Pitt/Rutgers

[Z²+]

Figured this would pop up later tonight, so I started it now to give Pitt the early advantage ;)

Basicaly, a "pick 'em" game, which considering the recent Pitt domination of the series (6 in a row, 8 of 9, and 19 of 22) speaks volumes about Pitt's horrendous start under Coach Dave and, and also to the strong core of senior skill players on the Scarlet Knights.

I think it should, at the very least, be a very entertaining and competitive game. If either team wins by more than 7 points, I'd be highly surprised. I am less than impressed with Rutgers collapse vs. Illinios and victories over two "opponents" in Villanova and Buffalo; I am equally unimpressed with 3 early Pitt losses and a "victory" over Youngstown State. With the Louisville loss, I'm sure both coaches have their players fired up to take a step towards the top of the Big East tonight.

Tyler Palko continues his domination of the Rutgers secondary, the Panther defense continues it's strong play and shuts down the Knights offense, and Rutgers K "The Judge" Ito misses 2 of 3 field goal attempts, as the Panthers squeak by in a close one, 20-17.

[ISiddiqui]

Suck vs. Suck More.... 'Suck More' is yet to be decided ;).

[st.cronin]

Both teams undefeated in conference play at this point. Both still in the running for a BCS spot...

[General Mike]

bump for kickoff

[timmynausea]

You guys think Gandolfini is there?

[General Mike]

he might be.

Run Ray Run.

[General Mike]

TD Rutgers~!

[cthomer5000]

so far, so good.

BTW, this loss is devestating for either team and their coaches, IMHO.

[st.cronin]

Yikes

That was a bad playcall by the defense - there was ONE guy on that side of the field versus like 6 blockers.

[General Mike]

w00t fumble recovery :)

[cthomer5000]

woot! fumble recovery by Rutgers.

[st.cronin]

btw

I lived in New Rochelle, NY briefly as a child. Rutgers has a bunch of recruits from there.

[General Mike]

what are they doing with Underwood?

[timmynausea]

This is awesome.

[st.cronin]

Early signs point to Rutgers kicking the snot out of Coach Dave's Panthers.

[cthomer5000]

what are they doing with Underwood?
Dunno, but I like it. Nice to see some aggressive coaching for a change.

[General Mike]

btw

I lived in New Rochelle, NY briefly as a child. Rutgers has a bunch of recruits from there.

Yeah, the starting tailback, the starting safety, and the guy who forced the fumble.

[timmynausea]

How many Pitt recruits are thinking about backing out of their commitments right now?

[cthomer5000]

death to the fade at all levels of football.

[cthomer5000]

10-0 Rutgers.

[cthomer5000]

I love this sight:

http://lovetohate.us/jokes/wanny.jpg

[cthomer5000]

TO THE HOUSE!!!! 17-0 RUTGERS!

[General Mike]

Go Windmill Willie!

[st.cronin]

Man ... Pitt looks really sad. The difference in effort on the two sides is just unreal.

[timmynausea]

What happened? I left the room for a minute and Rutgers scored again? I did catch some kind of hilarious celebration.

[cthomer5000]

What happened? I left the room for a minute and Rutgers scored again? I did catch some kind of hilarious celebration.
big punt return TD

[General Mike]

Pitt's OLine looks awful.

[timmynausea]

The announcers are talking like Pitt has no talent whatsoever... I don't get it. I realize they are playing awful, but some of the blame has to go to the coach.

[cthomer5000]

Walt Harris is laughing his balls off right now.

[st.cronin]

The announcers are talking like Pitt has no talent whatsoever... I don't get it. I realize they are playing awful, but some of the blame has to go to the coach.

Only "some"?

[General Mike]

The announcers are talking like Pitt has no talent whatsoever... I don't get it. I realize they are playing awful, but some of the blame has to go to the coach.

I agree with that, but it's not like Walt Harris didn't lose to a team that's transitioning to 1-AA and only has 33 scholarship players.

Personally, I think Wanny is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. He's never had a QB as good as Palko, and doesn't know what to do with him.

[General Mike]

Walt Harris is laughing his balls off right now.

The same Walt Harris who got beat by a transitional 1-AA team? Or the Redskins DB?

[timmynausea]

Only "some"?

Well, as an announcer you don't want to come out and blame it on the coach entirely, I guess. I blame it on him entirely. This is pathetic.

[cthomer5000]

20-0.

[st.cronin]

Let's not forget that Rutgers was up big against Illinois too. I think Palko's good enough to make this interesting ... but his team needs to realize they're in a GAME.

[henry296]

The missed face mask call was a critical turning point.

That being said, Wannstadt has no idea how to use his talent. Just awful.

[General Mike]

Let's not forget that Rutgers was up big against Illinois too. I think Palko's good enough to make this interesting ... but his team needs to realize they're in a GAME.

True

[cthomer5000]

nice bullshit call. might as well just put flags on QBs and let them play by completel different rules.

[timmynausea]

What the hell? He was clearly still in bounds.

[General Mike]

What the hell? He was clearly still in bounds.

I guess it makes up for the no call on the facemask, which I didn't see.

[timmynausea]

Does a Rutgers win tonight propel them to a winning season?
Here's the remaining schedule:
West Virginia
@Syracuse
@UConn
Navy
South Florida
@Louisville
Cincinnati

[General Mike]

Does a Rutgers win tonight propel them to a winning season?
Here's the remaining schedule:
West Virginia
@Syracuse
@UConn
Navy
South Florida
@Louisville
Cincinnati

If we win tonight, I could see at least 3 more wins.

Bynes doesn't look good on the sidelines. I hope it's not a season ending injury.

[General Mike]

From Bruce Feldman's blog:

Wow. Pittsburgh actually has a player who felt he was snubbed by Rutgers in the recruiting process. Snubbed. Rutgers. Snubbed. Wow. Godspeed, Brian Bennett.

"They told me if they wanted me it was at fullback, not linebacker," Bennett told the Post-Gazette. "I was like, forget that. I just didn't think they showed me the respect I felt I deserved as a linebacker. I just wanted a chance, but, when they told me I was too small, I remember thinking, 'Are you kidding me?' That's just one of those things that I take the field against them [with], and I feel like I have something more to prove. I feel like it is my chance to show them I can play linebacker at this level."

[Young Drachma]

I think it would be outstanding if Rutgers could end their bowl drought this year. I don't see it. But it'd be great.

[Young Drachma]

You think Rutgers should have like, some sort of New Jersey symbol on their unis?

[General Mike]

Throw the flag for the late hit refs.

[General Mike]

Congrats to Ryan Hart on another broken record.

[MikeVick7]

Is there anything worse than the Friday Night Debate? It's so painful.

Here you take this side even though you don't necessarily believe in it and I guess I'll take this side.

[General Mike]

You think Rutgers should have like, some sort of New Jersey symbol on their unis?

Nah.

[Buccaneer]

It's hilarious that some would watch this game instead of Red Sox/Yankees.

Go BoSox.

[cthomer5000]

It's hilarious that some would watch this game instead of Red Sox/Yankees.

Go BoSox.
Go fuck yourself.

[General Mike]

Brian Leonard~!

[cthomer5000]

TD Brian Leonard, 27-0 Rutgers.

[st.cronin]

That stadium sounds REALLY loud.

[sabotai]

It's hilarious that some would watch this game instead of Red Sox/Yankees.
Baseball.......*YAWN*

[Young Drachma]

It's called flipping back and forth. And it's not that crazy when you consider that football - even between these two teams - is more exciting than baseball.

And I love baseball. But seriously. Besides, not everyday that Rutgers is on TV.

[MikeVick7]

And it's not that crazy when you consider that football - even between these two teams - is more exciting than baseball.
Dark Cloud wrapped it up right there.

[timmynausea]

It's hilarious that someone would watch baseball instead of football.

[st.cronin]

Yankees/Sox is more over-exposed than Paris Hilton. I'm a Sox fan, but I am sick sick sick of watching/reading about that rivalry.

[General Mike]

not again.

[Buccaneer]

Besides, not everyday that Rutgers is on TV.
And we should be eternally grateful they are not (same goes for Pitt). :p

[cthomer5000]

Ummmmm, guys...?

[st.cronin]

looks like we may finally have a game

[timmynausea]

Less Hart. More Leonard.

[cthomer5000]

Less Hart. More Leonard.
they need to stop running that draw as well.

[General Mike]

W00t fumble recovery!

[timmynausea]

I knew that'd happen sooner or later. Palko never secures the ball til the last minute.

[General Mike]

TD Rutgers! Finally Moses finds the Promised Land.

[cthomer5000]

Well, that should be enough. But I'm not getting too revved up until the clock hits 0.

[General Mike]

Well, that should be enough. But I'm not getting too revved up until the clock hits 0.

Same here.

[cthomer5000]

FG by Ito makes it 37-21, 10 minutes to go

[sabotai]

Interference? He never touched him!

[timmynausea]

Oh my god.

[st.cronin]

Boy Hart is really shaky.

[sabotai]

Even though I really want Rutgers to win this game, I don't think I'll be able to control my laughter if they lose.

[st.cronin]

Dola - that 3rd and 18 pass was insane, and the pass before it was hopeless. I think they should stick his ass on the bench.

[cthomer5000]

I'll take no enjoyment from a win at this point.

[General Mike]

time to slit my wrists

[st.cronin]

Does either team have a running game at this point?

[st.cronin]

I don't know if I've ever seen THAT particular play before ... the fake punt Hail Mary.

[timmynausea]

If only Walt Harris had recruited a punter that could throw. Gee whiz, the deck is really stacked against Dave.

[miami_fan]

I don't know if I've ever seen THAT particular play before ... the fake punt Hail Mary.

That's great coaching! :rolleyes:

[sabotai]

LEONARD!

[cthomer5000]

yay.

[timmynausea]

Great win for Rutgers. When was the last time they were 3-1?

[Young Drachma]

Great win for Rutgers. When was the last time they were 3-1?

Probably back in D 1-AA

[cthomer5000]

Great win for Rutgers. When was the last time they were 3-1?
2003

[General Mike]

Great win for Rutgers. When was the last time they were 3-1?

2003. And with that said, this game reminds me alot of our game vs Pitt from 2003. They jumped out to a big halftime lead behind a huge game from Larry Fitzgerald, and then we had a good 2nd half to close the scoring gap.

Beggers can't be choosers, so I'll take the win, and enjoy it.

Does either team have a running game at this point?

Rutgers had 43 carries for 202 yards (including sacks). Not great, but it's the best rushing game by Rutgers in 10 years.

[ISiddiqui]

LOLOLOL!!

Pitt sucks so bad. I'm thinking Wanny never gets a head coaching gig EVER again ;).

[Ragone]

So any odds on dave lasting the year before being fired? :)

[Easy Mac]

dave wannstedt may be the worst coach man has ever known.

[ISiddiqui]

dave wannstedt may be the worst coach man has ever known.I think suckage this bad transcends mankind, don't you?