Pittsburgh Football: 2017 season preview, predictions
2017 Pittsburgh Schedule and Predictions
| Week | Date | School | Opponent | |
| 1 | Sep 2, 2017 | Pittsburgh | vs. | Youngstown State |
| 2 | Sep 9, 2017 | Pittsburgh | @ | Penn State |
| 3 | Sep 16, 2017 | Pittsburgh | vs. | Oklahoma State |
| 4 | Sep 23, 2017 | Pittsburgh | @ | Georgia Tech |
| 5 | Sep 30, 2017 | Pittsburgh | vs. | Rice |
| 6 | Oct 7, 2017 | Pittsburgh | @ | Syracuse |
| 7 | Oct 14, 2017 | Pittsburgh | vs. | NC State |
| 8 | Oct 21, 2017 | Pittsburgh | @ | Duke |
| 8 | Oct 28, 2017 | Pittsburgh | vs. | Virginia |
| 9 | Nov 4, 2017 | Bye Week | ||
| 10 | Nov 9, 2017 | Pittsburgh | vs. | North Carolina |
| 11 | Nov 18, 2017 | Pittsburgh | @ | Virginia Tech |
| 12 | Nov 24, 2017 | Pittsburgh | vs. | Miami |
Pat Narduzzi enters year three as head coach. Players from his 2016 and 2017 recruiting class are beginning to appear on the depth chart. Their schedule showcases some rematches with the Penn State Nittany Lions on the road and Oklahoma State Cowboys. Early odds favor the Nittany Lions and the Cowboys.
The Pittsburgh Panthers could be 1-2 entering ACC play but that shouldn’t hurt them in the next two contests. The Panthers face an uphill climb after Week 7 however. A few teams that are turning a corner in the ACC’s Coastal Division are the NC State Wolfpack and Duke Blue Devils.
Pittsburgh won’t have it easy against either team before facing the Virginia Cavaliers. After their bye week on November 4, things get a whole lot tougher to finish out the month.
The Panthers will face the North Carolina Tar Heels, Virginia Tech Hokies on the road and then host the Miami Hurricanes in a Friday game.
What’s next for Pittsburgh?
The Pittsburgh Panthers have seen their 2016 recruiting class rank 30th, according to 247Sports, and finished 36th with their 2017 recruiting class. With a lot of departures on the defensive side of the ball, players from those respective classes will have high expectations as they are now Narduzzi’s recruits. In 2016, they finished with an 8-5 record. If they can keep the offense on top and the defense can keep teams at bay, they could have an opportunity to earn a ninth win with a bowl victory.
Things aren’t as predictable as they always have been for the Pittsburgh Panthers. They’ve come close to winning the Coastal, but close losses have come back to haunt them in the standings.
Next: Pittsburgh Panthers Projected 2-Deep Depth Chart
Prediction: (7-5, 5-3 ACC)
November will be a tough stretch for the Panthers after their bye week. They face North Carolina Tar Heels and Miami at home. Their road game against the Virginia Tech Hokies will be an interesting game as well. Pittsburgh has won six of the last eight meetings.
***Stats from Sports Reference, NCAA, ESPN***