UTAH PREVIEW

Saturday might be a non-conference game for the Panthers, but it is a very important one, as the Utah Utes bring a 2-3 record to Heinz Field for a high noon kickoff.  Don’t be misled by that record, as they have the 8^th hardest schedule in FBS.  The fact that starting QB, Jordan Wynn went down a couple of weeks ago, probably does not help either.  He is out for the season with a shoulder injury.  It interrupted a good start for Wynn, who had thrown for 727 yards and 6 TDs in his shortened season.  

If you missed the Rutgers game this past weekend (consider yourself lucky), you may get a second chance to see something similar with this team.  Partially due to the injury to Wynn, the offense is not very good, and the defense loves to blitz and cause turnovers.  They are a physical defense, who has had a couple of bad second halves in a row.  The unit ranks 40^th in points against and a very good 19^th against the run!  Ray Graham and company will have to bring their best effort on Saturday, as the offensive line MUST do a better job than they did against Rutgers.  It looks like Lucas Nix will miss again on Saturday, which is not good news, so hopefully last week was a good learning experience for this line.  We don’t want to see another instance of Sunseri picking himself up off the ground again.

That brings us to Utah’s offense.  With Wynn down and out, that leaves the keys to the offense to Junior, Jon Hays.  Hays has struggled so far with 2 TDs and 4 picks and 355 yards in the couple of games he has played.  The running game is not too shabby and is led by Junior, John White the IV.  White (or do I call him White IV or something else, like White 4.0 – I like that, let’s stick with it) 4.0 is averaging 5.4 yards per carry and 6 TDs.  White 4.0 may be asked to carry a little more of the load this week, as leading receiver, Devonte Christopher (23 catches for 351 yards and 2 TDs) is questionable with an ankle injury.  After Christopher, the next receiver is steadily improving Freshman, Dres Anderson (14 receptions and 213 yards for 2 TDs).  However, Utah does have tight end, Dallin Rogers they like to go to as well (21 snags for 163 yards and 2 TDs).  Overall, the Utes are 74^th in passing, 75^th in rushing, and 85^th in points scored per game.    

Pitt’s must take advantage of what Utah has done wrong all year.  13 turnovers is not a good number.  It is even worse when you factor in that Utah had exactly one turnover in the first two games of the year.  They have also given up 9 sacks on the year and ten to take a lot of penalties….averaging almost 6 flags per game.  I have great feeling that the every rowdy bunch at Heinz Field will coax the Utes into some unnecessary penalties…..right Panther fans?  Panther fans? PANTHER FANS!!??  OHHHHH, that’s right…the game is at noon….and the Steelers play the next day….oh, and the Penguins play that night, I forgot.  That means lots of yellow seats probably.  I’m pegging the crowd at about 35,000.  That includes you student section.  You are not getting a free pass from meanymore.

So, who do I like in this game?  Normally I would say Utah, but I also think Pitt rebounds from last week. I think they learn from that debacle in New Jersey and play much better football.  I also do NOT like Utah playing what is basically a 10AM game for them.  They switched up practice to go a couple hours earlier in the day this week to prepare, but it’s a bunch different when they come out for warm ups and it’s only 9AM for them.  Collegekids=don’t like to get up early.  A couple of years ago, I witnessed a bad Maryland team put an ass kicking on a much more talented Cal team with a noon kickoff.  If you don’t think this has an effect on the outcome, do some research…not only in college, but in the NFL as well.  That couple with the injuries that Utah has and I like Pitt in a squeaker, 27-24.

Another reason I like Pitt, is because on Friday morning at 8AM, Rushel Shell announces hiscollege commitment.  The last time Pitt was getting ready for a big game and received a big time commitment was before the South Florida game when Adam Bisnowaty gave the Panthers a verbal.  I see the same thing happening here, as the word everywhere is that Shell will pick Pitt over Alabama.