Pitt entered the Quick Lane Bowl as a double digit bowl favorite vs an Eastern Michigan team that hadn’t won bowl game in over 30 years. Eastern Michigan went 6-6 and 3-5 in the MAC this year.
Is was arguably the best matchup any ACC team had in their bowl game this year. For Eastern Michigan it would have been a program changing win, but Pitt survived to earn a hard fought 34-30 Quick Lane Bowl Victory.
Is it a game changer for Pitt? Let’s be honest it’s not, but for Pat Narduzzi, Pitt and players it still very much counts.
When you are trying to build a program back to relevancy any victory in the post-season counts. As opposed to Miami on Thursday, that packed it in during their 14-0 loss to Louisiana Tech, Pitt overcame 27-20 2nd half deficit.
For Pat Narduzzi, it was his first bowl victory at Pittsburgh. That’s important. It was his third 8 win season in his 5 years at Pittsburgh. That’s really important.
Last year when the Panthers didn’t win 8 games, they won a Coastal Division Title. Pittsburgh has been decent, but that’s the question.
Pitt’s program is teetering, just like in this game, between being a top 25 program and a truly mediocre one. Their current hallmark is being able to play up to or down to against anyone they face. Narduzzi’s resume is full of great wins like Clemson, Penn State, a top 15 UCF team, a top 10 Miami team, and losses to on their home field to a BC team to get them bowl eligible among others.
The only thing that changes a culture is winning, even if it’s ugly. Beating Eastern Michigan in a bowl doesn’t solve all of Pitt’s problems. They certainly need better talent overall, and obviously more consistency, but consider if Pitt had lost Thursday.
The entire off-season is totally different. Instead of picking up his first bowl win, Narduzzi is trying to explain an 0-4 bowl record and a loss as a double digit bowl favorite.
Minor bowl or not, ugly win who cares? It’s way better than losing, and Narduzzi has something positive to build on going into 2020.
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