PITT PREVIEW

Well the Floss nearly hit his Steeler's projected score from tonight, he doesn't claim to be a genius, but damn close. Before we get to the Pitt preview, the Floss wants to give credit to Duke staying tough and blowing out SIU. It was truly a nice win. Also, great win for John Beilein over Ben Howland's UCLA team. I hadn't seen UCLA yet, but for that team to be ranked over Pitt is crazy. Darren Collison is not as good as Levance Fields, no bullshit. Fields can score better, lead better, and dish just as well. Defensively might be where DC is better. The rest of their starting lineup is STUD freshman Jrue Holiday. He is good, but not near the freshmen that we have seen the past two years used. Then Josh Shipp, a role player who will be solid all year. James Keefe, really? Alfred Aboya, he is a good rebounder and a decent defender. UCLA was confused by a marginal Michigan team's 1-3-1 D. They were very confused. I will give a ton of credit to Michigan and Beilein, but UCLA was vastly overrated. At best they are the 15th best team in the nation. Sorry. Now onto the biggest game in OHIO this weekend, sorry CINC...

PITT OFFENSE VS. CINCI DEFENSE

The Cinci D has one hell of a secondary, but really does a secondary come into play that much against a team that doesn't throw downfield? That is the biggest question. Cinci also has a pretty solid front 4. However, the Pitt O-Line has gotten much better as the weeks have passed. If they can get down and block solidly, which the Floss thinks they will, I like their matchup against the Cinci LB's. The Cinci LB corp is solid, but nothing I'm writing home to MOF about. If Robby Armstrong, Franklin Regional's 2nd best RB of my lifetime(Soup Campbell), is starting at SAM LB, the Floss will be grinning ear to ear. LeSean "Shady" McCoy will be grinning the same as he is going one on one versus LB's all night. If this happens, Shady could go real tough on them. Against the Pitt passing game, I expect Brian Kelly, the best coach in the BE, to jam cover the WR's all day. I think this could actually backfire in his eye if Coach Cav(Skoal Wintergreen) decides to go up top early to JB. If we can get JB to make a big play early, their corners won't be able to be as aggressive. Many people clamor for the pass over the middle to TE's, but I think keeping the ball away from the middle will keep us from turnovers. We should also focus on hitting all of these screens that we have been hitting. A simple offensive gameplan is all the Panthers need. Shady should rush for 150 on about 30 carries.

PITT DEFENSE VS. CINCI OFFENSE

The Cinci offense doesn't scare the Floss one bit. They don't have a solid running back. They have 2 that have barely got over 1000 yards, and that is in one more game than Pitt's LeSean Mccoy has played. Tony Pike and Dustin Grutza are both marginal at best. Cinci runs a spread offense with less fire power than the USF offense that Pitt faced(I know USF has crapped the bed since). The point is, Pitt can stop a spread offense. Phil Bennett has been scheming defense's up for 2 weeks for this game. Pitt can probably get away with just playing their base 4-3, but you know Pitt can mix in some of the bandit defense that has been so successful. The Floss is worried that Pitt won't be able to get a turnover. I think the Panther's defense needs to force just one singular turnover for us to get a win this weekend. I think G-Rom or Ball can get a sack forced fumble off the edges. The Floss doesn't see any problems with the Pitt D this week, unless Mike Teel comes out for Cinci.

PITT SPECIAL TEAMS

-7 Blocked Kicks
-Conor Lee
-Aundre Wright, LaRod
-TJ's African Army

Pitt's special teams are better than 90% of team's in the country. I like their matchup any day. The wind in Cinci could hurt both teams though.

FLOSSY PREDICTION

PITT 31
CINCI 20

FIGHT ON FOR DEAR OLD PITTSBURGH, AND FOR THE GLORY OF THE GAME, SHOW OUR WORTHY FOE, THE PANTHERS ON THE GO, PITT MUST WIN TODAY, RAH, RAH, RAH, CHEER LOYAL SONS OF PITTSBURGH, CHEER ON TO VICTORY AND FAME, FOR THE BLUE AND GOLD WILL CONQUER AS OF OLD SO FIGHT, PITT, FIGHT!!!!!!!!