Final
Notre Dame-Pittsburgh Preview
Nov 10, 2009 - 7:56 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS WriterNotre Dame (6-3) at No. 12 Pittsburgh (8-1), 8:00 p.m. EDT
Notre Dame's spot in the Top 25 is gone after a surprising loss, and with that likely went its hopes of a trip to a BCS game.
Boasting its highest ranking in 20 years, Pittsburgh's chances of representing the Big East in a major bowl game are growing stronger by the week.
The eighth-ranked Panthers' final two games will determine if they're conference championship material, but they won't be looking past Saturday night's showdown with the stumbling Fighting Irish, who visit Heinz Field hoping to avoid an eighth straight loss to a top-10 opponent.
Pitt (8-1) is off to its best start since Dan Marino's senior season in 1982, which was also the last time the program was ranked in the top 10 this late in the season.
The Panthers haven't been ranked this high since being No. 7 on Oct. 24, 1989, but they also haven't really been tested. Pitt has won its five conference games by an average of 17.8 points, piling up 481 yards last Saturday in a 37-10 rout of Syracuse.
"I think we did a good job of keeping our feet on the ground, knowing the importance of this conference game putting us 5-0, coming out and not taking nothing for granted," coach Dave Wannstedt said.
Pitt visits rival West Virginia and hosts No. 5 Cincinnati in its final two games, and the contest against the Bearcats could be a de facto Big East championship and BCS elimination game.
The Fighting Irish (6-3) likely lost their chance at grabbing a BCS bid after a stunning 23-21 home loss to Navy last Saturday dropped them from the rankings. The Panthers' players, though, are hardly treating it as a tune-up.
"Everybody is excited about Notre Dame," tailback Dion Lewis said. "We've got to have a good week of practice, bring our 'A' game. ... We've got to keep coming."
Lewis has been arguably the biggest reason for the Panthers' resurgence. LeSean McCoy declared for the NFL draft after his sophomore season, leaving Pitt with a big hole in the backfield, but it hasn't missed a beat with Lewis.
The 5-foot-8 freshman is seventh nationally with 126.6 rushing yards per game and needs 190 yards to surpass McCoy's Big East freshman record of 1,328.
Notre Dame will certainly need to do a better job stopping Lewis than it did against the Midshipmen, who gained 6.1 yards per carry in racking up 348 on the ground. That, plus three Irish turnovers, allowed Navy to control the clock and overcome a career-high 452 yards passing from Jimmy Clausen.
"It's not about statistics at all," said Clausen, the nation's third-highest rated passer. "It's about production and putting points on the board and at the end of the game coming up with a win. ... It's just heartbreaking right now."
The biggest difference in Clausen this season has been his efficiency. Michael Floyd (124.8) and Golden Tate (117.7) rank third and fourth, respectively, in the nation in receiving yards per game, and Clausen has continued to find them without turning the ball over. He's thrown three interceptions in 308 attempts after throwing 17 in 440 as a sophomore.
Both Floyd and Tate had 100 yards receiving against Pitt last season in South Bend, part of a 271-yard, three-touchdown day for Clausen. That wasn't enough for a win, though, as the Panthers overcame three interceptions to win 36-33 in four overtimes.
Clausen will have his hands full Saturday against a Pitt defense that's first in the nation with 39 sacks, led by junior end Greg Romeus' 7 1/2.
Notre Dame's defense ranks 88th against the pass (237.4), and this season Bill Stull seems much more prepared.
Stull missed the game against the Irish last season with a concussion, and threw nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his other 12 contests as a junior. He was the Big East's fifth-highest rated passer (119.9).
This season, Stull is fifth nationally in pass efficiency (161.6). He's been sacked eight times after going down 25 times last season and has thrown 17 touchdowns - nine to Dorin Dickerson - and four interceptions.
Pitt has lost both games against Notre Dame at Heinz Field, falling 42-21 in the last matchup Sept. 3, 2005 - Weis' first game on the sidelines for the Irish and Wannstedt's coaching debut with his alma mater.
A week later, Notre Dame beat No. 3 Michigan for its last win over a top-10 team. Considering many critics are calling for Weis' job, he knows the Irish could use another in Pittsburgh.
"They're ready for their dog and pony show," Weis said. "They're all ready for their major celebration when Notre Dame rolls into town, and we're going to go there with the intent of spoiling it."
- NCAAF FINAL
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NOTREDAME 0 3 0 19 22
PITTSBURGH 3 7 10 7 27 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: PITTSBURGH - FG, DAN HUTCHINS 34 YD, 5:20.
PITTSBURGH 3-0
2ND QUARTER: NOTRE DAME - FG, DAVID RUFFER 42 YD, 9:20.
NOTREDAME 3-3
PITTSBURGH - TD, JONATHAN BALDWIN 36 YD PASS
FROM BILL STULL
Nov 14 11:24 PM - NCAAF
NOTREDAME 22
PITTSBURGH 27 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Nov 14 11:24 PM - 121
roots
TD NOTRE DAME GOLDEN TATE 87 YD PUNT RETURN (TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
Notre Dame 22, Pittsburgh(8) 27 4th - 7:16Nov 14 11:03 PM- NCAAF
NOTREDAME 22
PITTSBURGH 27 7:16 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Notre Dame 22, Pittsburgh(8) 27 4th - 7:16Nov 14 11:03 PM - 97
roots
TD NOTRE DAME GOLDEN TATE 18 YD PASS FROM JIMMY CLAUSEN (DAVID RUFFER KICK)
Notre Dame 16, Pittsburgh(8) 27 4th - 9:10Nov 14 10:54 PM
TD NOTRE DAME GOLDEN TATE 18 YD PASS FROM JIMMY CLAUSEN (DAVID RUFFER KICK)
Notre Dame 16, Pittsburgh(8) 27 4th - 9:10Nov 14 10:54 PM
TD NOTRE DAME GOLDEN TATE 18 YD PASS FROM JIMMY CLAUSEN (DAVID RUFFER KICK)
Notre Dame 16, Pittsburgh(8) 27 4th - 9:10Nov 14 10:54 PM- NCAAF
NOTREDAME 16
PITTSBURGH 27 9:10 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Notre Dame 16, Pittsburgh(8) 27 4th - 9:10Nov 14 10:54 PM
TD PITTSBURGH DION LEWIS 50 YD RUN (DAN HUTCHINS KICK)
Notre Dame 9, Pittsburgh(8) 27 4th - 12:44Nov 14 10:40 PM
TD PITTSBURGH DION LEWIS 50 YD RUN (DAN HUTCHINS KICK)
Notre Dame 9, Pittsburgh(8) 27 4th - 12:44Nov 14 10:40 PM- NCAAF
NOTREDAME 9
PITTSBURGH 27 12:44 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Notre Dame 9, Pittsburgh(8) 27 4th - 12:44Nov 14 10:40 PM
TD NOTRE DAME JIMMY CLAUSEN 1 YD RUN (PAT FAILED)
Notre Dame 9, Pittsburgh(8) 20 4th - 14:56Nov 14 10:34 PM- NCAAF
NOTREDAME 9
PITTSBURGH 20 14:56 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Notre Dame 9, Pittsburgh(8) 20 4th - 14:56Nov 14 10:34 PM - NCAAF
NOTREDAME 3
PITTSBURGH 20 0:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Nov 14 10:30 PM
TD PITTSBURGH RAY GRAHAM 2 YD RUN (DAN HUTCHINS KICK)
Notre Dame 3, Pittsburgh(8) 20 3rd - 6:36Nov 14 10:18 PM
TD PITTSBURGH RAY GRAHAM 2 YD RUN (DAN HUTCHINS KICK)
Notre Dame 3, Pittsburgh(8) 20 3rd - 6:36Nov 14 10:18 PM- NCAAF
NOTREDAME 3
PITTSBURGH 20 6:36 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Notre Dame 3, Pittsburgh(8) 20 3rd - 6:36Nov 14 10:18 PM - NCAAF
NOTREDAME 3
PITTSBURGH 13 9:15 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Notre Dame 3, Pittsburgh(8) 13 3rd - 9:15Nov 14 10:10 PM - NCAAF
NOTREDAME 3
PITTSBURGH 10 0:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 14 9:32 PM
TD PITTSBURGH JONATHAN BALDWIN 36 YD PASS FROM BILL STULL (DAN HUTCHINS KICK)
Notre Dame 3, Pittsburgh(8) 10 2nd - 2:31Nov 14 9:21 PM
TD PITTSBURGH JONATHAN BALDWIN 36 YD PASS FROM BILL STULL (DAN HUTCHINS KICK)
Notre Dame 3, Pittsburgh(8) 10 2nd - 2:31Nov 14 9:21 PM
TD PITTSBURGH JONATHAN BALDWIN 36 YD PASS FROM BILL STULL (DAN HUTCHINS KICK)
Notre Dame 3, Pittsburgh(8) 10 2nd - 2:31Nov 14 9:21 PM- NCAAF
NOTREDAME 3
PITTSBURGH 10 2:31 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Notre Dame 3, Pittsburgh(8) 10 2nd - 2:31Nov 14 9:21 PM - NCAAF
NOTREDAME 3
PITTSBURGH 3 5:40 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Notre Dame 3, Pittsburgh(8) 3 2nd - 5:40Nov 14 9:11 PM - NCAAF
NOTREDAME 0
PITTSBURGH 3 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Nov 14 8:47 PM - NCAAF
NOTREDAME 0
PITTSBURGH 3 9:40 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Notre Dame 0, Pittsburgh(8) 3 1st - 9:40Nov 14 8:23 PM
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