Pittsburgh Panthers vs Louisville Cardinals

Pittsburgh vs. Louisville

Tonight, in about an hour and a half (as I begin this blog), there will be a Big East matchup between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Louisville Cardinals. And you know, if you actually DID put a panther in a cage against a cardinal…well, talk about bite-sized snacks….

And this matchup could possibly go this route…or can it? Let’s look at these two teams and see who has the advantage.

Pittsburgh comes in this game after a 9-4 record last year, living big time off a strong running game, but missing key components of that team from last year. The Panthers suffered a humiliating loss to Bowling Green at the beginning of the season, losing 27-17. They then went on a 5 game winning streak, beating teams like Buffalo, Iowa, South Florida and Navy before losing big to Rugters.

Pittsburgh won their next two games over Notre Dame and Louisville before losing on the road to Cincinnati, then finished the season beating West Virginia and Connecticut before losing 3-0 in a bowl game to Oregon State…

(ONLY 3 points in the game…what’s up with that?)

The Panthers come in after losing a road game to NC State, but is still 3-1, which isn’t so bad. Beating Buffalo and Navy again shows that this team is still in the mix for the Big East, but losing on the road is how they lost 2 regular season games, and the bowl game. You gotta win on the road if you wanna be a champion.

But what has happened to Louisville? Was it not just a few years ago when they were the darlings of the Division I? Did they lose ALL their swagger the same year when Michael Bush broke his leg early that season a couple of years ago? They haven’t been the same since.

Last year the Cardinals finished only 5-7, which was a mystery when this was one of the highest scoring teams in the nation a couple of years ago. You’d have called me a liar the way they started last year, losing to Kentucky 27-2. But they rallied by beating Tennessee Tech 51-10, then beating Kansas State before losing to Connecticut. Four home games in a row and splitting them 2-2.

Things looked pretty good when they won the next two games, beating Memphis 35-28 and then Middle Tennessee 42-23...but one had to wonder…why was so many points being given up? And a heck of a lot of those games were in very close confines… the first 6 games were either in Kentucky or Tennessee… hmmmm….

The Cardinals were 4-2 before beating South Florida at home, bringing the record to 5-2...and still playing only in the tight confines of two states. So is it any reason to wonder why they lost AT Syracuse and AT Pittsburgh? Louisville limps back home with a 5-4 record only to play…and lose, to Cincinnati, then another home loss to West Virginia before a mammoth beat down AT Rutgers.

This year, so far, Louisville is 1-2, beating Indiana State but losing AT Kentucky 31-27 and AT Utah 30-14. Like Pittsburgh, you can’t be a champion until you can win on the road. And with 4 more road games, they better get it together quick.

South Florida was the Cardinal’s only credible win last year, and that was a home game, it is critical that they have this game tonight…it is past critical. A loss here makes Louisville 1-3 and will be wiped off the face of any BCS bowl contention. But IF there is a chance, it can happen here, against Pittsburgh.

Now I know Pittsburgh beat Louisville last year 41-7, but the Panthers have to establish a new running game. Pittsburgh didn’t play so hot on the road last year, and Louisville can make it a game while in that Papa John’s Stadium…..

Mmmmm…pizza…..

Anyway, I think the advantage goes to Pittsburgh, but this is one of those games where the home team has a very slight advantage. I am very tempted to say Louisville CAN win this game…because Pittsburgh isn’t that threatening, but I am going with Pittsburgh by 3 points. My gut says that Louisville needs this win like a pizza needs extra cheese, sausage, mushrooms and a liter of some ice cold soda….

And friend with me to enjoy the game tonight!