The scoreboard and the scenarios: Where things stand for Pitt

Pitt’s sitting in sole possession of first place in the ACC Coastal Division with three weeks left in the regular season. That means it’s time to start scoreboard-watching, so here’s a rundown of what the rest of the division did this weekend.

VIRGINIA (Entered the weekend 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the ACC)
This one is well-known: Virginia hosted Pitt on Friday night and the No. 23 Cavaliers, who were also ranked in the College Football Playoff rankings this week, lost 23-13 as the Panthers used a huge rushing attack and a stout defensive effort to get the win.

VIRGINIA TECH (Entered the weekend 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the ACC)
There were three teams with one conference loss on Friday morning - Pitt, Virginia and Virginia Tech - but by Saturday night, Pitt was the only one still standing as the Hokies got beat up by Boston College 31-21 at home on Saturday afternoon. VT quarterback Ryan Willis threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, but Boston College’s defense stifled Willis in the second half to overcome a 14-7 VT halftime lead.

MIAMI (Entered the weekend 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the ACC)
DUKE (Entered the weekend 5-3 overall and 1-3 in the ACC)
Duke bounced back from its loss to Pitt by knocking off Miami on the road 20-12. Duke’s offense wasn’t as explosive as it had been at Heinz Field, but the Blue Devils used a pair of jump passes to score the decisive touchdown and drop Miami.

GEORGIA TECH (Entered the weekend 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC)
NORTH CAROLINA (Entered the weekend 1-6 overall and 1-4 in the ACC)
Pitt’s loss to UNC continues to be one of the more confounding results of the season for the Panthers after the Tar Heels took yet another defeat this weekend. Georgia Tech, predictably, ran all over UNC for 461 yards, while Tar Heel quarterback Nathan Elliott, who set a career high in passing yards against Pitt, threw for 128 yards and three interceptions on Saturday.

COASTAL DIVISION STANDINGS
1. Pitt (5-4 overall, 4-1 ACC)
2. Virginia (6-3 overall, 4-2 ACC)
3. Virginia Tech (4-4 overall, 3-2 ACC)
4. Georgia Tech (5-4 overall, 3-3 ACC)
5. Duke (6-3 overall, 2-3 ACC)
6. Miami (5-4 overall, 2-3 ACC)
7. UNC (1-7 overall, 1-5 ACC)

SCENARIOS
Pitt can win the Coastal Division if the Panthers win the next two games or the Panthers beat Virginia Tech and Miami.

If Pitt beats Virginia Tech on Saturday, that will eliminate Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Duke from the Coastal race, since all three teams would have three conference losses and be on the losing end of tiebreakers with Pitt.

If Pitt beats Virginia Tech but loses to Wake Forest and Miami, the Panthers would be 5-3 and need Virginia to lose to Georgia Tech or Virginia Tech. Miami, which currently has three losses, could be a threat in that scenario as well if the Hurricanes beat Georgia Tech this week and Virginia Tech next week to enter the finale at 4-3.

If Pitt loses to Virginia Tech, the Panthers can still win by beating Wake Forest and Miami, provided Virginia Tech loses to Miami or Virginia. There is a scenario where Pitt could win the Coastal with a loss to Virginia Tech and a loss to Wake Forest or Miami, but there are a lot of moving parts in that one; suffice to say, it would be ideal for Pitt to win two out of the next three - most importantly, Virginia Tech - and make the scenarios much simpler.