Once 2014 hits, Pitt will be playing ND 1 out of 3 years. When ND is off the schedule in 2014 through 2017, what school would you want to see as a replacement? Doing a very brief look at some of the schools in the B1G, it looks like there really isn't anyone there that Pitt could get a deal with that I saw aside from maybe Illinois. I know BYU will be hurting for games since they are new to being an independent. Would anyone want to see a home and home with BYU within the next 5 years? I think it would be interesting to play them.

Anyone have any other ideas on who Pitt will likely schedule to replace ND with moving forward?

Michigan is another school worth looking at. I do like the BYU idea.

(09-26-2012 03:17 PM)miko33 Wrote:  Once 2014 hits, Pitt will be playing ND 1 out of 3 years. When ND is off the schedule in 2014 through 2017, what school would you want to see as a replacement? Doing a very brief look at some of the schools in the B1G, it looks like there really isn't anyone there that Pitt could get a deal with that I saw aside from maybe Illinois. I know BYU will be hurting for games since they are new to being an independent. Would anyone want to see a home and home with BYU within the next 5 years? I think it would be interesting to play them.

Anyone have any other ideas on who Pitt will likely schedule to replace ND with moving forward?

It appears that the original ND contract through 2016 may end up being fulfilled. If not, you might well see a Pitt v. PSU match earlier than 2016. I've heard that.

Otherwise, Pedie has some ideas on 'other opportunities' scheduling wise meaning other than WVU (thank god). So you might see ideas like BYU or others down the road. Send him a note.

It looks like Ferentz might be on the hot seat so that Iowa series could work out well for HCPC in year 3 (2014). They could well be rebuilding. Good win for the ACC and better than a MAC team.

I think we will ending up playing out the current ND/Pitt agreement. Outside that my first wish is the jerkoffs up state. I for one don't have a problem with WVU either. We need home and homes with teams that fill up Heinz Field. Everyday yinzers don't get stoked about west coast teams. We need Penn State, WVU, Mich, Mich St and O$U. Any of those will suffice, I prefer Penn State because I never saw Oakland so alive on a football weekend than back in the day for Pitt / Penn State. ... and I'm talking 1998 and 2000 too, not the glory days. One of those games were at Three Rivers and Oakland was still nuts!!!!!

(09-26-2012 07:28 PM)7fielder Wrote:  I think we will ending up playing out the current ND/Pitt agreement. Outside that my first wish is the jerkoffs up state. I for one don't have a problem with WVU either. We need home and homes with teams that fill up Heinz Field. Everyday yinzers don't get stoked about west coast teams. We need Penn State, WVU, Mich, Mich St and O$U. Any of those will suffice, I prefer Penn State because I never saw Oakland so alive on a football weekend than back in the day for Pitt / Penn State. ... and I'm talking 1998 and 2000 too, not the glory days. One of those games were at Three Rivers and Oakland was still nuts!!!!!

Honestly, I don't know what to think. I hope ND does fulfill its scheduling obligations to Pitt so that we don't have to worry about finding a replacement for ND until after 2017. From a recruiting standpoint, Pitt's "BIG 3" regions will continue to be PA, OH and NJ. MD and VA will probably become more important and will round out into the "BIG 5" Pitt recruiting regions. Simply going by this, I expect PSU will be the most important OOC game to go after since it would give Pitt exposure to both EPA and NJ. Rutgers will be a high priority IMO because of NJ. Would love to see OSU on the schedule, but something tells me that neither OSU or Cincy gets Pitt any deeper into OH than it already it. We'll likely continue to live within the eastern sliver that goes from Cleveland, through Youngstown into Akron and down to Marietta. Don't see Pitt getting to much deeper than that. Still a nice part of OH due to it being a great FB state. MD and VA will become more prominent, and I honestly expect Pitt to try to secure more games with Navy. IMO, the OOC schedule will typically be this:

• One of PSU, Rutgers, ND
• One of Navy, other B1G school not named OSU
• MAC/CUSA/Sun Belt/FCS
  

I have this feeling that OSU will not want to play Pitt. Don't know why I think this way, but I have a hunch. I think Mich will play Pitt, and I have a feeling that the other B1G teams that Pitt would try to schedule would be UM, Iowa, Wiscy and MSU.

Iowa is stale to me and I think other yinzers as well. A lot of this has to do with relationships, so don't be shocked to see Wisconsin. Also, don't know how much it excites me but HCPC is buds with Mike Riley. So, if we did do a home and home with a PAC team, I would highly expect it to be the Beavers.

I agree that playing O$U doesn't get us any deeper into Ohio recruiting but they are still a $$$$$$$ name and would fill the crap outta Heinz Field. It would be great national exposure as would Michigan even though I don't think that would help our Michigan recruiting either.

(09-27-2012 08:09 AM)7fielder Wrote:  Iowa is stale to me and I think other yinzers as well. A lot of this has to do with relationships, so don't be shocked to see Wisconsin. Also, don't know how much it excites me but HCPC is buds with Mike Riley. So, if we did do a home and home with a PAC team, I would highly expect it to be the Beavers.

I agree that playing O$U doesn't get us any deeper into Ohio recruiting but they are still a $$$$$$$ name and would fill the crap outta Heinz Field. It would be great national exposure as would Michigan even though I don't think that would help our Michigan recruiting either.

I agree that OSU would look great on the schedule and would love to see it. But I don't think they'll play Pitt. I think Pitt canceled games against OSU in the early 90s due to the program sucking so bad, and as a result I thought OSU was cool to ever playing Pitt for a very long time. Don't know for sure.

Well then... move onto Michigan. They were interested a few years back and suddenly have openings.