Opponent watch: How Pitt's 2021 foes did last week
The race in the Atlantic Division is going down to the wire after last week's results. Here's a look at what happened for each of Pitt's 2021 opponents in the penultimate week of the season.
UMass (1-10)
Result: 33-17 loss at Army
The details of the Minutemen’s most recent defeat are inconsequential. UMass lost for the 10th time this season, the fifth time in a row and the 21st time in the last 22 games. The Minutemen couldn’t stop Army’s rushing attack (377 yards) and managed less than 300 yards of offense themselves. UMass will bring its season to a merciful close on Saturday at New Mexico State.
Tennessee (6-5, 3-4)
Result: 60-14 win over South Alabama
Keeping up the time-honored tradition of SEC teams playing an FCS game in the penultimate week of the season, Tennessee had little trouble with South Alabama on Saturday. The Volunteers rushed for 250 yards and five scores and added another 300-plus yards and two scores through the air while facing very little resistance from the Jaguars.
Tennessee will close the regular season against Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Western Michigan (7-5, 4-4)
Result: 42-21 win at Northern Illinois
Western Michigan logged its second-best win of the season and bounced back from a tough loss at Eastern Michigan to knock off eight-win Northern Illinois on the road Tuesday night. Kaleb Eleby looked like the quarterback who beat Pitt, throwing for 338 yards and five touchdowns without an interception, while the Broncos ran wild for 298 yards on the ground. Pittsburgh native Skyy Moore had an outstanding finish to the regular season with 206 yards and four touchdown on 12 catches.
New Hampshire (3-8, 2-6)
Result: 33-20 loss to Maine
New Hampshire hadn’t lost to Maine since 2019, and the Wildcats hadn’t lost to the Black Bears at home since 2001. Both of those streaks ended while New Hampshire’s losing streak continued on Saturday as Maine walked out of Wildcat Stadium with a 13-point win.
New Hampshire had an early 20-7 lead in Maine, but the Black Bears scored 26 unanswered to take the win. The Wildcats’ season ends on an eight-game losing streak.
Georgia Tech (3-8, 2-6)
Result: 55-0 loss at Notre Dame
Georgia Tech is done playing conference games, but that hasn’t made the road any easier for the Yellow Jackets, who got blown out in South Bend on Saturday to extend their losing streak to five in a row. Georgia Tech hasn’t won a game since Oct. 9, and with the traditional season-ending match with No. 1 Georgia looming this Saturday, it seems like the Yellow Jackets will end 2021 on a six-game losing streak.
Virginia Tech (5-6, 3-4)
Result: 38-26 loss at Miami
Virginia Tech couldn’t stop Tyler Van Dyke on the road Saturday, as the Miami quarterback threw for 357 yards and three touchdowns to hand the Hokies their sixth loss of the season. Virginia Tech backup quarterback Connor Blumrick came off the bench to throw two touchdown passes - among his five completions - but made a real impact on the ground, rushing 20 times for 132 yards. But Van Dyke was on point, and now the Hokies will look to reach bowl eligibility in the regular-season finale at Virginia on Saturday.
Clemson (8-3, 6-2)
Result: 48-27 win over Wake Forest
In a must-win game for Clemson, the Tigers took advantage of Wake Forest’s porous defense and played tough defense themselves to beat the Deacons on Saturday. While Clemson’s passing game still struggled - the Tigers managed just two touchdown passes, and one of those was on a trick play - the rushing attack took off to the tune of 333 yards and four touchdowns, with Kobe Pace (24/191/2) and Will Shipley (19/112/2) each topping the 100-yard mark.
Now Clemson waits. The Tigers will play at South Carolina on Saturday, but their fate in the Atlantic Division hinges on two games: N.C. State’s home game against North Carolina on Friday night and Wake Forest’s trip to Boston College on Saturday. If the Wolfpack and the Deacons both lose, Clemson will face Pitt in the ACC Championship Game.
Miami (6-5, 4-3)
Result: 38-26 win over Virginia Tech
Miami bounced back from its Coastal-eliminating loss to Florida State with a solid win over Virginia Tech on Saturday. The Hurricanes were led by quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who threw three touchdown passes and 300-plus yards for the fifth consecutive game; he now has 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions in the last five games, and while one of those games was a crucial loss, Van Dyke continues to provide some optimism for the Hurricane faithful.
Miami will close the regular season at Duke on Saturday.
Duke (3-8, 0-7)
Result: 62-22 loss to Louisville
There was a time two months ago when Duke looked like it might make something of the 2021 season. The Blue Devils bounced back from a season-opening loss at Charlotte with three straight wins, including Power Five non-conference wins over Northwestern and Kansas. Since then, though, Duke has lost seven straight, including last Thursday’s blowout defeat at the hands of Louisville.
Cardinals quarterback Malik Cunningham pretty much did what he wanted against the Blue Devils, completing 18-of-25 for 303 yards and five touchdowns and rushing 11 times for 224 yards and two more scores.
Duke will get one last shot at breaking its losing streak when it hosts Miami on Saturday.
North Carolina (6-5, 3-4)
Result: 34-14 win over Wofford
North Carolina followed its overtime loss at Pitt with a home game against Wofford. The Tar Heels didn’t have Sam Howell available after he was hurt at Heinz Field, but they didn’t need him to beat the one-win Terriers; in Howell’s place, UNC relied largely on the running game, which piled up 305 yards and three touchdowns.
The Tar Heels will close the regular season at No. 20 N.C. State on Friday night.
Syracuse (5-6, 2-5)
Result: 41-17 loss at N.C. State
After winning two in a row against Louisville and Boston College, Syracuse has now lost back-to-back games and heads into the regular-season finale needing a win for bowl eligibility after the Orange got thumped at N.C. State on Saturday.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Wolfpack poured it on, scoring four touchdowns - including an 97-yard kick return and a 38-yard interception return - to take a 28-7 lead into halftime, and Syracuse never threatened after that. N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary was an efficient 17-of-24 for 303 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
Syracuse will close the regular season against Pitt at the Carrier Dome on Saturday night.