Pitt Football: 2022 Way-Too-Early Game Predictions
By Kathryn Rose
Things get spicy right out of the gate, as the Backyard Brawl is finally renewed for the first time in over a decade. West Virginia left this rivalry with a three-game win streak, but 11 years later, West Virginia is on a clear downward trajectory.
After quarterbacking the Mountaineers the last two years, Jarret Doege is off to Western Kentucky. Leddie Brown, their star 1,000+ yard rusher, is off to the NFL. Thankfully for West Virginia, all-Big XII defensive lineman Dante Stills and leading tackler Josh Chandler-Semedo are back.
Pitt should grab the win though.
Final score: Pitt 20, West Virginia 10
If having West Virginia to start wasn’t bad enough, the Panthers get Tennessee up next.
The Vols were a surprising outfit in 2021, finishing with seven wins despite a very thin roster. Part of that was quarterback Hendon Hooker, who is back for another season. Another part of that was linebacker Jeremy Banks, who was seventh in FBS in tackles last year. Banks is back, but key defenders Alontae Taylor and Theo Jackson depart.
This will be a teeth-rattler of a game, but Pitt football will frustrate Tennessee once again.
Final score: Pitt 30, Tennessee 28 (Pitt: 2-0)