09 September, 2017
For the first time since 1999, the Penn State-Pitt rivalry is returning Saturday to Beaver Stadium.
Nittany Lions receivers were instrumental in the running game, getting key blocks downfield that helped spring both Saquon Barkley's dazzling runs off the edge and some of the quick, short passes that help keep defenses from focusing exclusively on the offense's trademark deep ball.
While Pitt still looks like a distant runner-up to the likes of Clemson, Louisville, Florida State and Miami in the ACC this season, Penn State is now ranked fourth in the nation by the AP Poll, and has serious College Football Playoff aspirations.
However, the two teams have gone in different directions since that meeting. But the Panthers' Alex Kessman missed field-goal attempts of 28 and 38 yards, and Tyler Davis of Penn State was wide on a 39-yard attempt, his first miss of a field goal that was not blocked.
Narduzzi and the Pitt football program announced Sunday night it would lock out the media from talking to the team's players ahead of the second matchup in the four-game series against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
WIN predicts that the Nittany Lions' national tournament scoring based on the individual rankings would be 118 points, 6 1/2 points more than the runner-up. "It's an in-state rivalry, at least for us, and we're going to prepare for it that way".
"We feel like we have really three starters with Grant and Christian and Amani", Penn State coach James Franklin said. Its place within the Pittsburgh sports landscape is another part which has suffered in recent years. It also served as a spring board of sorts for Penn State.
After the hype the duo received this offseason, who else could be at the helm of this rout other than redshirt junior quarterback Trace McSorley and junior running back Saquon Barkley?
The two combined for five of the team's seven touchdowns on the day.
"[Pressing high] isn't something we've done in the past, and we tried to throw them off a little bit by what we tried to do", Dambach said.
"Probably the biggest area you can see is just in their confidence as a unit", McSorley said of his blockers.
Despite his many achievements and busy schedule in college, McSorley makes time to stay in touch with his high school coach and former Briar Woods teammates, many of whom he has known since they played youth football together.
The Lions counter with Saquon Barkley (246 all-purpose yards last week, two touchdown runs) and Trace McSorley (280 passing yards, two TD throws).
"I think it left kind of a bitter taste in everyone's mouth, but you know, last year is last year", senior safety Troy Apke said. I'd anticipate him continuing to carry the ball.
"I'm sure they'll have some new packages we haven't seen because half their backups and third team were in in the second half".
The USC transfer was efficient in the win over Youngstown State, going 17-24 for 140 yards and one touchdown and no interceptions. "I'm very comfortable with that", he said, "and we'll continue to do it". The duo picked up 143 yards with two touchdowns on 35 carries in the win over the Penguins last weekend. Finally, this is not the same defense that the Panthers faced a season ago, and the Penn State linebackers in particular will be eager to show that. The triple-threat also managed to put up 77 rushing yards on nine carries last weekend. Their objective on Saturday will be to make Pitt All-American kick returner Quadree Henderson a non-factor.
"Quadree Henderson, in my opinion, is the issue in the game", Franklin said.
