Pitt needs just four wins over its next 10 games to reach bowl eligibility, after failing to do so last season, and the most recent projection has the Panthers facing a familiar opponent.
Brett McMurphy of Action Network updated his bowl projections following the second week of college football, and his Pitt projection has changed. He slates the Panthers to face off against Michigan State in the Birmingham Bowl in Birmingham, Ala. on Dec. 27. Action Network sets Pitt as an early 1.5-point underdog.
McMurphy still projects Miami to win the ACC, with the Hurricanes as the only ACC team in the College Football Playoff.
The Birmingham Bowl has been in operation since 2006 and has been known as the PapaJohns.com Bowl (2006-10) and BBVA Compass Bowl (2011-14) in its existence.
Pitt has played in the Bowl twice, back when it was called the BBVA Compass Bowl — knocking off Kentucky 27-10 in 2011 and losing to SMU 28-6 in 2012.
The Birmingham Bowl traditionally pits an SEC team against an AAC opponent, but in the event either conference can’t fulfill its bowl commitments, Conference-USA and the MAC will receive an opportunity. And if those conferences can’t fulfill their commitments, at-large programs are chosen.
The most recent Birmingham Bowl featured Duke knocking Troy 17-10.
Pitt needed a 21-point comeback to beat Cincinnati over the weekend, the largest comeback in the last half-century. Eli Holstein completed 11-of-12 pass attempts for 189 yards and two touchdowns, leading another drive late in the fourth quarter to set up a game-winning 35-yard Ben Sauls’ field goal. It wasn’t perfect, but Pitt secured the win.
“It’s a gutsy win by our guys,” Pat Narduzzi said Saturday in his post-game presser. “Couldn’t be prouder of the effort they gave. We came up in the fourth quarter and said we’re going to win this thing. Broke down on, ‘Win.’
“Our guys believed. It shows true character to come back from being 21 down. Players made plays. We made plays in the second half on offense and defense.”
Pitt returns to Acrisure Stadium this week to resume the Backyard Brawl against West Virginia. Pitt and WVU are set to kick off at 3:30 p.m., with ESPN2 broadcasting the matchup. A win, moving to 3-0, will set the Panthers up well in their quest for bowl eligibility.
