Youngstown State at Pittsburgh Predictions

[FlyYtown]

YSU v. PIT
Saturday: September 24th
2:00 PM
Heinz Field
NO TV : Radio: 1390 WNIO, 106.1 WBBG (YSU)

YSU IS 3-0
PIT IS 0-3

YSU has played well in 3 games vs. under performing teams. This will be a big test for the Penguins to go into Heinz Field; in a rough environment; with only around 5-6,000 Penguin Fans around them.

After watching the PIT Games, all 3; I think if YSU Can score 35 points they will win. PIT's Defense is really tough but I think the Penguins will find the holes and get some big drives going.

PREDICTIONS THIS WEEK
The Crazy Critic Radio Annoucer; Dick (COACH HANGTIME) Hartzell is calling a YSU Victory by 3.

GO PENGUINS!

[Paladin1aa]

Hartzell is an idiot. I'll post a prediction later in the week after checking Pitt's two deep. They are banged up and missing several starters.

YSU should be able to play with them. Just too early until ALL THE FACTS ARE IN. :p

[Paladin1aa]

Heres most up to date info I have -- Pitt lost both starting OGs in O.U. game & they won't be back. Starting OT McGlynn (Austintown Fitch) missed some time at O.U. with leg injury. He'll be day to day. Starting SS Mike Phillips ( Warren Harding) broke his ankle at Nebraska. QB Palko has arm/hand in juries, may play , but back -up is true Frosh. Pitt starting TB will be a Frosh. Last weeks 2 deep had 4 Sophs & 5 Frosh starting/backing up on D.

Coach Manny announced Pitt is going back to ground game and they did that vs. Nebraska. Palko can't throw well ( and he's mad the pass game is diminished).

Pitt is looking shakey. Two deeps should be interesting. :D

[GoGuins]

Pitt will win by 17-20 but we have to remember Furman going in there last year and almost beating them.

[ysubigred]

YSU has trouble stoping the small bowling ball type backs. This kid could have a field day with YSU's run stoppers and Pitt's big physical "O" line.


On our board I have Pitt winning 31-17

[ChickenMan]

Pitt will win by 17-20 but we have to remember Furman going in there last year and almost beating them.

If Pitt wins by 17-20... YSU isn't nearly as improved as some fans think. Pitt is just awful right now... far worse than the Panther squad that had to go into OT vs Furman last year. If YSU is as improved as the Pen fans think... they should be very competitive and have a real shot at a win vs a Pitt team that has had major problems scoring points this year.

[Ivytalk]

Pitt is plagued by having Dave "Ex-Bear Factor" Wannstedt as its head coach.That said, I'll pick Pitt by 10 in a relatively low-scoring affair.

[Paladin1aa]

:p :p :p Pitt LAST YEAR was awful. Who are you kidding. :p :p :p

Pitt hasn't won, but are MUCH better this year. Injuries are killing them now. ( Hope !!)

Better stick to plucking feathers out of chickens,man !! :D

[ChickenMan]

Pitt hasn't won, but are MUCH better this year. Injuries are killing them now. ( Hope !!)




Right... that loss to woeful Ohio U... was a definite sign of improvement. All Pitt fans have to be thrilled that the Panthers were able to keep it close before losing in OT to a 1-2 Ohio U squad that has been out scored 83 to 14 in it's two defeats... :rolleyes:

[HensRock]

What? Did they run out of Kool-Aid in Youngstown?

All we've heard for the past 3 weeks is how great this Penguins team is. Now, when you have a real challenge you're hoping to keep it within 20 points? I don't get it.

Look, Pitt is cursed. Wannstadt will not win a game this year until he releases Joe Flacco's (now at UD) scholarship. Have heart. This one is in the bag. Pens win! It's the Joe Flacco curse!

Of course, if he releases the scholly this week, then all bets are off!

[GoGuins]

What? Did they run out of Kool-Aid in Youngstown?
All we've heard for the past 3 weeks is how great this Penguins team is. Now, when you have a real challenge you're hoping to keep it within 20 points? I don't get it.
Of course, if he releases the scholly this week, then all bets are off!

I for one am not jumping up and down yet and have not been bragging up YSU like some other fans. Yes, we are improved and are 3-0 (against DII and subpar I-AA) right now but will most likely have a loss after this Saturday and open up GFC play the following week against darkhorse Illinois St, a team that only lost by 10 to Iowa State. If YSU plays Pitt tough then beats ISU at home, then I will be more optimistic. YSU could easily be 7-1 going into their tough stretch against UNI, SIU, and WKU. What a brutal final 3 games, 2 on the road!

[ysubigred]

"IF" YSU beats Pitt and IL St. I'll be looking at a serious challenge for the 1st GFC crown and a min of a 9-2 season. Even losing to Pitt will not discourage me. Face it folks as bad as Pitt looks they are a BCS conference 1A team. I'm like you Go. I'm not looking for a playoff spot yet. YSU beat 3 teams they were supposed to period. The only thing about the win's were they came easier than I thought. I predicted YSU finishes 6-5 and I'm still sticking to it. I'll eat crow and admit I don't know Jack if they do better :D

[WYOBISONMAN]

Youngstown made my top 25!

[BlackSaturday]

I watched the OU and Nebraska games and gotta say Pitt's defense looks pretty good. However, Palko has been awful at QB. They can burn teams in one on one situations, but Palko makes poor decisions in zone coverage. The OU game was decided by TWO Palkos passes picked off and returned for TDs.

[IaaScribe]

I like Big Red's pick. Pitt by two TDs. That sounds about right.

[Paladin1aa]

Black has it correct. Two INT for TDs were all O.U. had . No O. Pitts total personnel is better this year than last. Throw out all the stats you want. We have numerous area H. S. players at Pitt. They are better, period. But the coach,?? Thats another story. I won't be surprised if Pitt wins ( had picked this as a loss pre-season). But if the Guins play with them and gets Ill.St., then I too may have to change the season predictions for them.

The key is OUR injuries. Healthy, we could be dominate ( and a year early as I expect us to clearly be dominating next year) . And from the early looks of things, other people should be careful about running their mouth. Alot of oops going on. :D

[FlyYtown]

Ok prediction time for me.
Unlike many of you I have been able to watch all of PIT'S game and I went to the Notre Dame game as well. I took tons of notes and wrote out plays I saw work and how the D set up to an offense like YSU.

To Me PIT is 0-3 but they aren't as good as last year or year's past. They are without a doubt one hell of a team in a BCS Conference; but the way they play reminds me of a MAC Team. Similar to a Marshall in 2001. YSU went down into the home of the herd and played and was in it for 3 quarters then they blew a drive with a turnover and the herd took it to the house and did again and again and won by the score of like 38-24? Something like that.

I think it will be like that again; only this YSU team is better. The offense is designed to beat out any D and its done so; so far.

If the YSU D can hold PIT TO 21 points I say YSU win's. Anymore it be to hard.

YSU: 28
PIT: 20

Go Penguins.. ROLL INTO THE TOP 15 WITH THIS WIN!

[GoGuins]

To Me PIT is 0-3 but they aren't as good as last year or year's past. They are without a doubt one hell of a team in a BCS Conference

I definitely don't consider the Big Least a BCS conference. I thought it was a joke last year that Pitt got into a BCS game. I will also be PO'd if somehow Louisville runs the table with their weak schedule and makes it to the Rose Bowl.

[FightinBluHen51]

Ok prediction time for me.
Unlike many of you I have been able to watch all of PIT'S game and I went to the Notre Dame game as well. I took tons of notes and wrote out plays I saw work and how the D set up to an offense like YSU.

To Me PIT is 0-3 but they aren't as good as last year or year's past. They are without a doubt one hell of a team in a BCS Conference; but the way they play reminds me of a MAC Team. Similar to a Marshall in 2001. YSU went down into the home of the herd and played and was in it for 3 quarters then they blew a drive with a turnover and the herd took it to the house and did again and again and won by the score of like 38-24? Something like that.

I think it will be like that again; only this YSU team is better. The offense is designed to beat out any D and its done so; so far.

If the YSU D can hold PIT TO 21 points I say YSU win's. Anymore it be to hard.

YSU: 28
PIT: 20

Go Penguins.. ROLL INTO THE TOP 15 WITH THIS WIN!



I don't even see the odds makers making the game which means that if it's even out there, it's probably a pick 'em. That's scary for Pitt. I'd say that even with YSU going into a I-A they're getting at least 4.5, probably 7 and I'd say they'll cover. Hell, Furman was covern' last year, go figure.

[Paladin1aa]

I see a game that the Penguins could be in early. Depending on turn-overs, injuries or just the bounce of the ball, anything is possible.

But I see Pitt as 14 better, Pitt has a good D, but sucks on O. YSU should stay close, but Pitt SHOULD eventually pull away. A few breaks and this one stays close for awhile. Maybe a long while.

Try Pitt 28-14.

[Chi Panther]

I don't know who has the coaching advantage in this one as neither coach is very desirable.

I'll go with pit 15 and YSU 6

[Umass74]

We're all YSU fans on that day.

Youngston 16 Pitt 14

[Hansel]

YSU 6
Pitt 2

[PMB4Life]

YSU 1, Pitt 0

Don't deny the 'guins the Wannstedt Factor, people!!!!!!!

[I-AA Fan]

I don't know who has the coaching advantage in this one as neither coach is very desirable.

I'll go with pit 15 and YSU 6

You know it is so easy to take shots at coach Heacock (and coach W for that matter). So here is a few things to remember:

W is an ex-NFL coach. Clearly the ability is there. How that applies at the collegiate level? Who knows?

I don't think anyone could have done as much with YSU as coach Heacock. The man not only had to deal with the loss of potential recruits (and a few existing players) ... but replace almost the entire coaching staff that went with Tressel. Then when taking Tressel coaches became the fashion in college ball ... YSU lost 2 of the 4 remaining coaches. Then there is the fact that potential coaching replacements went to OSU as well. Last year YSU lost 1 of the remaining two to a HC job.

He also had to deal with the fact that Tressel changed YSU's offense 2 years before he left. He wanted to show OSU that he could coach a pro-set. Remember that coach H was coach T's right hand and he could have easily became the OSU defensive coordinator. Instead, he chose to stay with YSU, so give the man some respect. Furthermore it was soley Heacock's play-calling that caused YSU to do so well the last time we played a major IA ... Marshall was ranked #18 in 2001. He knew Leftwich's and the defense's weaknesses, and exploited them. He was the DC (and assistant head coach) for Indiana, and took that lousy defense from dead-last in the big-10, to #3. That was probably the team's highest ranking in the last 20 years or more. In fact, if IU was smart, they would have canned Cameron earlier & let Heacock take the team. I believe he still holds the I-AA record for lowest points allowed in a season.

I am not the greatest fan of Heacock, but YSU is not known for merely winning games, it is known for HOW they win games. Fans expect a certain style of ball in the steel valley, including YSU ... it is the home of smashmouth. You cannot bring someone in from the outside an maintain that. He is clearly the best man for the job. He had to teach this to an entirely knew coaching staff. So again, show some respect for the position he is in. How would you like to be the coach that replaced Woody or Bo?

I am looking for YSU to have some solid drives, and stop a few ... anything else is "gravy", and in no way will this demostrate their ability against I-AA competition ... it is a money game. The potential to upset is certainly there.

[Paladin1aa]

"I" have standing, so I'll respond. Heacock was a great DC. As a HC, he is very average. Thank goodness for Coach Wright(OC) who replaced one of the long time "idiots" on the staff. If not for that,, instead of a spread O and balanced O that clearly has opened things up and utilized the talent here, we would have that Neanderthal idiot running unbalanced & wing O and still struggling.

The "other " board knows my long standing criticism of Heacock's recruiting and even more of my distaste for the now departed idiot . If not for the I-A transfers & Jucos this year, I shudder to think what we "would " have done with Heacock's H.S. recruits.

The Pitt game will be a "showcase" for Coach Wright's O and our I-A transfers & Jucos will keep us in a game that we would otherwise be blown out of with Heacock's recruiting "efforts".

This game aside, Heacock either makes play-offs this year ( none in now starting 5 years) or gets the he11 out of Dodge. That music you hear in the background is my finger playing violin of a sad song. Heard your spin before and it "cuts" no slack for an underachieving and poor recruiting HC.

Go Penguins. Heacock be damned !! :nod: :nod: :nod:

[ysubigred]

I need a new hat and I like the mean Pete look :D

[ChickenMan]

Heacock doesn't make the playoffs, the players do.

but a coach either does or doesn't put the players in a position to make the playoffs.

[Marcus Garvey]

I don't even see the odds makers making the game which means that if it's even out there, it's probably a pick 'em. That's scary for Pitt.

No, that's not scary, that's SOP for I-A/I-AA matchups. There was no line on the Arizona-NAU game. The mismatches among talent are so big, often times the sports books won't take bets on the games. If you check closer, there's no line on Vandy-Richmond, Auburn-WKU, Texas Tech-Indiana St., etc...

[ChickenMan]

The mismatches among talent are so big, often times the sports books won't take bets on the games.

Does that mean that there won't be any future lines on Temple football games... :p

[Marcus Garvey]

Does that mean that there won't be any future lines on Temple football games... :p


It ought to. The Vegas books stopped taking bets on Temple-Arizona St. when they suspended those starters a couple of weeks ago!

[Paladin1aa]

Sports Network prediction --- Pitt 21-14.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[FlyYtown]

Wow. Paladin that shows how LOW Pitt is or how GOOD YSU is.

I would say its a bit of each; but thats great.

I will stick to say if the Tribe can hold them to 21 or less YSU wins.!

GO PENGUINS

[Paladin1aa]

Wanny is going ape !! MORE INJURIES. The PK may be OUT. A FB, another TB, and several DL are hurt and may not play.

Palko is the key. He reportedly is favoring his throwing hand/arm and rumors that Frosh QB Stull may see action are out.

Pitt is DEFINITELY not healthy going into the game. :eek:

[Paladin1aa]

The PK is definitely out,per Coach Manny. Undergoes the knife tomorrow and will miss 2 weeks. The back- up PK is Abdul, he of the car wreck fame and a, em, er,...........................drinking problem.

RB Jennings is out with a shoulder injury. We will see 2 true Frosh RBs. One FB is hurt & will not play. Several on the OL & DL are day to day and several of the back-ups are RFR and true Frosh.

Pitt is NOT healthy.

[Tribe4SF]

The PK is definitely out,per Coach Manny. Undergoes the knife tomorrow and will miss 2 weeks. The back- up PK is Abdul, he of the car wreck fame and a, em, er,...........................drinking problem.

RB Jennings is out with a shoulder injury. We will see 2 true Frosh RBs. One FB is hurt & will not play. Several on the OL & DL are day to day and several of the back-ups are RFR and true Frosh.

Pitt is NOT healthy.

No excuse for a YSU loss now! ;)