PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Clemson had as many losses in September this year as they’ve had in any season since 2014. The Tigers looking up at Wake Forest and NC State in the Atlantic Division.
That doesn’t change what Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said of the Tigers.
“They are the best,” Narduzzi said Monday. “They are still the gauge in the ACC, period. They are the best.”
In the last decade, Clemson lost eight of 78 conference games. This season, 3-1 with the lone loss in double overtime to the 18th ranked Wolfpack. Top ranked Georgia also beat the Tigers 10-3.
Narduzzi says Clemson is the best, but Pitt is favored Saturday by three and a half points.
“I don’t care about favors and points and spreads and all the rest of it,” Narduzzi said. “In my opinion they are favored coming into our house. We haven’t had success in the last two outings. I don’t know who makes those decisions.”
“I don’t know what they look at. I just know they are a really good football team. We are going to have to play our best to have a chance to win.”
Those last two meetings were blowouts. Clemson up 31-0 at the end of the first quarter last year to win 52-17. Kenny Pickett passed for eight yards, total, in a 42-10 loss in the ACC Championship game in 2018.
“What has happened in the past has happened in the past,” Narduzzi said. “We are a different team than we were a year ago. They are a different football team than they were a year ago.”
Narduzzi pointed out the Tigers aren’t the same without Heisman Trophy winner Trevor Lawrence. It’s been a transition to a new quarterback. Pickett isn’t the same as the QB that threw for eight yards either, now it’s the Panthers QB who is a Heisman candidate.
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Panthers Calijah Kancey said they had unfinished business with the Tigers after allowing 581 yards total offense last season.
“Whatever they want to use for motivation doesn’t matter,” Narduzzi said. “We got to go out and execute this week in practice. We got to know what they are doing. We got to play football.”
“They got a lot of great football players, a lot of superstars. A lot of four and five star players. We are going to have to match up. It’s an opportunity for our guys to go play against the best. They are the best. They are still the gauge in the ACC, period.”
“They are the best.”
They were the best in 2016, Pitt found a way to win on the road. Can the Panthers duplicate that outcome in Clemson’s first trip to Heinz Field?