The Pittsburgh football team was sitting pretty at 7-0 just a couple weeks ago, but after two straight losses, their ACC title and College Football Playoff hopes are looking bleak. The Panthers can win out and finish the season 10-2, and that record will be good enough for some teams to make the playoff from other conferences, but the ACC? Probably not. However, while most people see the ACC as a weak power four conference, Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi thinks that it is the best in college football.
After conference realignment, we are left with just four power conferences: The ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC. The Big Ten and the SEC are known as the two strong conferences, and the Big 12 and ACC are known as the weak ones. Don't tell that to Pat Narduzzi.
“I'll say this again: the ACC, from top to bottom, is the best conference out there,” Narduzzi said on Monday, according to an article from Football Scoop. “Every weekend anybody can beat anybody. …I think the ACC is top to bottom is really good. Yeah, it hurts when you're beating each other up, no question about it.”
Narduzzi noticed that people were already making claims about the ACC not being as strong as other conferences before the season started. Now, with just a few weeks left in the season, the chatter is the same.
“I don't go evaluate it; the disrespect is there preseason,” Narduzzi said. “I'm sure it's there midseason.”
The Pittsburgh football team lost to Virginia on Saturday
The first loss of the season for the Pittsburgh football team came on the road against undefeated SMU. Both teams were at the top of the conference standings when the game happened, and that wasn't a bad loss by any means. However, the Panthers lost at home this past week against Virginia, who came into the matchup with a 4-4 record. That loss hurts, and it likely crushed Pittsburgh's playoff hopes. However, Pat Narduzzi thinks that Virginia is a good football team.
“The Virginia football team was a good team,” Narduzzi said. “They've got their whole entire offensive line back. They were down three guys. They weren't out for the year.”
That was a game that Pittsburgh was expected to win, but the ACC is definitely competitive from top to bottom. However, does that mean that the teams at the bottom of the conference are good, or does it mean that the teams at the top of the conference aren't that good? We know what Narduzzi's answer would be to that question.
Pittsburgh might not have ACC title or College Football Playoff hopes left for this season, but there is still a lot to play for down the stretch. The Panthers can still get to 10 wins on the season, and that would set them up for a good bowl game if they aren't able to find their way into the playoff (they need a miracle).
Up next for the Panthers is another big one at home this upcoming weekend as they will be hosting Clemson. The Panthers and Tigers will kick off at noon ET from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the game will be airing on ESPN. Clemson is currently favored by 10 points.
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