It won’t be easy-going when it comes to Pitt’s non-conference next season, but it won’t be all Power Five opponents.
Pitt will host Wofford at Acrisure Stadium in September, Panther Lair’s Jim Hammett reported. The FCS opponent will join a non-conference slate that includes Cincinnati, West Virginia and Notre Dame.
Wofford joined the Divison I level in 1995, starting out as an Independent before joining the Southern Conference in 1997.
Wofford has won seven Southern Conference championships, including three straight from 2017-19, but it hasn’t been easy-going since COVID-19 impacted the 2020 season.
Since a shortened 1-4 season in 2019, Wofford has gone 4-18 in the last two seasons — including 1-11 on the road.
Wofford has played a handful of Power Five opponents in recent seasons, including Virginia Tech this season, North Carolina in 2021 and Clemson in 2019. It will be the first-ever meeting between Pitt and Wofford.
It remains uncertain when Pitt will play Wofford next season, but Cincinnati is scheduled for Sept. 9 and West Virginia for Sept. 16, so the beginning and end of the month are open.
Pitt’s future non-conference currently includes:
2024 — Kent State, Cincinnati, WVU and Youngstown State
2025 — Central Michigan, WVU, Notre Dame
2026 — Wisconsin
2027 — Wisconsin
2028 — Notre Dame
Dump WV. Keep one Power 5 FBS opponent.
Dump the only opponent that helped fill the stadium this season? *Filled on a Thursday nonetheless?
Using the Big10 model, we shouldn’t schedule so many difficult out of conference games. They are rewarded in the rankings by beating up lower level schools and then only play their 1 or 2 tough teams in their conference. I like scheduling 1 good OC school. The problem is that it seems like the system NCAA uses for football rewards you more for a wins against Wofford and Furman than a close OT loss with an Alabama or Georgia. It is like you are rewarded for playing a soft schedule. Many people say that the only ranking that matters is… Read more »
Unless Wofford hires “High Octane” Todd Graham over interim Shawn Watson (our OC in 17′ and 18′) we should be good.