(Don’t) Bet the Farm: Pitt-Syracuse Picks

We’ve got a bit of an anomaly with this week’s picks. Almost all of our guys are going with Syracuse to defeat the Panthers. But I’m calling an audible and picking Pitt here.

Now, I do think that Syracuse is the better team. This isn’t really about that and I would consider it an upset. But the Panthers have their backs against the wall and that includes head coach Pat Narduzzi, who has to be facing even more pressure these days to perform. I honestly think Pitt pulls out all the stops here and does everything they can to win this one.

Don’t get me wrong. If Pitt was facing someone along the likes of, say, Notre Dame, who they’ll see very soon, I wouldn’t pick them. But this is a game that, if they play well, they should be able to compete in. I don’t know that a win even turns the season around. I just think that the team has to realize that, you lose this one, it’s basically time to pack up and go home. You’re not competing in the ACC at that point and you run the risk of losing a lot of the fanbase for the rest of the year.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Pitt will win. I just would be surprised if they didn’t show up in a big way and play with their backs against the wall. And if they do that, I give them a shot.

Here are the official game picks as well as the standings to date. Who you got?

Anson (4-1) - Pitt

JD (4-1) - Syracuse

Jordan (3-2) - Syracuse

Matt (3-2) - Syracuse

Stephen (3-2) - Syracuse

Corey (2-3) - Syracuse

Mike (2-3) - Syracuse

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