Fighting Irish vs Panthers preview

Fighting Irish vs Panthers coverage

Pittsburgh Panthers will win, but not as easily as its ranking might indicate (they’ve yet to prove themselves against a top 30 team, and won’t do so until the West Virginia Mountaineers and Cincinnati Bearcats games later this month). 

Given Pitt’s tough-as-nails rushing defense, even my grandma can predict Charlie & Company will be calling "fade route" to the right, "fade route" to the left, "fade route" all over the place.  You see, Charlie is predictable – and defiant (he never, ever changes).  [Side note: If somebody steps on Clausen’s toe, then game-over for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.]

ND has a weak defense, especially the secondary.  Pitt will expose it by using its balanced offensive attack.  So, expect ND to give-up occasional big plays, runs and passes, because the secondary will have to help against the running game.  Remember, Navy’s fullback easily dropped 158 yards on ND (and it was ND’s priority to stop Navy’s fullback, if nothing else).

Pitt has a smaller, but speedier running back (40: 4.44) than that of Navy’s.  ND, however, will witness a combination of speed and size when it plays Stanford to close the season.  See stats:

• Navy FB Vince Murray   | 6’1" 217lbs | #37 in nation | 796 yards | 5.3 yards/carry  
• Pittsburgh RB Dion Lewis | 5’8" 195lbs | #7 in nation | 1,139 yards | 5.6 yds/carry
• Stanford RB Toby Gerhart  | 6’1" 235 lbs | #2 in nation | 1,217 yards | 5.2 yds/carry

Both teams played the Navy Midshipmen on their home fields.  Here’s the apples-to-apples comparison:

Pitt held Navy’s vaunted rushing attack to 129 yards (2.8 yds/carry).  In contrast, ND gave up a whopping 348 yards (6.1 yds/carry) rushing, despite not even attempting to defend a passing game (Navy only threw three times, including a 50+ yard touchdown).  

Mental weaknesses: Both Pitt and ND turned the ball over on Navy’s 1 yard line (partly proof of Navy’s goal-line, fumble-forcing abilities).  For Pitt, it didn’t matter.

Pitt-Navy:  27-14 Win

ND-Navy : 21-23 Loss

Pitt beats ND by at least 9 points…