Let's take a look at Pitt football.
Best / Worst Case Record for :
Louisville | Virginia | Miami | Duke | Georgia Tech | Boston College | Florida State | Virginia Tech | NC State | Clemson | Syracuse | North Carolina | Wake Forest
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh spent has spent the majority of the last 25 years treading water as a program. Under Pat Narduzzi the Panther really took a leap forward the last 2 years. You can certainly make the argument that Pitt has been one of the top 2 ACC programs in the last couple of years. There has been an ACC Title in 2021, wins over ranked teams in and out of conference, NFL drafts picks, and back-to-back top 25 finishes. Yet they seem to coming into this season under the radar. I think it’s time to stop underestimating the Pat Narduzzi and the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Will Go 10-2 (7-1) if:
Phil Jurkovec can be the quarterback I think he is. At BC, Jurkovec showed glimpses of being an All-ACC level quarterback. He’s being reunited with his former BC offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. and that should ease Jurkovec’s transition. The schedule is reasonable as they avoid Clemson and get Florida State at home. There is a game at Notre Dame, but Pittsburgh should be favored in the majority of their games. I think Pittsburgh’s opening schedule of Wofford, Cincinnati, at West Virginia, North Carolina, at Virginia Tech and Louisville gives them a shot at a 6-0 start. If they do that, I could see a double-digit win regular season.
Will Go 6-6 (4-4) if:
Pittsburgh can’t rebuild their defense after losing more than half their starters from a top-25 defense. If QB Phil Jurkovec struggles and the defense has setback, Pitt’s season suddenly looks a lot different. The schedule isn’t brutal, but it’s not a cakewalk either. Games with Florida State and Notre Dame will be very difficult. You could easily have a split between Cincinnati and West Virginia and games at Wake Forest and at Duke will be tricky. North Carolina and Louisville could be problematic even at home. Pitt could have a hard time with that group of games, and you never know if they get upset along the way. Pitt is too established to miss a bowl, but it could be a close call if a couple of things go sideways.
