Connect with us

Pitt Football

‘America’s College Football Insider’ Doesn’t Rank Pitt in Way-Too-Early 2022 Poll

Published

on

Pitt’s magical 2021 season with Kenny Pickett and company ended on a disappointing note with a Peach Bowl loss to Michigan State to end the year, but Pitt returns 10 All-ACC honorees and most of last season’s squad for next season.

However, Action Network’s Brett McMurphy doesn’t think that highly of Pitt entering the season. In his way-too-early 2022 poll, he didn’t rank Pitt. While he listed Pitt in his alphabetically ranked list of “Also Receiving Votes” squads, it’s a very, very curious dismissal.

Yes, Pitt lost Pickett and a couple of contributors along both sides of the ball, but with a majority of last season’s team coming back and a few key transfers already secured, Pitt is primed for another run.

However, he ranked Clemson as the fifth-ranked team in the country, Wake Forest as the ninth-ranked team in the country and Miami as the 11th-ranked team in the country.

Clemson without all of its prior coordinators and coming off a lackluster season with DJ Uiagalelei under center, is a very, very generous Top 5 ranking. Despite coming on over the last half of the season, Clemson’s ranking is purely name-brand.

And Wake Forest, despite returning Sam Hartman at quarterback, being ranked in the Top 10 is suspect after being shellacked by Pitt in the ACC championship game. Yet despite Pitt’s lack of ranking, Clemson and Wake Forest aren’t surprising in being ranked.

But Miami? Yes, Miami beat Pitt in 2021, but the Hurricanes being ranked just outside the Top 10 — even with Tyler Van Dyke at quarterback — is wild. Coming off a 7-5 with Mario Cristobal taking over as head coach, a Top 12 ranking is interesting to say the least.

Wisconsin at No. 6, Oklahoma at No. 7, Penn State at No. 14, LSU at No. 18 and Nebraska at No. 25 shows — to varying degrees — just how important it is to be a blue blood in college football.

Wisconsin is coming off a third-place finish in the Big Ten’s weak division. Oklahoma — while securing UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel — has lost its head coach, top two quarterbacks and half its recruiting class. Penn State is 11-11 in the last two seasons, and Sean Clifford returns as quarterback next season. LSU will enter the first season with Brian Kelly as head coach and looking for its quarterback. And Nebraska is ranked 25th? Enough said.

Obviously, McMurphy’s ranking means nothing, but this is just an example of Pitt being disregarded for being Pitt. Coming off an 11-3, ACC title-winning season, you’d think Pitt would at least be ranked entering the season.

But that may not be the case if the AP and Coaches Poll voters feel the same way as McMurphy.

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
9 Comments
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
9 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Justin Dietrich
Justin Dietrich
2 years ago

Why write an article about a nobody that we’ve never heard of? We’ll be top 20 amongst those who have had a legitimate career.

Terrence
Terrence
2 years ago

Brett who ,and who cares what he thinls

Rob
Rob
2 years ago

Who cares?

SRS
SRS
2 years ago

True. Its an Outrage! Its like covering PITT, Slippery Rock, WVU, and Penn State simultaneously under the cover of a single web-site engine ending in Sports Now.

FJB
FJB
2 years ago
Reply to  SRS

…And yet here you are following it.

Pitt Fan in White Oak
Pitt Fan in White Oak
2 years ago

McMurphy has some serious irrational exuberance going for several teams. Miami #9? Wake Forest #11? Penn State- after 2 consecutive mediocre years- #14? Is this some kind of Chuck Fusina/ Todd Blackledge/ John Shaffer tribute? Wisconsin is closer to being the 6th best team in the Big 10 than they are in the country. Nebraska went 1-7 in the Big 10 in 2021 and has to break in a new QB this upcoming season- plus has Oklahoma on the non-conference schedule. While Miami is Pitt’s top threat in the Coastal, they are nowhere close to being the #9 team in… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Pitt Fan in White Oak
Section 122
Section 122
2 years ago

It’s all about whether or not this Slovis kid is the answer at QB. I can see a lot of the “experts” waiting to see what he does the first week or 2 of the season.

Section 122
Section 122
2 years ago
Reply to  Section 122

Seriously someone gave that a thumbs down? Who replaces Pickett is issue #1 why else would Pitt be unranked? It’s not the defense, WRs, RBs, TE or OL. QB is the issue and until the job is won by someone and they prove themselves for a few games it’s going to be what holds people back from buying Pitt’s stock.

Joseph Steigerwald
Admin
2 years ago
Reply to  Section 122

We’re on it.

Get PSN in your inbox!

Enter your email and get all of our posts delivered straight to your inbox.

 
Like Pittsburgh Sports Now on Facebook!
Send this to a friend