Pitt-Notre Dame Predictions

So here it is. Tomorrow will be the highest attended game in Heinz Field history. In a base sense this game means absolutely nothing to our bowl aspirations (outside of making it harder for the Gator Bowl to choose ND). The grander scheme of the program this is a watershed moment. Our attendance problems have been well documented and the city hasn't embraced this team in the way we would all hope. Beating Notre Dame in front of a packed house gives us an opportunity to put the fairweather and bandwagon fans on notice, Pitt is back. Tomorrow means the world for the program in an abstract sense. On to some predictions:

• Dion Lewis is going to have a monster game. ND was pushed around and outplayed by Navy's offensive line last week. I'm expecting us to give them a big dose of the running game in an effort to control the clock. A big game here could mean an All American season for Lewis. Stat Line: 30 carries 185 yards 2 TDs
• We will find out what the defense is very quickly tomorrow night. I'm of the opinion that our defense hasn't been tested by a proficient passing attack since NC State. ND has a fantastic passing attack that will hit us where our defense hasn't been successful under Wannstedt. Golden Tate is the best player we have had to defend against this season and he is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Bad tackling and missed assignments in the secondary is going to mean a touchdown. There is no margin for error against a team that can sling it the way ND does. Can the defensive line get enough pressure? Can we break up the big passes? Can we make the tackles necessary to slow this offense down? Those are the questions I think need to be answered.
• I expect Stull to get some chances to make the big play tomorrow. ND is going to stack the line and allow our wide receivers to get into single coverage. Stull needs to continue his great play in order for us to win this game and I think he will. Whatever you can say about Stull this year you can say he has made the necessary plays. More than any other player on the field this is a game that can frame Stull's legacy at Pitt.

I'm very optimistic about our chances tomorrow. ND matches up very well against us. Wannstedt needs to find a way to win this game for the fans and for the program. Shutting down Notre Dame's passing attack would answer every question I have about our team this year. The NC State loss will no longer live in the back of all of our heads if we prove our improvement tomorrow. Everybody enjoy that atmosphere and getting to play in front of the eyes of college football.

ND 24 Pitt 31

Let's Go Pitt!!!!!!!!