Pittsburgh @ Syracuse preview
Carrier Dome
Last Meeting ( Dec 3, 2011 ) Syracuse 20, Pittsburgh 33
Open dates can have opposite effects: They can provide a break for a struggling or banged-up team, or they can slow momentum. Pittsburgh hopes the latter isn’t the case - and if history is any indication, it shouldn’t be - Friday when the Panthers head to Syracuse seeking an eighth straight victory over the Orange. The Panthers, led by first-year coach Paul Chryst, are on a roll, having set a school record with 1,163 yards in two wins leading up to their break. Syracuse, meanwhile, is a team that needed a week off to straighten out some issues after its worst performance of the season. In the most recent meeting, Pittsburgh forced six turnovers in a 33-20 win over the Orange at Heinz Field last season. This will likely be the final Big East meeting for the schools, who are both headed to the ACC in 2013.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Pittsburgh -2.5
ABOUT PITTSBURGH (2-2, 0-1 Big East): The Panthers, who raised some eyebrows with a convincing upset over then-No. 13 Virginia Tech two weeks ago, are ranked 29th in total offense (486.8 yards per game). Senior quarterback Tino Sunseri (1,144 yards, eight touchdowns, two interceptions) passed for 344 yards and two touchdowns and the Panthers rolled up 626 yards in a 55-10 rout of FCS foe Gardner-Webb prior to their week off. Sunseri shares a backfield with talented senior running back Ray Graham (90.5 yards per game) and also throws to two of the best receivers in the conference in Mike Shanahan (21 catches, 368 yards, three touchdowns) and Devin Street (18 catches, 273 yards, two touchdowns). Defensively, the Panthers are ranked 27th in the nation (324.0 yards per game), but are allowing opponents to convert more than 47 percent of third downs (99th out of 120 teams).
ABOUT SYRACUSE (1-3, 0-0): The Orange stumbled into its week off after committing four turnovers in a 17-10 loss to Minnesota - their eight loss in nine games. Syracuse’s normally potent offense was held to 350 yards, more than 100 below its season average. Senior Ryan Nassib, who is sixth in the nation in passing (341.8 yards per game), threw for 228 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Syracuse's struggles have stemmed from the fact that it has been careless with the ball, turning it over 10 times in four games. The Orange is also one of the most penalized teams in the nation (8.75 per game -114th).
EXTRA POINTS
1. Sunseri has averaged 16.9 yards per completion over the last two games with a 69.5 completion percentage (37-of-54) in that span.
2. Syracuse has lost eight straight to FBS opponents. The Orange’s last win came against West Virginia last October.
3. Pittsburgh leads the all-time series, which began in 1916, 34-30-3.
PREDICTION: Pittsburgh 31, Syracuse 23