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|
 Pittsburgh
Panthers
Sep.
15. 12 Noon.
East Lansing, MI.
2007 Record: 4-6
TV: espn
2007
Schedule
| 9/1 |
E
MICHIGAN |
W,
27-3
|
| 9/8 |
GRAMBLING
ST |
W,
34-10
|
| 9/15 |
at
Mich State |
L,
13-17
|
| 9/22 |
UCONN |
L,
14-34
|
| 10/29 |
at
Virginia |
L,
14-44
|
| 10/10 |
NAVY |
L,
45-48
2ot
|
| 10/20 |
CINCY |
W.
24-17
|
| 10/27 |
at
Louisville |
L,
17-24
|
| 11/3 |
SYRACUSE |
W,
20-17
|
| 11/17 |
at
Rutgers |
L,
16-20
|
| 11/24 |
S
FLORIDA |
-
|
| 12/1 |
at
W Virginia |
-
|
2006
Results (6-6
overall)
| 9/2 |
VIRGINIA |
W,
38-13
|
| 9/8 |
at
Cincy |
W,
33-15
|
| 9/16 |
MSU |
L,
20-38
|
| 9/23 |
CITADEL |
W,
51-6
|
| 9/30 |
TOLEDO |
W,
45-3
|
| 10/7 |
at
Syracuse* |
W,
21-11
|
| 10/13 |
at
C FLORIDA* |
W,
52-7
|
| 10/21 |
RUTGERS* |
L,
10-20
|
| 11/4 |
at
S Florida* |
L,
12-22
|
| 11/11 |
at
UConn* |
L,
45-46
|
| 11/16 |
W.
VIRGINIA* |
L,
27-45
|
| 11/25 |
LOUISVILLE* |
L,
24-48
|
HOME
GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
* Big Least Conference Game
ALL TIMES EASTERN |
2005
Results (5-6
overall)
| 9/3 |
N.
DAME |
L,
21-42
|
| 9/9 |
at
Ohio |
L,
10-16 ot
|
| 9/17 |
at
Nebraska |
L,
6-7
|
| 9/24 |
YOUNGSTN
ST |
W,
41-0
|
| 9/30 |
at
Rutgers* |
L,
29-37
|
| 10/8 |
CINCY* |
W,
38-20
|
| 10/15 |
S.
FLORIDA* |
W,
31-17
|
| 10/22 |
SYRACUSE* |
W,
34-17
|
| 11/3 |
at
Louisville* |
L,
20-42
|
| 11/12 |
UCONN* |
W,
24-0
|
| 11/24 |
at
W. Virginia* |
L,
13-45
|
HOME
GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
* Big Least Conference Game
ALL TIMES EASTERN |
back
to top
Strengths/Weaknesses
OFFENSE:
8 returning starters
DEFENSE: 6 returning starters
Rating
Scale
(5 = strong, 1 = weak)
|
POSITION
|
RATING
|
|
OL
|
3
|
|
WR/TE
|
4
|
|
QB
|
2
|
|
RB
|
4
|
|
DL
|
3
|
|
LB
|
2
|
|
DB
|
2
|
|
K/P
|
3/3
|
|
K/P
RET
|
3
|
|
COACH
|
1
|
back
to top
History
vs. Pitt
MSU
leads, 5-0-1 (1.000)
|
Year
|
W/L/T
|
MSU
|
-
|
Opp
|
H/A
|
|
1945
|
W
|
12
|
Pitt
|
7
|
A
|
|
1950
|
W
|
19
|
Pitt
|
0
|
A
|
|
1951
|
W
|
53
|
Pitt
|
26
|
H
|
|
1958
|
W
|
22
|
Pitt
|
8
|
H
|
|
1960
|
T
|
7
|
Pitt
|
7
|
A
|
|
2006
|
W
|
38
|
Pitt
|
20
|
A
|
back
to top
|
 The
Skinny on the Panthers 2007:
Phil
Steele: 56th nation/5th Big Least
Sporting News: 55th nation/5th Big Least
Schedule Strength: 59th
Coach: Dave Wannstedt (3rd year, 11-12)
Series: MSU leads, 5-0-1, and our shitty team embarassingly
kicked their arse in Pittsburgh last year.
Website: www.pittsburghpanthers.com
Pitt Sucks...: OK. First: firedavewannstedt.com.
Also, here is a great writeup of how Pitt
fans changed the words of their fightsong to be anti-JoePa, and how
the athletic department CHANGED the fightsong to stop the banter. But
you want to really see why Wannstedt sucks? Read this pathetic
prose about his inability to get ANYTHING done to take his alma mater
up a notch; the best part is "Wannstedt on Wannstedt" talking
about his pathetic mustache. Makes the ES shudder.
Best Player: WR Derek Kinder - the ES saw the Pitt v
Va game last year when Kinder completely torched the Cavs on a pair of
nice long throws and poor defensive breakdowns. But, he has the speed
and the hands to do damage.
Best 2006 win: Probably the 52-7 victory at UCF, when
the Panthers figured at 6-1 they'd be cruising into a major-league bowl.
Then came Rutgers and the wheels fell off. Still, winning by 45 on the
road after getting hammered by a shitty MSU team was impressive.
Worst 2006 loss: The 38-20 home butt-kicking to Michigan
State. How goddam embarrassing is that, losing at home by 18 (it wasn't
that close) to a team, led by a cowboy clown, that didn't win 5 games?
2007 season clincher: The schedule sets up nicely as it did a
year ago, with Pitt possibly winning five or more of its first seven games.
But, the last five are brutal, with the toughest games on the road. The
key game will be the Oct 20 game vs Cincinnati, which they need to put
themselves in position for a winning year.
2007 biggest pitfall: I just don't see this Pitt team
winning at Louisville in late October. No way.
2007 biggest creampuff(s): Grambling State. God I hope
the shadows of Eddie Robinson leap up and nip that loser Wannstedt in
the butt.
Biggest weakness(es): Pitt's biggest problem this year
will be with the LBs, DBs, and the QB. Pitt has little experience in past
the defensive line. The backers are all new, and the backfield lost their
All-American (Revis), who MSU torched last year. On offense, that Pelko
joker has been replaced by Mr. Noname, Pat "I'm just like Brian Hoyer"
Bostick.
Biggest strength(s): What Bostick has going for him is
a very competent wideout corps with one of the best in the land in Kinder.
Helping Bostick will be tailback Stephens-Howling (who was ineffective
against a porous MSU line last year) and wideouts Kinder (57 rec, 847
yds) and Turner (44 rec, 660 yds).
Road Trip to Pittsburgh: Best food - Primanti
Brothers is a tradition and a MUST if you are in Pittsburgh. Best
place to get a french fries sandwich when you are wasted after MSU kicks
some Panther ass. Best bar - Uncle
Bill's Lowrie Street Inn at 1535 Lowrie St. It rocks on a Saturday
night, is an old hole in the wall drinking hole on the Northside of Pittsburgh.
 Chance
to win: Rating scale -
Same chance
to win this year as last year: a 3 out of 5. Both teams are in the transition
mode, but, GOD DO I HATE WANNSTEDT. He has that shit-eating grin that
makes him look like the White man's Bobby Williams. Can you say... in-com-pe-tent?
For once, MSU has coaching in its favor. Don't be surprised if it takes
a DW fiasco late in the game to lead MSU to victory... but I don't expect
it.
This
game has all the makings of an MSU let down and implosion. But, the more
the ES looks at it, the more the ES likes our chances. Here's why: Home
field advantage. Ok, more importantly, the defense of Pitt will be strong
along the front line, but should wear down after a persistent and continued
MSU ground game. You can expect that out of the Doctor's new offensive
scheme for the Green and White. Also, our OL will be better than the one
which manhandled Pitt a year ago. Further, Pitt's defense can be taken
advantage of with crossing routes to the young but talented Spartan receiving
corps, and hurling them the deep ball to lengthen the field and allow
Ringer and Caulcrick to do their dirty work. The ES expects 200+ yards
rushing against Pitt just like a year ago to roll over the Wannstedts.
But,
more importantly, the ES thinks MSU's defense matches up well. Last year,
MSU actually put pressure on Pelko as the game wore on, and was able to
put the Pitt ground game to a surprisingly early halt. If anything, MSU's
defense will be better across the board, and especially in the secondary,
forcing Pitt to run. The aggressive style of MSU's LB coprs should be
able to contain the run and put pressure on their young QB. This is where
the level of talent, and more importantly, the level of play favors the
Spartans.
Finally,
if it comes to kicking, MSU is draws even with Pitt. The Spartans' All-American
Brett Swenson swings his 5-iron for high accuracy a year ago. Similarly,
Pitt's Connor Lee was also accurate. Both teams bring in new punters,
although Pitt's Dave Brytus has a better leg. But who cares about punters.
That's sissy talk.
If
MSU lost, the ES wouldn't be shocked. However, this has the makings of
a solid MSU win -- much as MSU dominated Pitt in the steel city a year
ago. It will be close by halftime, but MSU should pull away in the second
half with better coaching, desperation, and cursing from the stands. Make
it MSU winning away, 27-17.
back
to top
2007
Statistics
| MSU |
OFFENSE |
PITT |
| 302 |
Points |
381 |
| 25.2 |
Points/Game |
31.8 |
| |
|
|
| 4281 |
Total
Yards |
4467 |
| 356.8 |
Total
Yards/Game |
372.2 |
| |
|
|
| 1550 |
Rush
Yards |
1476 |
| 129.2 |
Rush
Yds/Game |
123.0 |
| 387-4.0 |
Attempts
- Avg. |
380-3.9 |
| |
|
|
| 2731 |
Pass
Yards |
2991 |
| 227.6 |
Pass
Yds/Game |
249.2 |
| 417-248-13 |
Att-Comp-Int |
332-228-9 |
| 59.5% |
Comp
% |
68.7% |
| |
|
|
| -1 |
Turnover
Ratio |
+4 |
| |
|
|
| 81-672 |
Penalties
- Yds |
68-527 |
| |
|
|
| 221 |
1st
Downs |
215 |
| 18.4 |
1st
D/Game |
17.9 |
| |
|
|
| 73-173 |
3rd
Down Conv. |
58-143 |
| 42% |
3rd
Down % |
41% |
| |
|
|
| 15-19 |
FG
- FGA |
12-14 |
| MSU |
DEFENSE |
PITT |
| 341 |
Points |
274 |
| 28.4 |
Points/Game |
22.8 |
| |
|
|
| 4365 |
Total
Yards |
4357 |
| 363.8 |
Total
Yards/Game |
363.1 |
| |
|
|
| 1594 |
Rush
Yards |
2175 |
| 132.8 |
Rush
Yds/Game |
181.2 |
| 416-3.8 |
Attempts
- Avg. |
477-4.6 |
| |
|
|
| 2771 |
Pass
Yards |
2182 |
| 363.8 |
Pass
Yds/Game |
181.8 |
| 355-206-8 |
Att-Comp-Int |
341-215-11 |
| 58.0% |
Comp
% |
63.0% |
| |
|
|
| 56-451 |
Penalties
- Yds |
70-586 |
| |
|
|
| 224 |
1st
Downs |
223 |
| 18.7 |
1st
Downs/Game |
18.6 |
| |
|
|
| 58-160 |
3rd
Down Conv. |
73-177 |
| 36.3% |
3rd
Down % |
41% |
| |
|
|
| 14-20 |
FG
- FGA |
11-14 |
Score
by Quarters
| Team |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
OT |
Total |
| Pitt |
114 |
99 |
90 |
64 |
14 |
381 |
| Opp |
40 |
77 |
72 |
70 |
15 |
274 |
| MSU |
66 |
57 |
68 |
111 |
0 |
302 |
| Opp |
54 |
133 |
92 |
62 |
0 |
341 |
|
