Just how big is the Pitt game next Saturday?

#1
NEWDAYVOL

NEWDAYVOL

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#1
I think it's huge. Sets the entire tone for the season. Puts the nation on notice. We probably trade places with Pitt and get in top 20. Makes the Florida game bigger 2 weeks later. We win next week we could easily be 4-0 going to LSU. Then, not to look too far ahead, but you get by LSU and you're 5-0 (ranked 8-12) playing likely #1 Alabama at home.

If we want to make significant strides this season, I think winning @ Pitt will go a long way towards that. The next one is always the most important but this game is a HUGE HUGE HUGE tone setter.
 
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#5
#5
It seems like a game that could decide the trajectory of the season. I don't expect us to beat Alabama or Georgia, but beating Pitt says we're solidly in that second tier and should be able to win every other game. That's a 10 win regular season, and the kind of season that allows you to truly compete head to head against Alabama and Georgia for 5 star players.
 
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#6
#6
NEWDAYVOL said:
I think it's huge. Sets the entire tone for the season. Puts the nation on notice. We probably trade places with Pitt and get in top 20. Makes the Florida game bigger 2 weeks later. We win next week we could easily be 4-0 going to LSU. Then, not to look too far ahead, but you get by LSU and you're 5-0 (ranked 8-12) playing likely #1 Alabama at home.

If we want to make significant strides this season, I think winning @ Pitt will go a long way towards that. The next one is always the most important but this game is a HUGE HUGE HUGE tone setter.
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It is the next game and therefore the most important game of the season. I think new win this one.
 
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#7
#7
NEWDAYVOL said:
I think it's huge. Sets the entire tone for the season. Puts the nation on notice. We probably trade places with Pitt and get in top 20. Makes the Florida game bigger 2 weeks later. We win next week we could easily be 4-0 going to LSU. Then, not to look too far ahead, but you get by LSU and you're 5-0 (ranked 8-12) playing likely #1 Alabama at home.

If we want to make significant strides this season, I think winning @ Pitt will go a long way towards that. The next one is always the most important but this game is a HUGE HUGE HUGE tone setter.
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All the hype you are typing after your first 4 word opening sentence is just being hopeful. I hope you are right, but I watched the Pitt game some while we were going through the motions. After the end of our practice, I watch them finish. I came away with a lot of respect for the way they get after the QB, their "D" is pretty good. Their O line ant too bad either. Their QB is much better than I expected. What I am saying is "we better be a whole lot better in both lines than I saw last night. AND the same old problem in the defensive back side is still there. Over the middle was wide open for Ball St. most all night long. From what I saw the Pitt game will be everything you expect. Hope we are more than we showed last night.
 
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#8
#8
The Pitt game is absolutely huge! Pitt is gonna test our oline, their going to make one of the receivers not named Tillman to step up and be that guy on the other side of Cedric. Another thing to look for, is how Hendon plays when he is hurried and what our offense does to adjust to all the blitzes and pressure that Pitt will throw at us.
We’re going to see how this team handles adversity for the first time this season, I fully expect pitts defense to take us by surprise the first couple series just on their front 7 and the ability of those guys to get to the qb.
They probably have the best front 7 we will face this year outside of Alabama, and up their with the likes of Georgia.
That’s all just on the offensive side to guys, the defense is going to have to step up and show that they have improved if we are going to take steps forward from last year. If and I say if, Tennessees defense can contain pitts qb and keep him in the pocket and force him to make quick throws, that will take a lot of pressure off our dbs and those guys. That’s our biggest question mark right now to me, how good is our dbs?
Honestly I don’t know the question to that but I expect us to make our front 7 to step up and take the pressure of those guys, they’re gonna have to or it’s going to lead to pitts big plays down the field and the all to familiar opposing qb scrambling and looking like Lamar Jackson against us..
Next week is huge!!! It’s definitely one of the most important games of the season imo bc like op stated, it will set up the Florida game, we beat the gators it sets up the next game and so on.. but we gotta show up in Pittsburg and take care of those guys and show the nation that we are coming back, and that you can’t keep the sleeping giant that is Tennessee football down !!!
.. I say all this and watch, we get beat lol I would be so let down.
 
#10
#10
TN has to beat Pitt to show it’s turning the program around, imo. Our defense concerns me though as we continue to give receivers a five yard cushion.

Hopefully we can get the Dub!
 
#12
#12
I don't think it's huge as some are promoting. I will promote it as being an important game. If we lose to Pitt you're then looking at a 4 or 5 loss season rather than the 2 or 3 loss season many predict. 4 or 5 losses will not demonstrate improvement but a performance ceiling. Heupel has to find a way to break through that to be the long term answer at UT imo.
 
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#14
#14
NEWDAYVOL said:
I think it's huge. Sets the entire tone for the season. Puts the nation on notice. We probably trade places with Pitt and get in top 20. Makes the Florida game bigger 2 weeks later. We win next week we could easily be 4-0 going to LSU. Then, not to look too far ahead, but you get by LSU and you're 5-0 (ranked 8-12) playing likely #1 Alabama at home.

If we want to make significant strides this season, I think winning @ Pitt will go a long way towards that. The next one is always the most important but this game is a HUGE HUGE HUGE tone setter.
Click to expand...

You’ve touched on a point I made to my wife the other day…this schedule sets up better for UT than it has in decades. The big game early is the Pitt game, but it’s very winnable.

In years past, the schedule has been so front loaded and it was a shock to the system. Tennessee was never allowed to build up to hitting its stride. This year, as you said, they have some milder challenges early with Florida not being that great and Pitt looking a step below what they were last year.

So this team can gradually build momentum. Beat Pitt, then use Akron as a warmup. Should beat a mediocre Florida team that could already have a couple of losses and could be reeling. Then you’re 4-0 with an off week to prepare for LSU. They’re a bit of an unknown, but no one is predicting that they’ll be a top 25 team, so Tennessee could very well go down there very confident and get to 5-0.

Then you’re 5-0 heading into Bama at Neyland. You’re confident. You have momentum. You know you played toe to toe with them for 3 quarters last year before your depth gave out…and you’re better with more depth this year.

So much of college football is psychological. The schedule is so important in that realm. If UT can take advantage of the way the first half of the schedule sets up, it could be a very special season.
 
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#16
#16
its huge but don't sleep on the fact that PItt is good... they are also ranked where we are not. They are (somewhat) expected to win... so if we can pull it out, we'll be getting some attention. If we don't... we can't implode on ourselves...still alot of football to play this year
 
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#17
#17
dcibrando said:
its huge but don't sleep on the fact that PItt is good... they are also ranked where we are not. They are (somewhat) expected to win... so if we can pull it out, we'll be getting some attention. If we don't... we can't implode on ourselves...still alot of football to play this year
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Well expect the fanbase to implode if we do lose because alot of them are thinking we should go 10-2 or 9-3 this season. My prediction is 8-4 or 7-5 the expectations are ridiculously too high this year.
 
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#19
#19
RDU VOL#14 said:
Next weekend is big. It’s 3:30 on ABC, National Televised network game, we can make a statement with this one.

I want to kick Narduzzi’s ass. I’m tired of his schtick.
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Me too but he’s a very solid coach and I think underrated one. Heupel will have to bring his A plus coaching game next Saturday if we are to win.
 
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#20
#20
sunnyvol79 said:
Well expect the fanbase to implode if we do lose because alot of them are thinking we should go 10-2 or 9-3 this season. My prediction is 8-4 or 7-5 the expectations are ridiculously too high this year.
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agreed...and this is a pattern. We set higher expectations than we should... then we lose one we shouldn't... and start calling for a coaching change
let the season play out... hope for the best... but it's still football. anyone can win on any given day
 
#21
#21
dcibrando said:
agreed...and this is a pattern. We set higher expectations than we should... then we lose one we shouldn't... and start calling for a coaching change
let the season play out... hope for the best... but it's still football. anyone can win on any given day
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Absolutely we make a quick rush to judgment and get emotional and angry after a loss. You will see some fans saying Fire Heup if they lose to Florida and Pitt we are impatient and overreact. Heup needs 4 full seasons here.
 
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#22
#22
sunnyvol79 said:
Me too but he’s a very solid coach and I think underrated one. Heupel will have to bring his A plus coaching game next Saturday if we are to win.
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I think Heupel has lost his last 2 to Pitt. I’m sure they’ve had this one circled and have already been prepping for this game . Seeing some things that WVU did to them, I think we’re gonna score some points . This is Captain Obvious here, but we have to win the line of scrimmage . If we can stop the run, we’re going to win. I wholeheartedly believe that.
 
#23
#23
RDU VOL#14 said:
I think Heupel has lost his last 2 to Pitt. I’m sure they’ve had this one circled and have already been prepping for this game . Seeing some things that WVU did to them, I think we’re gonna score some points . This is Captain Obvious here, but we have to win the line of scrimmage . If we can stop the run, we’re going to win. I wholeheartedly believe that.
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both teams I think are going to score alot of points...we just need to score more
 
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#24
#24
RDU VOL#14 said:
I think Heupel has lost his last 2 to Pitt. I’m sure they’ve had this one circled and have already been prepping for this game . Seeing some things that WVU did to them, I think we’re gonna score some points . This is Captain Obvious here, but we have to win the line of scrimmage . If we can stop the run, we’re going to win. I wholeheartedly believe that.
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I hope so!! we owe them from last year.
 
#25
#25
It is not a cupcake game. So it is at least more important than this week's game.
 
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