OT: D1

[IUPNation]

I totally get any Penn State or WVU fan who wants to give Pitt the business. What perplexes me are the people who don’t really seem to belong to either of those camps who hate Pitt. What exactly is hate worthy about Pitt outside of a rivalry? They otherwise kind of just exist. They’re mostly solid but usually don’t do anything special athletically. It’s a very good academic institution with some world renowned programs but they don’t seemto come off conceited about any of it. I don’t get it.

I’m only a casual Penn State fan..meaning I don’t care if they lose but they are for better or worse PA’s team…I don’t hate Pitt but they haven’t been elite program since Marino went to the NFL. The school itself is one of the reasons why the city of Pittsburgh didn’t crumble after steel crashed and Yinzers fled for greener pastures…like Detroit did. The school
has done a lot of important work. One day it might be better than IUP. 😉🤣

[TheBigCat2192]

A rare non-firing, non-GameDay post:

MSU (midwest, not south) is getting three years probation and vacating 14 wins over the last three years because of ineligible players.

[IUP24]

As a Penn State Fan (and one that does not hate Pitt), I can tell you that I am thrilled that Gameday is going to be in Pittsburgh for the Pitt /ND Game. Gameday is supposed to give exposure to big games, period. This is a big game. There is nothing in the rules that states that Gameday has to be at B1G or SEC games. I'm unsure as to why haters need to crawl out of the woodwork to put down things that don't align with their philosophy. For one weekend, H2P!!

I think Pitt's going to lose the football game on Saturday. ND is strong up front on both sides of the ball and Pitt's offensive line is a weakness on their football team. It will be challenging for them to gain much traction on offense in my opinion. I do think they'll play pretty well defensively, permitted ND doesn't implement a bunch of RPOs against them (which they killed them with in 2023). Pitt's D is mostly built to play against and stop offenses that play like how ND likes to play football.

I'm excited for the game Saturday though. It will be a fantastic environment. ND has some local fans in Western PA, but despite what the idiots like Mark Madden are saying (he's saying it'll be a 50/50 crowd LOL), that will be 85% Pitt fans in that building. I've been to numerous Pitt/ND games. They'll have their allotment and 5,000 more.

[IUP24]

I totally get any Penn State or WVU fan who wants to give Pitt the business. What perplexes me are the people who don’t really seem to belong to either of those camps who hate Pitt. What exactly is hate worthy about Pitt outside of a rivalry? They otherwise kind of just exist. They’re mostly solid but usually don’t do anything special athletically. It’s a very good academic institution with some world renowned programs but they don’t seemto come off conceited about any of it. I don’t get it.

Here's my position (apologies for the length here)... I've long said - and I think over the last few years, and even recently it's being proven true - that the flagship university in the city of Pittsburgh (Pitt), is treated horribly in the local media and by many in the Western PA community.

There are far more "non-college football fans" in western PA than I think many believe. People in and around Pittsburgh are so infatuated with the Steelers and the NFL that they mostly just don't care about the product of college football (and never did). So those people don't have any emotional connection to the university or athletic department. They care about the Steelers and only the Steelers. So when the Pat McAfee Show has a guy taking a shot at Pitt because they and the Steelers are co-tenants of Acrisure Stadium, it's going to gain a lot of traction locally. Many of the people grabbing onto that story were Steelers fans who either A) Don't live in Pittsburgh, or B) Are Steelers fans that are local who don't watch college football.

A huge chunk of the local media in Western PA are active fans of either Penn State or WVU. Some media members are just pro football people and don't like college football - that angle also exists with the media members as well. But both schools I mentioned have sports journalism programs (Pitt does not), so much of the local media already has a vested interest in rooting against the city's university because they are grads of rival schools. Even other media members locally have tended to spurn their nose towards Pitt, largely because they belong to the ACC, not the B1G. Ron Cook was a shining example of that. So too is Joe Starkey. Bob Pompeani is on the Pitt pregame show, and he regularly speaks negatively about Pitt on The Fan with Joe Starkey. Gerry Dulac is an unapologetic Penn Stater and has written unfavorable things about Pitt for years. Many of those at The Fan (Pitt's flagship station!!!!) are Penn State fans (Eric Hagman, Austin Bechtold, etc). Guys like Mark Kaboly or Josh Yohe seem to have no collegiate affiliation, but they take every opportunity to do engagement farming on social media every chance they get to say something negative about Pitt.

Mark Kaboly posted on X the other day... "Will more people be at College Gameday on Saturday, or the NFL draft in April?"... First off, what a stupid question. Second off, what exactly are you trying to accomplish by even posting that other than feeding the mouths of those ready to, as the previous post suggested, "crawl out of the woodwork" to put down Pitt.

All of this really culminated when Kenny Pickett was the QB of the Steelers. Was he good? Not nearly enough to elevate their franchise (although when he was injured in 2023 the Steelers were 7-2 and then they ended up missing the playoffs). But when Pickett's play was below the line, those with mouthpieces and a pedestal to share opinions largely correlated Pickett being bad to their hatred of Pitt and Pat Narduzzi. But those same individuals don't seem to care about Joey Porter Jr. being horrific, or Pat Friermuth being an average TE at best, but taking up a massive chunk of their payroll. I'm curious why nobody asks those people about those players. It was okay for Beanie Bishop to stomp his feet on the Pitt logo in the UPMC southside facility, but could you imagine the outrage if the shoe was reversed and a Pitt player from Cleveland stomped on the Steelers logo in that building?

The locals and the local media will take every potshot imaginable at Pitt, and then they will wonder why no local recruits ever seem to want to go to Pitt anymore. If you grew up hearing about how much the local university sucked, would you want to go there?

I could keep going, and I've shared this before, but I just yearn for them to be viewed a bit more favorably and fairly in the eyes of the local media. That's all.

[Chuck Norris]

As a Penn State Fan (and one that does not hate Pitt), I can tell you that I am thrilled that Gameday is going to be in Pittsburgh for the Pitt /ND Game. Gameday is supposed to give exposure to big games, period. This is a big game. There is nothing in the rules that states that Gameday has to be at B1G or SEC games. I'm unsure as to why haters need to crawl out of the woodwork to put down things that don't align with their philosophy. For one weekend, H2P!!

I totally get any Penn State or WVU fan who wants to give Pitt the business. What perplexes me are the people who don’t really seem to belong to either of those camps who hate Pitt. What exactly is hate worthy about Pitt outside of a rivalry? They otherwise kind of just exist. They’re mostly solid but usually don’t do anything special athletically. It’s a very good academic institution with some world renowned programs but they don’t seemto come off conceited about any of it. I don’t get it.

[RockPride]

So a playoff elimination game between two teams that have played each other 74 times is a bad choice compared to two teams playing a game that's mostly just to determine/jostle seeding and will likely make the CFP regardless of the outcome?

This is mostly what I was saying above. I think the Gameday discussion is overplayed. It's not relevant overall, but the outcry online and in the echo chambers of social media is more ammo to prove that people wanted "more games to matter," but they only wanted more of the games to matter for more of the teams they preferred to watch in one of the two conferences. Heaven forbid Pitt obtain any level of national recognition.

I think they're going to lose on Saturday, but it's good exposure for the program. They haven't had Gameday for 20 years. I promise you I'm not coming at you or trying to argue, and I think you're sort of (maybe) a semi-Pitt fan, but I wish the larger community would just say, "Yeah, this is pretty cool for Pitt," instead of prefacing everything by suggesting somebody else was more deserving. They played their way back into the picture after two horrific losses (which I have long stated should disqualify teams). I wish the conversation was more about how they resurrected their season compared to which SEC team should be more deserving of even more national recognition.

As a Penn State Fan (and one that does not hate Pitt), I can tell you that I am thrilled that Gameday is going to be in Pittsburgh for the Pitt /ND Game. Gameday is supposed to give exposure to big games, period. This is a big game. There is nothing in the rules that states that Gameday has to be at B1G or SEC games. I'm unsure as to why haters need to crawl out of the woodwork to put down things that don't align with their philosophy. For one weekend, H2P!!

[IUP24]

Compared to Oklahoma at Alabama? Yes.

So a playoff elimination game between two teams that have played each other 74 times is a bad choice compared to two teams playing a game that's mostly just to determine/jostle seeding and will likely make the CFP regardless of the outcome?

This is mostly what I was saying above. I think the Gameday discussion is overplayed. It's not relevant overall, but the outcry online and in the echo chambers of social media is more ammo to prove that people wanted "more games to matter," but they only wanted more of the games to matter for more of the teams they preferred to watch in one of the two conferences. Heaven forbid Pitt obtain any level of national recognition.

I think they're going to lose on Saturday, but it's good exposure for the program. They haven't had Gameday for 20 years. I promise you I'm not coming at you or trying to argue, and I think you're sort of (maybe) a semi-Pitt fan, but I wish the larger community would just say, "Yeah, this is pretty cool for Pitt," instead of prefacing everything by suggesting somebody else was more deserving. They played their way back into the picture after two horrific losses (which I have long stated should disqualify teams). I wish the conversation was more about how they resurrected their season compared to which SEC team should be more deserving of even more national recognition.

[ctrabs74]

So Pitt hosting Notre Dame, given the factors I laid out above, is not a good option?

You'll have to really explain that one to me. Again, I think the entire topic of Gameday is overplayed in the big picture (not just this week). But how come it's cool for every other program to get national attention even in the slightest capacity, but the second Pitt is talked about in any positive manner, people have to come out of the woodwork to suggest they aren't deserving?

Compared to Oklahoma at Alabama? Yes.

[IUP24]

Outside of the SEC games, there aren't exactly a lot of good options.

So Pitt hosting Notre Dame, given the factors I laid out above, is not a good option?

You'll have to really explain that one to me. Again, I think the entire topic of Gameday is overplayed in the big picture (not just this week). But how come it's cool for every other program to get national attention even in the slightest capacity, but the second Pitt is talked about in any positive manner, people have to come out of the woodwork to suggest they aren't deserving?

[ctrabs74]

I'm curious where you would have chosen otherwise. College Gameday hasn't been to Pittsburgh in 20 years (also a Pitt/ND game). ND has won 7 straight. Pitt has won 5 straight and has a great story with a true freshman QB. It's essentially a CFP elimination game for ND (and Pitt for an at-large spot). I'm not sure there's a game around the country with greater stakes this weekend. The two other ranked on ranked SEC games are meaningless football games (all of those teams are likely in the CFP barring something unforeseen happening in November).

The argument about expanding the CFP was "more games matter for more teams" because of access to the CFP. So when you have a game with a school like Pitt (largely an afterthought and ignored by the national media) where there are significant stakes in November, I think this is the perfect landing spot for College Gameday.

Outside of the SEC games, there aren't exactly a lot of good options.

[Ship69]

Someone is going to lose the Duke-Virginia game and someone is going to lose the Pitt-Georgia Tech game. And someone will likely lose a game they shouldn’t as none of these teams are world beaters. It’ll work itself out. Pitt’s finish to the season is brutal. If they can find a way to win those last two ACC games, I have no doubt they’ll wind up in the championship game, but that’s going to be really tough to do.

Yeah, that's hardly a murderers' row at the top of the ACC. The collapse of Clemson and Florida State haven't exactly helped that league. Penn State and Wisconsin going into the toilet has weakened the B1G, but their top few teams are much stronger than the ACC. No argument that the SEC is the deepest league this season.

[IUP24]

OH MY GOD!!!! ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY HAS DONE NON-SEC GAMES FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS!? THEY'RE BREAKING OUT THE PITCHFORKS ACROSS THE SEC (except in Fayette-nam, Lexington and Starkville).

I'll be honest, out of all the games the Four Letter Nitwits chose for Gameday, Domers at Fail to Pitt wouldn't have been my first choice. But, I guess said Four Letter Nitwits are trying to shed that "SEC Bias" by putting lipstick on a pig.

I'm curious where you would have chosen otherwise. College Gameday hasn't been to Pittsburgh in 20 years (also a Pitt/ND game). ND has won 7 straight. Pitt has won 5 straight and has a great story with a true freshman QB. It's essentially a CFP elimination game for ND (and Pitt for an at-large spot). I'm not sure there's a game around the country with greater stakes this weekend. The two other ranked on ranked SEC games are meaningless football games (all of those teams are likely in the CFP barring something unforeseen happening in November).

The argument about expanding the CFP was "more games matter for more teams" because of access to the CFP. So when you have a game with a school like Pitt (largely an afterthought and ignored by the national media) where there are significant stakes in November, I think this is the perfect landing spot for College Gameday.

[IUP24]

Someone is going to lose the Duke-Virginia game and someone is going to lose the Pitt-Georgia Tech game. And someone will likely lose a game they shouldn’t as none of these teams are world beaters. It’ll work itself out. Pitt’s finish to the season is brutal. If they can find a way to win those last two ACC games, I have no doubt they’ll wind up in the championship game, but that’s going to be really tough to do.

I've watched a lot of ACC football this year. The favorable thing for Pitt is that the games against GT and Miami, while both extremely challenging games, look vastly different now than they did 6 weeks ago at this spot on the schedule.

Miami is good, and they're very, very stout up front and on defense. But the collective whole of that group is quitting in November (like they traditionally do down there once they get 1-2 losses). Carson Beck is not playing very good football either.

GT is a strong team, but their strengths on offense play right into how Pitt generally likes to play defense. There's this common misconception that mobile QBs kill Pitt, but they mostly never do. They stop offenses that run a ton of QB power like what GT does with Haynes King. And GT's defense is not that strong.

I'm certainly not saying Pitt will win one, or both, of these remaining two ACC games, but I have a far different outlook on both opponents now than I did in early October.

[Chuck Norris]

And they're in a four-way battle for two spots in the ACC title game along with Georgia Tech, Virginia and SMU (okay, who had that on their 2025 College Football Bingo Card?). If you factor in Duke, who is at 4-1, then theoretically, you have five teams battling for two spots in Charlotte. I didn't think I'd be analyzing potential ACC championship game opponents, but just for laughs, here we go:

Duke has three ACC games left: Virginia, at North Carolina (comma) Chapel Hill and Wake Forest.
Georgia Tech has two conference games left (at BC, vs. Pitt) before closing out the season against Georgia.
After Pitt faces Notre Dame, the Panthers are at Georgia Tech and host Miami.
SMU is off this week before hosting Louisville and closing the season at California (comma) Berkeley.
Virginia is at Duke this Saturday before an off week and their season finale at home against Virginia Tech.

Among the five teams who are still in the ACC title game picture:

Duke lost to Georgia Tech 28-17 and face Georgia Tech on Saturday. Then again, it's hard to take the Dookies seriously when you lost to Illinois, Tulane and UConn (yes, that UConn, whose football team hasn't been relevant for years).
Georgia Tech only has their win over Duke, but has a chance to gain a tie-breaker over Pitt with a win next week. Yet, they lost last week to 5-4 North Carolina State.
Pitt's only ACC loss was to Louisville and have yet to face any of the teams they're tied with. They also lost in overtime to Hillbilly High, who's 4-6.
Neither SMU nor Virginia have faced any of the other three teams involved in the tie (both teams suffered their lone loss in ACC play to *checks notes* Wake Forest?!?!). Virginia also lost to NC State, but that was a non-conference game because ... reasons. SMU's other two losses were 35-24 loss at 6-3 TCU and a 48-45 double overtime loss at home to Baylor after choking away a 14 point lead with 8 minutes to play.

Good luck trying to figure out the ACC championship game participants.

Someone is going to lose the Duke-Virginia game and someone is going to lose the Pitt-Georgia Tech game. And someone will likely lose a game they shouldn’t as none of these teams are world beaters. It’ll work itself out. Pitt’s finish to the season is brutal. If they can find a way to win those last two ACC games, I have no doubt they’ll wind up in the championship game, but that’s going to be really tough to do.

[ctrabs74]

Nothing wrong with Gameday choosing this game. Notre Dame is probably playing as well as anybody, but likely can’t afford another loss so it’s a massive game for them. And sure, Pitt gives people plenty of reason to believe they won’t step up here, but they’re 7-2 and the ACC Championship game and playoff are there to be had right now, even if they lose to ND.

Gameday can go back to an SEC game next week. It’ll be ok.

And they're in a four-way battle for two spots in the ACC title game along with Georgia Tech, Virginia and SMU (okay, who had that on their 2025 College Football Bingo Card?). If you factor in Duke, who is at 4-1, then theoretically, you have five teams battling for two spots in Charlotte. I didn't think I'd be analyzing potential ACC championship game opponents, but just for laughs, here we go:

Duke has three ACC games left: Virginia, at North Carolina (comma) Chapel Hill and Wake Forest.
Georgia Tech has two conference games left (at BC, vs. Pitt) before closing out the season against Georgia.
After Pitt faces Notre Dame, the Panthers are at Georgia Tech and host Miami.
SMU is off this week before hosting Louisville and closing the season at California (comma) Berkeley.
Virginia is at Duke this Saturday before an off week and their season finale at home against Virginia Tech.

Among the five teams who are still in the ACC title game picture:

Duke lost to Georgia Tech 28-17 and face Georgia Tech on Saturday. Then again, it's hard to take the Dookies seriously when you lost to Illinois, Tulane and UConn (yes, that UConn, whose football team hasn't been relevant for years).
Georgia Tech only has their win over Duke, but has a chance to gain a tie-breaker over Pitt with a win next week. Yet, they lost last week to 5-4 North Carolina State.
Pitt's only ACC loss was to Louisville and have yet to face any of the teams they're tied with. They also lost in overtime to Hillbilly High, who's 4-6.
Neither SMU nor Virginia have faced any of the other three teams involved in the tie (both teams suffered their lone loss in ACC play to *checks notes* Wake Forest?!?!). Virginia also lost to NC State, but that was a non-conference game because ... reasons. SMU's other two losses were 35-24 loss at 6-3 TCU and a 48-45 double overtime loss at home to Baylor after choking away a 14 point lead with 8 minutes to play.

Good luck trying to figure out the ACC championship game participants.