Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Pittsburgh Panthers: Staff Predictions

The Gobbler Country Staff is up against the wall with this one, this game is everything. It’s everything each week until the season wraps. So let’s get to it.

John Schneider - Record doesn’t matter anymore

If I had a crystal ball, I’d be looking to return it to the seller because it’d be a chunk of cheap glass. I wasn’t far off the mark for last week, if we lost, but I just couldn’t see a clear result one way or the other. Pitt can run, a lot. It’s defense is competent but not a shutdown unit, and Pickett isn’t all that good of a quarterback. The Pitt vs. UVA game was flat terrible. It looked like two drunks wrestling each other; Iron City Beer vs. Zima. What we are when we show up, and what Pitt is will be determined. The Hokies can win this; but then Tech had the possibility of winning quite a few of the games for which they only played half. Tech needs to play an entire game. The coaches need to call an entire game. Right now, Pitt wins this because I don’t think the coaches trust this team enough to call the game that needs to be called to win it. That is really running up my spine the wrong way, but that’s the way that I feel about it. So, I’m not predicting a score. Let someone finally give me a peasant surprise.

Pitt over the Hokies by 3 or so.

Joshua Schneider

Right now it's tough to envision the Hokies winning an away game against another of the ACC Coastal Mediocrity members. The problem is the only consistency I have seen from this team is negative. Why would today be any different? Until this team can play even 45 minutes of decent, methodical, sound football, I can't trust them to actually win a game. Between the injuries and the general lack of experience, I can't see the defense stopping yet another halfway decent running game and we have had two games straight of the offense completely shutting down at the half. Sorry, I wish I had better news.

Pitt 34, Hokies 21

Bryan Manning

Every game at this point feels like a toss-up. The Hokies can win. The Hokies can lose. Based on recent evidence, Pitt has the advantage. There’s also the recent history of how Tech has performed in Pittsburgh, although the Hokies did win there two years ago. The Panthers looked really good in last week’s win at UVa. However, they’ve also looked bad on more than one occasion this year. Sounds a lot like Virginia Tech.

Kenny Pickett is not a very good quarterback at this point. And the Panthers aren’t good defensively. So, expect the Hokies to get a heavy dose of Darrin Hall. Hall went for over 200 yards and three scores last week. Tech has had trouble stopping the run and Hall’s bruising style could cause more problems for a banged-up defense.

I think it’s close, however, I just don’t feel confident going with the Hokies this week.

Pitt 27, Hokies 24

Jay Johnson

For the last month the Pittsburgh Panthers performed at a significantly higher level than during season start. Much of their success is due to Pitt’s robust rushing attack, spearheaded by the two-headed monster of Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall. Virginia Tech’s defense has shown an inability to handle a strong running game. The Hokies offense does not adjust well in the second half. I certainly hope I am wrong, but I think things are going to get worse before they get better. Hall and Ollison are going to run roughshod over the Hokies. Pitt will get ahead early, dominate time of possession, and completely control game tempo.

21 - 35, Pittsburgh

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