posted November 27, 2009 at 16:40 EST in NCAA F Free Picks
Thanksgiving Week Football - Pittsburgh Panthers at West Virginia Mountaineers
by Dave D
Pittsburgh Panthers at West Virginia Mountaineers
Friday, November 28th – Mountaineer Field - 7:05 PM ET
College Football Spread: PICK
Pittsburgh: The Week That Was
The Pittsburgh Panthers were off on Nov. 21, but on Nov. 14 against Notre Dame, coach Dave Wannstedt’s team topped the Fighting Irish, 27-22. Pittsburgh started quite nervously at Heinz Field. Quarterback Bill Stull overthrew open receivers and lacked poise in the pocket, but with his defense keeping Notre Dame down, Stull gradually gained confidence. Late in the first half, with the score tied 3-3, Stull began to relax, and when he hit Jonathan Baldwin on a 36-yard scoring strike, the tension fully left the Panthers’ offensive huddle.
Pitt would roll to a 27-9 fourth-quarter lead before hanging on in the final minutes. Notre Dame receiver Golden Tate tried to singlehandedly lead the Irish to a stunning comeback win, but when Greg Romeus and the rest of the Panthers’ defensive front harassed Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen on Notre Dame’s final drive, Pittsburgh secured its ninth win of the season.
West Virginia: The Week That Was
The West Virginia Mountaineers are also coming off a bye week, but on Nov. 13 in Cincinnati, they found themselves in the middle of the Big East title chase. Moreover, coach Bill Stewart’s ballclub snatched two turnovers from the normally airtight Cincinnati Bearcats.
Yet, for all the good things they did on defense – holding UC to 24 points is a tremendous accomplishment – the boys from Morgantown couldn’t post enough scores of their own at Nippert Stadium. West Virginia fell to the Bearcats, 24-21, and saw its chances for a Big East championship evaporate on the road.
Quarterback Jarrett Brown made a number of spectacular plays in this game, but not enough basic plays. The signal caller didn’t turn the ball over, but he wasn’t able to consistently push the ball downfield in the passing game. Brown finished 17-of-25 for only 188 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions.
The Week That Is:
This will be a game of Pittsburgh’s power against West Virginia’s emotions. The last time Pitt played in Morgantown – on Dec. 1, 2007 – the homestanding Mountaineers were one win away from reaching the BCS National Championship Game. All West Virginia needed to do under then-coach Rich Rodriguez was to beat a 4-7 Pitt team. For the 10-1 Mountaineers, who were just coming off a 66-21 spanking of Connecticut, the thought of scoring only one time was ludicrous. Yet, that’s exactly what happened to quarterback Pat White and the rest of WVU’s normally prodigious offense.
Pittsburgh – behind an inspired performance from its entire defense, coached by Wannstedt and coordinator Paul Rhoads (now the head coach at Iowa State) – limited the Mountaineers to one second-quarter touchdown drive. The only other points West Virginia scored came on an intentional safety taken by the Panthers on the game’s final play. Pittsburgh shocked the nation – and the Mountaineers – with a 13-9 win that sent Rodriguez to Michigan, and put Stewart in the head coaching position he enjoys today.
West Virginia will be really fired up, and Pittsburgh needs to be ready. The thought here is that emotion will trump power. West Virginia wins a barnburner.
