The Week Ahead: Pitt plays two road games against Georgia Tech and Syracuse

The Panthers will have to go on the road and keep their focus in order to set up a big-time familiar game this week. With two conference games on the road, the Panthers will have their focus and talent put on full display twice this week. Both times it will be in front of a national TV audience.

Pitt will first travel down south to take on a struggling Georgia Tech team, who will come into the contest with a 10-6 record but also are coming off a strong win over Notre Dame (hey, who doesn't love that?). Tip off will be at 9:00 p.m. tomorrow night and you can settle in and watch on ESPNU. The Yellow Jackets are the type of team that can jump up and bite you from time to time and being home will help them. Also helping them is that Pitt could be caught looking ahead to a huge matchup against Syracuse.

If Pitt can finish off Georgia Tech, they will take a 16-1 record into upstate New York to take on Syracuse on Saturday. Unlike other ACC road games, though, the Panthers are familiar with this trip. If Syracuse can keep their focus (like Pitt) against a bad Boston College squad, they will come into the game still undefeated and likely with a No. 2 overall ranking nationally. Needless to say if both teams can hold serve, Saturday will provide one of those, "cancel all plans" games where you need to be in front of the television. It will begin at 4:00 p.m. and everyone can check it out on ESPN.

Things are getting exciting for Pitt and its fans. There were lots of question marks at the start of the year and while Pitt has yet to beat a team that grabs everyone's attention, that will all change if the Panthers can get two more wins this week. With Cincinnati staying hot this season, the loss to the Bearcats looks less awful as time goes on.

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