have some success here and there, but at the end of the day you're not going home with Pitt unless the bar is closing and you've had too much to drink.

 

[IthacaMatt]

there can be only one

With rivals, I think it's two - the one you aspire to be your rival (the team you envy), and the other team that targets you as their biggest game of the year.

 

[FloridaFan]

Heading into tonight's game, I was thinking about this post I authored four years ago... The premise was that, despite Pitt being our most-played opponent (tonight marks our 75th game), there has never really been much of a passionate rivalry between the programs.

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like the worm has turned somewhat in the past four years. Not that anyone is going to confuse Syracuse-Pitt with Alabama-Auburn, but does it feel like there's a bit more juice to this series than there has been in a long time?

Perhaps it's that our past few games have been highly competitive -- an average winning margin of 7 over the past four years.

Perhaps it's that the games have been somewhat meaningful -- three of the past 4 years have been mid-October games with both teams fighting for bowl eligibility.

Perhaps it's just that every game feels a bit more heated now that we're settled in the ACC.

But, for whatever the reasons, SU-Pitt feels more like a 'thing' to me now, when it hadn't for a long, long time.

Curious to hear what others feel about it.

Also, we've lost 14 of our last 17 against these chumps, which is disgraceful. Gotta win tonight.

I’ve always disliked Pitt. I know most don’t consider it a rival but I always have. I want to be the best in the northeast and them and BC are threats to that

 

[SU94]

Heading into tonight's game, I was thinking about this post I authored four years ago... The premise was that, despite Pitt being our most-played opponent (tonight marks our 75th game), there has never really been much of a passionate rivalry between the programs.

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like the worm has turned somewhat in the past four years. Not that anyone is going to confuse Syracuse-Pitt with Alabama-Auburn, but does it feel like there's a bit more juice to this series than there has been in a long time?

Perhaps it's that our past few games have been highly competitive -- an average winning margin of 7 over the past four years.

Perhaps it's that the games have been somewhat meaningful -- three of the past 4 years have been mid-October games with both teams fighting for bowl eligibility.

Perhaps it's just that every game feels a bit more heated now that we're settled in the ACC.

But, for whatever the reasons, SU-Pitt feels more like a 'thing' to me now, when it hadn't for a long, long time.

Curious to hear what others feel about it.

Also, we've lost 14 of our last 17 against these chumps, which is disgraceful. Gotta win tonight.

I agree. To me, we have a lot of the makings of a solid rivalry, one both sides would be wise to embrace, especially since neither is playing Ped State or WVU with any regularity.

• NardDog’s talking smack.
• We’ve lost way too many games to them of late.
• Regional recruiting and academic rival.
• Continuous series.
• Dino coached there, but I can also tell he is not fond of NardDog.
• Outdoor vs Indoor.
• Atlantic vs Coastal.
• Dino/Cool v Nard/Gym Teacher.
• Our collective colors look great together on the field.

If we beat Pitt and BC with some degree of regularity, we will begin to emerge as a program. We haven’t beaten both in the same season since 2004.

But we cannot split or lose twice. Sets us back.

 

[Chip]

I think there's a little more juice to it, but it could be so much better.

We both play in stadiums with a lot of empty seats, and neither school seems to show up all that well to the other team's stadium.

It's like we're forced into a rivalry that neither really wants, just because we've played each other the most consecutive times. Pitt would rather have PSU and WVU. And so would we.

We have so much more in common than we think.