Clemson, Duke, Miami Rise in Week 7 ACC Power Rankings
Saturday Blitz ACC Power Rankings Week 7
It’s hard to determine whether or not to call the Pitt Panthers a pleasant surprise or a huge disappointment this year. Of course, they started off winning three games they were expected to win but pleasantly surprising us in the process with how young they were. But the inconsistencies that come with youth have really shown over the past three weeks, and it’s forced us to drop them down our power rankings.
The Panthers like to win with a heavy rushing attack and minimal but effective play from Chad Voytik. They have to finish drives, though. This team out-gained its opponents in two of its three losses and tied for the turnover battle in two of the three losses, so the only reason it’s losing is because it can’t finish drives. That’s going to be a huge problem going forward that the Panthers absolutely have to address, and with a good defense and good running game, it falls on Voytik to be able to keep drives alive.
The Panthers are on the verge of falling off the earth too. Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Duke are the next three games, and all of them could be losses. So could a road game against North Carolina. But if they are to reach 6 wins, UNC and Syracuse are absolute must-wins, and they have to steal a victory somewhere between those first three teams and Miami at the end of the game.
Until they do that, they’re going to be near the bottom of our power rankings.