Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1037156
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 15, 2018 39 One, Pitt has a proclivity to play up or down to the level of its competi- tion. In 2016 it upset Big Ten champ Penn State and eventual national champ Clemson — in Death Valley no less. Last year, it toppled No. 2 Miami (the same Hurricanes who thumped Notre Dame 41-8), which made their defeats to 4-8 Syracuse and 3-9 North Carolina all the more frustrating for them. Two, Notre Dame will be coming off back-to-back marquee games, first having hosted No. 7 Stanford (Sept. 29) and then traveling to No. 24 Virginia Tech (Oct. 6). Staying on an emotional high three consecu- tive weeks can be a tall order. Third, it is also mid-term exams week at Notre Dame, which can add to the degree of difficulty. Finally, Pitt has a history of com- peting well against the Irish, which brings us to … RECENT HISTORY LESSON Since the 1950s, Pitt joins USC, Pur- due and Michigan State as the lone football teams to defeat Notre Dame every decade. From shocking a Frank Leahy team in 1952 (22-19) that would finish No. 3 in the country to knocking out Brian Kelly's Fighting Irish from major bowl contention in 2013 (28-21), the Panthers often find a way to perform at peak level against Notre Dame. In the 11 meetings between the Fighting Irish and Pitt since 2002, all but two were determined by one score, with one of them a 42-30 Irish victory in the most recent encounter (2015). • In 2008, the longest game in Notre Dame history (in actual time played on the field) resulted in a four-over- time 36-33 conquest by the Panthers. • A year later in 2009, Pitt won for the fourth time in the last eight meet- ings between the two schools, 27-22. • In Kelly's first season at Notre Dame in 2010, the Irish fended off Pitt for a 23-17 victory. • A late drive at Heinz Field in 2011 that featured the Tommy Rees to Tyler Eifert passing combination enabled Notre Dame to emerge with a 15-12 victory. • Following an upset win at Okla- homa in 2012, the 8-0 Irish went through a classic letdown while fall- ing behind the Panthers 20-6, and needed an officiating snafu in one overtime to survive a three-overtime 29-26 conquest. • After losing at Navy in 2013, Pitt responded two weeks later with a 28-21 win at home versus Notre Dame. The one-score margins in this se- ries ended at Heinz Field on Nov. 7, 2015, when Notre Dame built a 42-17 lead before Pitt tallied two touch- downs in the final five minutes to make the final score a more respect- able looking 42-30. Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer was 19-of-26 passing for 262 yards with five touchdowns, and he ran for the sixth. Three of his scoring tosses were to Will Fuller (seven catches for 152 yards), while freshman Josh Adams' 20 carries netted 147 yards. History still demonstrates the need to be wary of the Panthers. ✦ GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH Predictions Corey Bodden: Notre Dame 45, Pitt 17 Pittsburgh has not fared well in the two games its played against top-25-caliber opponents this season in losses to Penn State (51-6) and Central Florida (45-14). That's not going to change against the Irish. Bryan Driskell: Notre Dame 41, Pitt 13 The Panthers have struggled on defense this season despite a lot of experience, and their offense hasn't been much better. Notre Dame should roll in its final game before the bye week. David McKinney: Notre Dame 56, Pitt 10 Pitt is just not a very good football team on either side of the ball. Notre Dame will take care of the Panthers easily, much like Central Florida did a few weeks ago. Lou Somogyi: Notre Dame 31, Pitt 14 There is a Jekyll-and-Hyde element to Pitt football that can leave one uneasy. If it's Jekyll, this could be a white knuckler. If it's Hyde, the Irish could romp by four touchdowns. Maybe something in between. Nine of the last 11 meeting between Notre Dame and Pittsburgh have been decided by one score, includ- ing the Panthers' 28-21 upset victory in 2013. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA