Notre Dame vs. Pitt - IT Staff Predictions

Liam Gaudet
3 days ago
8 min read

Notre Dame and Pitt are set to square off tomorrow at Noon in a College Football Gameday affair with both teams' playoff hopes hanging in the balance. Despite that, Pat Narduzzi's Panthers could lose by 100 and he won't bat an eye, apparently. Narduzzi's disdain for the Irish is well-documented over the years and is once again at the center of attention in a game that draws national spectacle. Let's dive into our staff predictions!

Photo via Pitt Athletics

Brenden Duffy - Editor/Sports Writer: 35-20 Notre Dame

While Pitt and HC Pat Narduzzi may not publicly care about this week’s result, Notre Dame and HC Marcus Freeman certainly do. I expect the Irish to take Narduzzi’s condescending attitude and comments personally and come out looking for a physical fight.

Offensively, the Irish may want to lean on the pass early against a Pitt defense that has been stout against the run. The Panthers’ secondary has been overall iffy, though, and CJ Carr should take advantage. The only DB I wouldn't test often is freshman CB Shawn Lee Jr., who has locked down everyone he’s faced this season. Look for Will Pauling to have a big game and find the endzone one week after having his five-game touchdown streak snapped against Navy.

The matchup to watch, and potentially the key to winning, will be Notre Dame’s rush attack against Pitt’s top-3 run defense. Kyle Louis and Braylan Lovelace are among the top run-stopping LBs in the country. The Panthers have allowed over 100 yards on the ground three times this season, but they have held opponents to under 50 yards four times. Considering the Irish have not gone under 100 rush yards since week one, it is hard to imagine that happening this week. A dominant Jeremiyah Love performance would certainly turn some Heisman voters’ heads, but if Pitt can contain Love, I think Jadarian Price will be able to deliver in this scenario.

Since handing the offensive keys to freshman QB Mason Heintschel following back-to-back losses, Pitt is 5-0 and back in the thick of a heated ACC battle. A pass-heavy offense, the Panthers feature two 500-plus yard receivers with Kenny Johnson and Poppi Williams. Johnson is the more dangerous of the duo, but has not been matched up with a CB like Leonard Moore this year. Pitt also expects to get RB Desmond Reid back from injury, an underrated addition to the pass game as the senior is regarded as one of the better pass-catching RBs in the country. As they have since the loss against Texas A&M, I expect the Notre Dame secondary to come up with some clutch plays thanks to Christian Gray, Luke Talich, or Tae Johnson that limit Pitt’s passing attack.

Pitt’s running game has really failed to impress this season, and that should not change against Notre Dame’s top-15 rush defense. Reid coming back is nice, but he has not exactly looked like what he was promised to be this pre-season. I think the Panthers’ inability to run the ball will definitely play a factor this week, potentially easing the game plan for Freeman and DC Chris Ash.

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Clayton Stohler - Podcaster: 42-20 Notre Dame

Pat Narduzzi stated this week that his team could lose by 100 points, and it wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things. That if the game doesn't have ACC impact, it's not of interest to him as it relates to the playoff picture.

The disdain that Narduzzi holds for Notre Dame has been well documented and dates back to his days as a defensive coordinator for Michigan State. For all we know, his hatred for Notre Dame stemmed even before that.

Regardless, it's a known fact that Coach Narduzzi doesn't like the opponent his Pitt Panthers will be tasked with playing this Saturday. He's accused ND of tampering with Kenny Pickett, and alluded to the tired argument that ND should join a conference to lend itself to legitimacy.

If you ever thought this was a trap game, it certainly isn't one now. Besides, Pitt is a quality opponent, and a phenomenal test for an Irish team that has been in elimination mode since it lost a heartbreaker vs A&M.

Pitt is expected to load the box on defense, much like every team has done aside from USC. They're going to force CJ Carr to beat them through the air. There will be a lot of pressure on Pitt's secondary to mitigate the potential big plays produced by Faison, Pauling, Fields, KK Smith, and Eli Raridon. And ultimately, this will prove to be too much to ask.

Yes, Pitt has a 4th down defense that has given up only 1 conversion out of the 10 times their opponents have attempted to go for it on 4th down.

Yes, Mason Heintschel is a freshman phenom who has his pick of the litter to throw to. Kenny Johnson, Raphael Williams, and Cataurus Hicks are all weapons. And make no mistake, they will be targeting Christian Gray, who's coming off a 2-game stretch in which he didn't play at all.

And that's why this is going to be a big game for Gray and Smith. Because, as we know, no one is throwing in Leonard Moore's direction with any consistency.

Pressure will be on the LB's of ND. There's a lot to account for. Ja'kyrian Turner and Desmond Reid are better than their stats indicate. The film tells a story of an RB room finding itself, and they may very well have their moments on Saturday.

The reality is, Pittsburgh is a good team. It was never an opponent that was to be taken lightly. It's a game Notre Dame can very well lose if it doesn't bring the level of play it's capable of bringing.

The entire country seems to be circling this game as one where ND is very much on upset alert. In an odd move, the ACC Football Twitter account has even gone out of its way to throw shade at Notre Dame, basically saying Miami should be ranked higher than the Irish. With Notre Dame's current ranking, there are a lot of eyes watching them, desperately hoping they lose. The calls to "join a conference" by fanbases and coaches alike have grown louder than normal- and that's saying something.

This isn't just a normal noon game. This isn't your typical sleepy Pittsburgh opponent. This is a playoff rehearsal. Notre Dame has one last chance to make a statement to the broader national audience. And on this day, the statement will read a final score indicative of a team that isn't focused on winning a conference, but a team that is focused on winning it all.

Liam Farrell - Editor/Senior Sports Writer: 35-17 Notre Dame

This game is made out to be a battle between Notre Dame's dynamic rushing attack versus Pittsburgh's ability to stop the run; however, the true battle that will determine the outcome of this game will be Notre Dame's front seven attacking an injured Pittsburgh offensive line.

While Mason Heintschel has dazzled in his first five games of college football, the freshman has shown the ability to try and fit passes into tight windows. The opportunistic Notre Dame secondary, led by Leonard Moore and Tae Johnson, will put themselves in a great position to force multiple turnovers.

In the end, CJ Carr will have to be the deciding factor in this game as Pat Narduzzi will likely load the box against Mike Denbrock's offense. This game will be close in the first half, but an explosive play to start the third quarter will ease Notre Dame fans' nerves as the Irish will pass their last ranked regular-season test and leave Pittsburgh with an eight-game win streak.

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Max Uretsky - Sports Writer/Recruiting Analyst: 34-24 Notre Dame

I do think this is a Pittsburgh Panthers team that is capable of giving the Irish a scare, but ultimately isn't able to match ND's offensive output enough to pull off the upset.

Pittsburgh's front on defense is undersized but versatile and very aggressive against the run. They do a good job rallying to the ball, and this may be a spot where, if Notre Dame can pick up 4 yards a carry, it would be a major win and go a long way to securing the victory. CJ Carr to Malachi Fields is a connection I expect to see hook up on multiple occasions, as the secondary for Pitt has been shaky and has struggled with bigger body WRs.

Notre Dame's secondary also has a big test ahead of it, as Pitt's freshman QB Mason Heintschel has elevated their passing game in a big way since taking over earlier in the season. Christian Gray is back for the Irish after a two-game hiatus and will need to knock off the rust quickly to help limit yardage through the air. The Panthers' O-line is suspect at best, and after missing the Navy game as a late scratch, Boubacar Traore could be in line for a big game. The front 7 for the Irish should be able to win the battle up front and put enough pressure on Heintschel to force some errors that prove too costly to overcome.

Noah Wehby - Sports Writer: 35-20 Notre Dame

This Saturday, Notre Dame will face Pitt in what should be their last real test of the season. This is a big game for the Irish, as it is their last time to prove to the committee that they belong in the CFP.

This game should have a lot of intrigue with College Gameday in town, and both teams are on an impressive winning streak. Pitt's winning streak has been mainly fueled by its stifling run defense that ranks among the best in the country. For Notre Dame, this could spell trouble for an offense that largely depends on its strong rushing attack. Luckily for the Irish, there may not be a single defense, outside of maybe Ohio State, that can completely slow down Love and Price. Although they might not have dominant games, Love and Price will still find their way to positively impact this game and provide for another productive offensive performance.

Defensively, the Notre Dame secondary will be tested against Pitt. The Panthers' passing attack is not just an efficient one; it is also very explosive. Leonard Moore and company will have to be able to slow down this part of the game and make this game one-dimensional. Pitt will find some success in the passing game, but their turnover-prone offense will eventually slip up and give the Irish the break they need.

These turnovers will be what allows Notre Dame to build the lead it needs to pull away in this game. Pitt is definitely capable of giving Notre Dame a good half or so, but Notre Dame's talent on both sides of the ball will overwhelm Pitt over the length of the entire game.

Bruce Straughan - Recruiting Insider/Sports Writer: 45-10 Notre Dame

The last two games between Notre Dame and Pitt have been blowouts in Notre Dame's favor. Before those, it's generally close games in the rivalry. Notre Dame is coming off a 7-game win streak. I think the Irish continue their blowout streak on the Panthers.

Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi came out with a weird statement this past week, calling the game "not a must-win". When questioned on that, he elaborated in saying, "I was trying to take the pressure off the team. I don't like pressure."

Factoring all that in, Pitt isn't exactly successful in these types of hyped-up games coming from their side, especially when Notre Dame has been quiet and focusing on just the game.

I think Notre Dame's high-powered offense led by CJ Carr, with a defense that has been very efficient in shutting down opposing offenses, will be too much for the Panthers to handle, and Notre Dame wins in a big way.

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