Game of the week: 5 things to know about Clemson-Pitt
Each Friday during the season, we spotlight the best game that weekend. This week, it’s Clemson (4-2) at No. 23 Pitt (5-1) in an important ACC matchup.
Clemson has been one of the nation’s biggest disappointments and Pitt a pleasant surprise. Yet Clemson can start to flip the script a bit with a victory, which would keep the Tigers in the hunt for their seventh consecutive ACC title and in line for an 11th season in a row with 10-plus wins.
It will be Clemson’s first-ever game at Pitt, though the Tigers did play at Duquesne (whose campus is about 3 miles from Pitt’s) in 1947. In addition, Clemson played at Syracuse last week, and this will mark just the second time in school history the Tigers are playing back-to-back games north of the Mason-Dixon line (the other was in 1952).
The contest kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN; Sean McDonough will handle the play-by-play and Todd Blackledge is the analyst.
Here are five things to know about the Clemson-Pitt game, plus the predicted final score from the On3 national staff.
1. Pitt QB Kenny Pickett
Pickett, a fifth-year senior and fourth-year starter, has been one of the nation’s biggest surprises. He already has thrown for 1,934 yards (322.2 yards per game) and 21 TDs (fourth nationally); his previous career-high in TD passes was 13 and his career-high in passing yards is 3,098. What also is notable is he has just one interception; he came into the season with 25 career picks. Pickett also has increased his completion percentage by almost 10 points above his career average. Coming into the season, he was at 60.4 for his career; this season, he is completing 69.8 percent of his passes. He is coming off his “worst” performance of the season in a 28-7 victory over Virginia Tech in which he threw for 203 yards and two TDs (interestingly, Clemson wouldn’t mind a performance like that; more on that in a minute). Pickett should graduate as Pitt’s career leader in completions (he needs 14 more for the record) and passing yards (he’s 1,349 yards shy).
2. Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei
Uiagalelei was a preseason Heisman candidate, but he seems unlikely to be even an honorable mention all-conference selection. He hasn’t thrown for more than 207 yards in a game and is completing just 55.7 percent of his passes; he hit on fewer than half his passes in two games and has just two games of better than 59 percent. Uiagalelei is averaging a paltry 5.6 yards per attempt and has four TD passes and three interceptions. His receivers have had issues with drops, but the biggest concern is how often Uiagalelei gets harassed in the pocket. He has been sacked 12 times, but beyond that, there frequently is a defender in his face, which leads to hurried and inaccurate throws. He has been used more in the run game the past two weeks, but he hasn’t been all that successful in that facet (23 carries for 76 yards). Uiagalelei’s single-game high for total offense: 257 yards against Boston College.
3. Clemson’s defensive line
The Tigers lost stud DT Bryan Bresee (knee) for the season after four games and fellow starting DT Tyler Davis (bicep) isn’t expected back until next month. But Clemson remains difficult to run against (the Tigers have allowed just two rushing TDs, though those have come in the past two games), and there is a solid five-man rotation at end, headed by Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas. Pitt’s rushing attack has found its footing the past two games and the Panthers figure to try to have at least a modicum of offensive balance Saturday. Still, getting to Pickett and making him uncomfortable in the pocket will be the top priority for Clemson’s linemen. Pitt has given up nine sacks in 223 pass attempts; Clemson has 15 sacks, and 9.5 have come from linemen. Clemson has allowed just seven offensive touchdowns this season, the second-fewest in the country.
4. The ACC race
This is a division crossover game, but it will have a big impact on the division races. Pitt is the only team unbeaten in league play in the Coastal Division and it has a one-game lead in the loss column over Virginia Tech. But because the Panthers beat the Hokies, it’s really a two-game lead over everybody. The toughest games for Pitt after this one are against North Carolina and Virginia. As for Clemson, it is one game behind NC State and Wake Forest in the loss column in the Atlantic Division. The Tigers already have lost to the Wolfpack, so in some respects this is a “last stand” game for Clemson in the league race.
5. Recent history
Pitt joined the ACC in 2013, but this will be just the fourth meeting between the teams as league opponents; one of those came in the 2018 ACC Championship Game. Clemson won that one and also hammered the Panthers in the regular season last year; in those two games, Pickett threw two TD passes and five interceptions. The first time the teams met as conference foes, Pitt stunned the second-ranked Tigers 43-42 in 2016, though Clemson went on to win the national title.
On3 predictions
Mike Huguenin: Pitt 20-17
Ivan Maisel: Pitt 24-17
Charles Power: Pitt 27-17
Matt Zenitz: Pitt 24-20