#H2P... PITT IS IT! - A Pitt Panthers Dynasty (NCAA 14)

[studbucket]

The 2 great comebacks in that game by Pitt. Kirk had some great moments, but also made life harder for the whole team in the first half. That pick 6 was bad, but he also missed 2 wide open receivers in the first quarter (throwing it to a more covered guy) that could have resulted in points. He's so exciting, but will probably need to play a bit more disciplined if Pitt faces another great defense.

[Careless Whisper]

Echoing what studbucket said on Kirk - definitely some self-inflicted wounds to make the game closer than it could have been, but it was a monster performance from him and Ceno nonetheless. Feel like it's been a while since you've had such an offensive-heavy, topsy-turvy battle like that, but that's certainly a massive win for Pitt to complete the unbeaten regular season and go into that ACC title game showdown with Clemson with momentum!

Side note: I know that onside kicks are sometimes a crapshoot, but that was such an impressive grab by Onyango to catch that on a full sprint without it pinballing back to Miami.

[moose141]

Quote: Originally Posted by frappuccino

your photography makes me jealous

Thank you! That's one thing that I love about CFB Revamped is I feel like the colors really pop on screen.

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

The 2 great comebacks in that game by Pitt. Kirk had some great moments, but also made life harder for the whole team in the first half. That pick 6 was bad, but he also missed 2 wide open receivers in the first quarter (throwing it to a more covered guy) that could have resulted in points. He's so exciting, but will probably need to play a bit more disciplined if Pitt faces another great defense.

Absolutely agree. He's got a bit of the gunslinger mentality like Brett Favre in him, definitely takes some serious chances which more often than not (this season, at least) have paid off. Gonna have to clean it up and play smarter against a ridiculous Clemson defense in a couple weeks.

Quote: Originally Posted by Careless Whisper

Echoing what studbucket said on Kirk - definitely some self-inflicted wounds to make the game closer than it could have been, but it was a monster performance from him and Ceno nonetheless. Feel like it's been a while since you've had such an offensive-heavy, topsy-turvy battle like that, but that's certainly a massive win for Pitt to complete the unbeaten regular season and go into that ACC title game showdown with Clemson with momentum! Side note: I know that onside kicks are sometimes a crapshoot, but that was such an impressive grab by Onyango to catch that on a full sprint without it pinballing back to Miami.

Absolutely, having the variety of game like that has been making this season feel so fresh and play really well! We go from some games where we blow out lesser opposition like Coastal and GT, tight defensive contests like Tennessee and the way the UNC game played, and then these last two matchups against Syracuse and Miami that have been offensive affairs with both teams trading blows back and forth and us lucky to come out on top.

The Clemson game is going to be a spectacle, both teams playing their absolute best football right now offensively, we just need to see if we can find a way for our defense to cope as we've really been struggling overall since Vector went down with the season ending injury.

Thanks for the comments, all!

[moose141]

Around the NCAA: Week 14
Report by Matt Schmidlin | November 28, 2022



Clemson Earns Carolina Supremacy

#5 Clemson gained a massive resume booster with a 41-24 win against hated rival #8 South Carolina. The loss likely eliminates the Gamecocks from playoff contention, unless they can somehow rout unbeaten LSU in the SEC title game and get help elsewhere. Will Alford threw for 204 yards and 3 scores in the win but again dealt with some injury woes, so the Tigers coasted on a big lead with Kurt Lyles at the helm in most of the second half. Andrew Hunter ran for 182 yards for the Tigers, who will look to ride that momentum into the ACC championship game against Pitt.

21 Savage? 52 Savage

Taylor Savage and #6 Oklahoma let the entire college football world that they're not relinquishing their national title without a fight, as the Sooners blasted rival Oklahoma State, thumping the #11 Cowboys, 52-26, in Bedlam to seal a berth in the Big XII title game. Savage accounted for 7 touchdowns (5 passing, 2 rushing) while racking up 469 total yards. WR Austin Hall added 10 grabs for 145 yards and three scores in the Sooner victory.

He Won't Be There for You

Alabama QB Matt Perry struggled all day, completing just 9-of-28 passes for 136 yards and a pick as #4 Alabama fell in the Iron Bowl to #18 Auburn, 23-21. Perry has been the weak link for the Tide for the past two seasons, following in the footsteps of national title winning transfer D'Eriq King. Dareion Williams Jr. was largely held in check in the loss, running for 87 yards and a touchdown while possibly squandering an opportunity for one final Heisman sealing performance. The Tide loss will take them out of contention of sneaking into the playoff should a few top teams fall in conference championship week.

Notable Matchups in Week Fifteen

Army (5-6) @ Navy (2-9)
South Alabama (8-3) @ #12 Louisiana (10-1)
#10 Cincinnati (10-1) @ UCF (6-5) -- College Gameday Game of the Week

[moose141]

Around the NCAA: Week 15
Report by Matt Schmidlin | December 4, 2022



Reece Routs UCF; Have Bearcats Done Enough?

#10 Cincinnati's season seemed over following a loss to Tulane, 38-35. However, the Bearcats finished things on a high note, shellacking UCF away from home, 45-23, to wrap up the American Conference title. Star QB Acey Reese led the way for Cincinnati, passing for 248 yards and a trio of touchdowns while adding 64 yards and a pair of scores on the ground. With an 11-1 record and largely all blowouts on their resume, can the Bearcats hope conference chaos falls their way to sneak back into the playoff picture?

Sun Belt Showdown

#12 Lousiana's drubbing of South Alabama, 47-27, clinched the Sun Belt crown for the Rajun' Cajuns, and potentially a bid into the NY6 depending on the results on conference championship week.

Don't Forget About Me



While the Pitt Panthers had the week to rest up after finishing their regular season in Miami, QB CJ Kirk was collecting accolades for the second straight week, as he was awarded ACC Offensive Player of the Week following Week 14, his second consecutive week receiving the honor. Kirk finished with a career high 455 yards passing and 481 yards of total offense, while racking up 7 total touchdowns in Pitt's dramatic win over the Hurricanes. This was Kirk's third time winning the award this season and fourth time in his college career.

Up Next: Conference Championship Week Preview

[moose141]

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[moose141]

Conference Championship Week Preview
Report by Matt Schmidlin | December 9, 2022

With everything still to play for, let's take a look at the eight games that will determine conference bragging rights and set the playoff field.


ACC Championship Game -- Charlotte, NC
#3 Clemson 11-1 (8-0)
#2 Pitt 12-0 (8-0)



Big Ten Championship Game -- Indianapolis, IN
#21 Nebraska 9-3 (6-3)
#4 Penn State 11-1 (8-1)



Big XII Championship Game -- Dallas, TX
Houston 8-4 (5-3)
#5 Oklahoma 11-1 (7-1)



Conference USA Championship Game -- San Antonio, TX
Western Kentucky 10-2 (6-2)
UT-San Antonio 8-4 (7-1)



MAC Championship Game -- Detroit, MI
Buffalo 10-2 (8-0)
#6 Ball State 12-0 (8-0)



Mountain West Championship Game -- Boise, ID
Fresno State 6-6 (5-3)
Boise State 7-5 (6-2)



PAC-12 Championship Game -- Las Vegas, NV
UCLA 8-4 (6-3)
#7 Washington 11-1 (8-1)



SEC Championship Game -- Atlanta, GA
#11 South Carolina 10-2 (8-0)
#1 LSU 12-0 (8-0)



Conference Championships Already Determined:
American - #10 Cincinnati (11-1, 7-1), Sun Belt - #12 Louisiana 11-1 (8-1)

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Check out this past week's #PANTHERNATION recap show where we discussed and previewed all eight conference title matchups in the back half of the episode.

[moose141]

Playoffs!? Playoffs???
Report by Matt Schmidlin | December 9, 2022



How will CC Week Impact the CFP?

With a number of teams in the mix for the 4-team (for how much longer?) College Football Playoff, let's take standing of who's who entering this dramatic final week before bowl season.

Who's In: LSU

The Tigers are 12-0, have dominated every opponent on their schedule and haven't won a game by LESS than two touchdowns so far this season. Even if every one loss team won in conference championship week, the strength of record of LSU would likely get them in unless they lose by triple figures to South Carolina.

Probably In: Pitt

When you're 12-0 entering conference championship week, you have to feel fairly safe in the playoff field. However, a hefty dosage of one loss schools in play this weekend means the Panthers can't punch their ticket to the playoff field just yet. Wins by Clemson, OU, PSU, and Washington would certainly make things a little dicey, with then 5 1-loss P5 teams in the mix for 3 spots. However, Pitt would have the best loss of the bunch if they hang tough with a Top-5 Clemson squad, and unless they falter by a bajillion you have to think Panthers fan can probably start looking into some travel arrangements.

Win and They're In: Oklahoma, Clemson

The Sooners are the defending national champs, they have just a single one point blemish on the schedule, and otherwise have completed a murderer's row of blowouts similar to the likes of LSU. If the Sooners are 12-0 they're likely the undisputed title favorites and #1 seed. As it stands, they'll need to fend off a frisky Houston squad that features a talented backfield in order to secure their spot in the field.

If Clemson beats Pitt, they're in. No ifs, and, or buts about it. The Tigers would finally have a marquee victory with the win over #2 Pitt, and their single loss is to a talented Top-20 Oklahoma State squad that just missed the Big XII title game. If Clemson loses, maybe they're in the conversation but their resume likely requires them to win to be a no doubter.

Might Need Some Help: Penn State, Washington

Penn State theoretically should be a win and you're in team, but if Clemson stuns the Panthers and rest of the weekend goes chalk, then the Nittany Lions may need some help from the committee. While running off an impressive string of wins, PSU just hasn't appeared as dominant across the board as some of the other contenders, though they do boast a Heisman contender at quarterback. If Pitt knocks off the Tigers though and PSU wins, they should be a lock.

Washington's strength of record is really what holds them back. With a weak non-conference schedule and a down year for the Pac-12 in the national rankings, the Huskies won't really have any big wins on the resume, more just wins than anything else. Losses in the top 5 will be what the Huskies need alongside a win over a smoking hot UCLA squad.

Not a Snowball's Chance... Maybe: Ball State, Cincinnati, South Carolina

"They ain't played nobody, PAWLLLL!" Ball State and Cincinnati are likely in the same boat here. Should the Cardinals beat a solid Buffalo squad, they're going to be sitting at 13-0, but I don't think the committee would give them any sniff of the field. Their average opponent record is something like 4-8. Cincinnati would've had a significant chance to be in the field with how dominant they have looked all season, but a late loss to Tulane in heartbreaking fashion likely cooks the Bearcats unless every one loss team falters this weekend, and even then it probably isn't enough.

The most intriguing team here is South Carolina. The Gamecocks have been very impressive this season, and if they can knock off the NCAA's most dominant team in convincing fashion, and get a LOT of help from other teams on the outside (Houston, Nebraska, UCLA), maybe they have a case.

Sound Off: Who do you think wins this weekend and stamps their ticket to the 'Final Four'?