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‘Next Four Out’: Pitt Entering the College Football Playoff Bubble

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Pitt football.

Pitt is one of the 11 unbeaten remaining in college football, so while it’s still early, perhaps it isn’t too early to start to at least wondering how the College Football Playoff picture could unfold.

Pitt controls its destiny, sitting in a tie for second in the ACC with No. 6 Miami, but there’s a long road ahead.

With wins against North Carolina and Cal, Pitt has tied its conference win total from last season. But the Panthers are thinking bigger — the national media is starting to think bigger, too.

The College Football Playoff Bubble Watch included Pitt in its “next four out” category.

“We need to start having a real conversation about this Pitt team,” Ari Wasserman of On3 wrote. “The Panthers improved to 6-0 on Saturday with a 17-15 win over California. Any team that has made it this far in the season without suffering a loss is worth our attention. Backed by quarterback Eli Holstein, Pittsburgh has to play Syracuse, SMU and Clemson in three of the next four weeks. The ACC still seems to be lead by Clemson and Miami, but there is opportunity for someone to surprise us.”

Pitt is one of the two unbeaten teams in the ACC, along with Miami, and the Panthers don’t play the Hurricanes this season. Pitt has Syracuse, No. 21 SMU, Virginia, No. 10 Clemson, Louisville and Boston College left.

It’s not exactly murderer’s row, but it’s a six-game stretch that’s much harder than initially anticipated. Two ranked opponents and all six teams are at least .500 at the halfway point.

Pitt doesn’t need to go unbeaten the rest of the way to stay in CFP consideration, but it can’t afford many losses. Two is likely too many. However, at the halfway point, the Panthers are firmly in the mix when it comes to a potential playoff spot.

Wasserman included Alabama, Miami, Indiana and Iowa State as his last four in and Notre Dame, Texas A&M, LSU and Tennessee as his first four out. Pitt, along with Kansas State, SMU and Texas Tech, is in the next four out. It’s not exactly bracketology, but as long as the Panthers keep winning, they’re in the mix.

Pat Narduzzi was happy with the most recent win against Cal, and the way his squad found a way to win with a lackluster performance from the typically high-scoring offense, but he’s well aware it wasn’t a complete game. He doesn’t think Pitt has played a complete game all season.

“I don’t know if there ever has been a complete game,” Narduzzi said Saturday night. “I wish — we strive for perfection and we’ll take excellence. It’s never going to be perfect. There’s too many guys on scholarship out there, and it’s never going to be perfect. That’s why you’ve just got to play one play at a time, not look at the scoreboard and just try to win every play. Every play matters.”

Pitt mustered just 17 points and 277 yards of offense against the Golden Bears. Eli Holstein wasn’t sharp, looking like a freshman quarterback for the first time in his brief career, but Pitt found a way to win.

Desmond Reid racked up 139 all-purpose yards and both touchdowns, and the defense clamped down on Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the Bears in the second half — racking up six sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

“SO, it didn’t happen today for us offensively, it just — sometimes when it rains, it pours,” Narduzzi said. “But we’ll learn from our mistakes on offense today, and again, it’s just great to maybe not play well on offense and find a way to get a win. Defense played lights out.”

Pitt has the week off, its final bye of the season, before Syracuse comes to town for a Thursday night matchup at Acrisure Stadium later this month.

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
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kevin
kevin
22 days ago

Just keep winning!
H2P!!!

katuracassells@gmail.com
katuracassells@gmail.com
21 days ago
Reply to  kevin

Exactly, one game at a time. Play each game as if it were a play off game.

Pittband
Pittband
22 days ago

I hope Cade Bell learned something from the Cal offense Saturday. Particularly, the pick play for the tight end. He started on the outside of the formation and cut across behind the two receivers (pickers) to be wide open on the one series. Randy Bates adjusted but only after he scored their second touchdown.

NoFaultWalt
NoFaultWalt
22 days ago
Reply to  Pittband

How bout using Carter a bit more too… big bruising back who put up 27 yards on 2 carries.

Richard
Richard
22 days ago
Reply to  NoFaultWalt

I concur with that Idea. #4 needs some touches coming up, against the ACC
big boys. The Best runnig back to come out of St. Thomas Aquinas, not only
a big-guy, but also has decent speed.

Eli
Eli
21 days ago

SMU’s offense has been putting up tons of points this year. That might be the toughest game left on the schedule.

Alex
Alex
21 days ago

It’s disappointing that we have SMU on the road but I hope we can come ready to play! Pitt just needs to worry about themselves and not be look at the Postseason yet. I’ll buy a corn dog to everyone on this thread if Pitt makes it to the CFP!

Dave
Dave
21 days ago
Reply to  Alex

Deal

BUCHPANTHER
21 days ago
Reply to  Alex

I am for corn dogs!!! H2P

TVax1
TVax1
21 days ago
Reply to  BUCHPANTHER

was going to comment but not sure I like corn dogs 🙂

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