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Saturday, 28 August 2010 02:27

Written by Paul Zeise

Well come to find out -- and by the way you can keep sending me predictions at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and I'll add them into this post (the beauty of the cyber world is we can update it whenever we'd like) we can all keep an revisit at the end of the season -- there are plenty of extremely optimistic Pitt fans out there. Of course, there are plenty of negative cynical yinzer types - like me - who pick them only to go 9-3 and a few guys who even went to 8-4. So, here we go, let the fun begin:

And here is another question I’d like your opinions on so e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and I’ll post your answers next week before the opener. This is a question I have posed to a number of people, including Chris Peak and the answer is not as black and white as you would think so here it goes…..

"What would you rather see from Pitt (in other words, what would you consider is a better season) – A 9-3 record with a Big East championship and losses to Utah, Notre Dame and Miami or an 11-1 record with the only loss coming to, say, Cincinnati and thus the Panthers don’t win the Big East.”

As for the predictions…..

Paul Zeise from the Redshirt Diaries - "I'll settle in on 9-3. The team has a lot to be excited about but just enough questions and a tough enough schedule that they will stub their toes a few times."

Thomas Cumpson is apparently the smartest of all... ..."I feel you are right on the money at 8-4, 9-3. The offensive line and QB are huge question marks and we have yet to prove that there is not at least on loss to a team that we should have beaten see, Ohio, NC State, Bowling Green."

Jamil Scalise has the Panthers at 11-1 with the lone loss coming against Miami. "I EXPECT the Panthers to go 11-1 this season. Lofty expectations, but I think attainable for a highly
talented team in the weakest BCS conference. I'm not saying anything more than one loss would be a disappointment, but if Pitt loses two or more it will probably be because they got beat by someone inferior."

Mark Maier of Pittsburgh is apparently another negative yinzer media type. He says 9-3. "Wanny is good to lose one that he shouldn't every year. And with that schedule, I could see them losing another two. Losses to Miami, ND and UConn."

Eric SteinHauser believes it is Big East title or bust - 10-2 - "I'm predicting a 10-2, Big East Championship season for the Panthers with losses coming against Utah and UConn."

Dan Lamorte from Simpsonville S.C. -- 10-2

Michael Bencs from Phoeniz, Arizona is another guy in the 10-2 camp and says the Panthers will be Big East champs. "I feel very strongly that this team will finish up 10-2 with a very difficult non-conference schedule, probably toughest in the entire conference.  This team should finally pull it all together and win the Big East and play in a BCS Bowl game for the first time since the Utah debacle."

Andrew Ramey, must be a negative yinzer media type as well -- he says 9-3 and adds this caveat "Despite weaknesses in the interior of the O-line and a new starting QB, anything less than 9 regular season wins for this team is unacceptable."

Bill Lang from Pittsburgh must be another negative cynical yinzer media type because, well “I predict the same as you 9-3.”

Dave Olson says 10-2. “I am feeling pretty (quietly) excited about this team and its capability.”

Todd DeWees predicts 9-3. “I predict a perfect season at home with losses at Utah, Notre Dame and one of the last three away games.”

Ed Diesel from Houston says 10-2 with “one conference loss, one out of conference loss and a Big East championship.”

Joe Shahda from Houston, Texas says Pitt is looking at 9-3 or 8-4 because of concerns about the offensive line. “I think after a few weeks, barring serious injuries(especially at OL or QB), we could jell a bit up front and be ok but I agree with 9-3 or 8-4. Joe Moore always said, “If ya cant block the SOB’s, ya can’t beat em”

John Voinski from New York City says 12-0 baby!!!! “See you in Glendale in early January.
Last time they beat a ranked team on the road in the opening game - 1976. National Championship and Heisman Trophy winner. Expect the same this year.”

James Haeck predicts 10-2

Blaise Novotny of Ebensburg says 9-3 or 8-4. “Too tough a road schedule…CInncy will still be strong, UCONN will be tough, ND will be better, Obviously UTAH and MIAMI will give them trouble, and don’t count out WVU. IF they split those three games that give them three losses, my only hope is the three they win are the big east games, to give them a BCS game.”

James Black agrees with my prediction – 9-3/8-4 – but said I focused too much on the negatives when I wrote about it. But, James, that is the point going into every season – you have the known and in this case the known is the defense, tailback, receiver, fullback and specialists. Those are the reasons this team is going to be very good – and anyone who follows the team understands that. What we’re trying to do is look at the questions facing the team as well as the strength of schedule and figure out what that likely translates into in terms of losses. And in this case, like I’ve wrote, the questions about the offensive line, a new quarterback and the schedule strength, looks to me like it will add up to roughly three losses.


Gerald Helon predicts 9-3. “I see this team going 9-3 - losing to Miami, ND and one other team yet to be determined. After 20 years of unmet expectations, as a Pitt fan I'm trying to temper my enthusiasm so as not be disappointed. But with that said, Pitt could go 11-1 or just as easy go 7-5.”

John Crawford has been swayed by the negative yinzer media!!! He says 9-3. “I was thinking 10-2, until I started reading Chris Peak's and your training camp reports about the offensive line.  So now I'm thinking 9-3, just like the last two seasons.”

Dr. Tom Richards says the Utah game is huge – a win and it is 11-1 but a loss and it is 8-4. “Pitt could drop both of those, if so 8-4 is the season record. However I think that the Utah game is very important for this team's mindset. IF they knock of Utah in 5000 feet above sea level Salt Lake City in a hostile environment, then this young team is going to feed off of that win right into the meat of their schedule. Winning begets more winning. A win at Utah 11-1 and a Big East Championship.”

Steve Byrne says 10-2 but knows how to get them to 12-0 “I have them going either 9-3 or 10-2. Let's call it 10-2 to lump me closer to the deranged reactionaries. Oh, and they'd go 13-0 if only they'd wear the Script Pitt!”

Drew Nedzinski predicts 10-2 and offers another bold prediction. “Dion Lewis finishes third in the Heisman trophy voting”

Michael Rose agrees with me (I know, I know what is HE thinking!!) “I do not understand all of the negative reaction to your predictions as  I agree with 8-4 to 9-3. I am very concerned about the O-Line for 2 of  positions, and any injuries to Pinkston, Nix, or Jacobson, could turn  this season into 5-6 losses. There also seems to be no depth at LB position(the below average recruiting at these 2 positions keeps this team from reaching the top 10 level).”

Brian Jackson from Chesapeake, Ohio calls it at 10-2 “At the contest we do every year at work, I went with 10-2, with the losses coming at Utah and at South Florida. I think if Sunseri, Karabin, and Gaskins are not overwhelmed, it will be a very good season.”

Joseph Barr from Pittsboro, North Carolina says 9-3 but doesn’t stop there. “9-3 and a Big East Championship, a BCS win to go 10-3, and a top 10-15 recruiting class!”

Len Sweeney from West View predicts 10-2. “I see PITT winning 2 of it's first 3 games(they will drop 1 to EITHER Utah or Miami) - I think they have enough talent to run the table in the Big East, BUT they will lose 1 game in the Big East. They will finish 10-2 and get a BCS bid.”

Bob Podomnik from Jefferson Hills, Pa. predicts 10-2 with losses to Connecticut and Utah. Bill Cherpak would be proud….

Maher Hoque (Class of 2002) predicts 10-2 with a caveat…”I'm going to go with 10-2 (6-1 conf), which should be good enough for the Big East title. I think if the team beats Utah, we're looking at that prediction. If the team loses to Utah, it's more likely to be 8-4 (5-2 conf) and a second place Big East finish. So obviously, I'm calling/HOPING for a win against Utah.”

Craig Johnston is officially going to have his fan card revoked, he says the Panthers will be 8-4.

Tom Oleniacz from Pittsburgh says 10-2. “Wanny's teams have consistently won more games each of the past few years however he also has consistently shown going conservative and blowing leads late in games. He will do so again two more times this year. Pitt turns in a terrific year but falls short yet again ot one that could have been really special.”

Bobby Conroy from Pittsburgh, yeah, you guessed it - another negative media yinzer type who says 9-3. "I am very concerned about the offensive line and a first year qb.  Seems like a bad combination."

Dave Yochum from Maryland - 11-1 or 10-2 IF they beat Utah. If not, 8-4.

Kwame - 11-1 with the lone loss Notre Dame. (Just wondering - you weren't once the first pick in the NBA draft were you?)

John Demko from South Carolina believes the Utah game is huge. "If Pitt wins the Utah game they will go 11-1 in the regular season, win the Big East, and win their BCS bowl game for an overall record of 12-1.  If they lose the Utah game, they will go 8-4 during the regular season, not win the Big East, and then win their so-so bowl game for an overall 9-4 record.  I believe the Utah game will be a good indicator of how good or mediocre this team will be."

Gary Sutor from Cleveland, Ohio says 9-3 "I have our panthers at 9-3 defense will be sound. The "O" the line is a concern especially if there are any injuries. I think the team is just a year away from that special season."

Jim Gianoutsos from Humble, Texas says Pitt's winning them all -  "My take on this team is this - they are good enough to beat everybody on their schedule and I believe they will actually do it! They will be 12-0 going into the BCS game."

And this guy must be a long-time Pitt fan......
"The practice of looking at a schedule and declaring “this game is a win, that game is a loss…” is futile.  Has everyone been living in cave?  Pitt loses games they should win and wins games they should lose  (S. Florida, UConn, Bowling Green, Ohio, etc…).  Predicting this team is crazy…"
--- Thomas Dipasquale, Pittsburgh

Comments (4)

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written by t2pyah, August 28, 2010 - 06:21 AM

'only to go 9-3' ...
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9-3 might be a disappointment, but 9 wins is very respectable. Ask anyone the has coached or played the game - the list of coaches and players that never achieved 9 wins is a mile long.
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written by jlawrence, August 29, 2010 - 11:12 AM

9 to 10 win season.
Defense leads the way this year. The rest depends on how many mistakes Sunseri makes. Concerns about the interior OL are offset by Cignetti's ability to call a good game and Hynoski's blocking.

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written by chaiwarrior, August 30, 2010 - 12:31 PM

I'm pretty confident that a 10-2 season is what is in store for us. One random loss and a loss to either Utah or Miami, but not both. I do not see ND beating Pitt, and that coming from someone who follows the Irish as well. Really, you guys should check out the NBC preview of that game, http://irish.nbcsports.com/201....html.php. They are actually calling for a repeat of the 2005 opener. what a joke.

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written by chaiwarrior, August 30, 2010 - 12:37 PM

Son of a...sorry about the link. Just subtract the last period in the address and it works.

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