Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH play at Georgia Tech Oct. 17 to escape with a 31-28 win. The following week, Pittsburgh hit a 25-yard field goal as time expired to emerge with a 23-20 win at Syracuse. Teams that win by the margins the Panthers continue posting can be viewed one of two ways. Either the squad is good, but not great enough to put their opponents away — and is sim- ply fortunate to keep showing up in the win column. Or the victories are in a way by design, a credit to the team's collective effort to scratch out wins every week. Chris Peak, pub- lisher of Panther- lair.com on the Ri- vals network, said this Pittsburgh team is more of the latter. "I think it's fair to say that a bet- ter team blows out Syracuse," Peak said prior to Pitt's 26-19 loss to North Carolina Oct. 29. "Georgia Tech has cer- tainly had its share of ugly losses this year and Pitt still only beat them by a field goal. They only beat Youngstown State by one score. "But last year's team was 1-5 in one score games. This year's team started 5-1 in those same games. You have to give them credit for the way they've played in the fourth quarter. It's been so long since they've been able to close out those games. "So they're not the most talented team in the ACC, or maybe even the ACC Coastal — especially after injuries. But they've stepped up and made plays when they needed to, and I think you have to acknowl- edge that." The natural flow of the Associated Press and coaches polls — win and move up, or lose and move down — landed Pittsburgh in both top-25 list- ings during the week of Oct. 25. F i r s t - y e a r h e a d c o a c h P a t N a r- duzzi's squad broke into the coaches poll at No. 24, while it was No. 23 in the AP poll, up from No. 25 after its three-point win at Syracuse. Locals were ex- cited about the Narduzzi hire in the offseason, but even the most optimistic fans didn't predict that quick of a rise into the national rankings. "It's definitely surprising," Peak said. "I mean it's not like Pitt's played a great schedule; they've had a bunch of teams that they can and should beat. But where it contrasts is in previous years, they haven't had great schedules Facts & Figures NOTRE DAME VS. PITTSBURGH Game Info Date: Nov. 7, 2015. Site: Heinz Field (65,050). Kickoff: 12 p.m. ET. Television: ABC. Radio: This broadcast can be heard live on SIRIUS Satellite Radio (channel 129). Series Facts: This is the 76th meeting be‑ tween Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. The Irish lead the series 47‑21‑1. Coaches: Notre Dame — Brian Kelly (52‑21, sixth season); Pittsburgh — Pat Narduzzi (6‑2, first season). Noting Pitt: Tyler Boyd already leads Pitts‑ burgh in career receptions (226) … In Pitts‑ burgh's 4‑1 ACC start, redshirt junior signal‑ caller Nate Peterman completed 112 passes without an interception, throwing for 945 yards and seven touchdowns … Pittsburgh is 21‑0 when scoring at least one defensive touchdown in a game since 2001.