At first glance a matchup between 10-3, Mid-American Champion Bowling Green State and 6-6, University of Pittsburgh looks like a mismatch.
“We are excited to play in another game against such a quality opponent,” said Pittsburgh head coach Paul Chryst in a press release. “Bowling Green was impressive not only in the MAC Championship but all season long and we have a competitive game ahead.
If people look at the schedule Pittsburgh has played and the fact that they had only the eighth best record in the Atlantic Coast Conference it may look like an even bigger mismatch.
They have the 86th ranked scoring offense in the country, the 61st ranked passing offense and the 112th ranked rushing offense in the country. Those stats seem to play right into the Falcons game plan as they have one of the best defenses in the country.
The Panthers are still a very capable team and can compete with the Falcons as they are one of only three teams to hold the Florida State University offense to under 43 points. That is not a great stat but when the Seminoles are averaging 53 points a game and have scored 80 points on a team that is something to be talked about.
They also have beaten the ACC runner-ups Duke University early in the season by a score of 58-55. While the ACC has not been a great conference this year that Duke team has compiled a 10-3 record just like the Falcons with wins over Virginia Tech, and the University of Miami.
The most important influence on the game for the Panthers will not be in the stats sheet, it will not be who will score for the Panthers against the top ranked Falcons defense. It will be their senior defensive tackle Aaron Donald who will make the biggest impact on the game for them.
Donald was awarded many honors this year as he was named the ACC defensive player of the year, the Outland Trophy winner naming the best offensive or defensive lineman and he was named to the First Team All-American team.
He also earned three even more prestigious awards when he was awarded the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bendarik Trophy, Rotary Lombardi Trophy. The Nagurski is awarded to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player, the Bendarik is awarded to the “Defensive Player of the Year” and the Lombardi is awarded to the nation’s most outstanding lineman or linebacker.
“I’m just overwhelmed with all of the wonderful honors from this week,” said Donald in Pittsburgh press release. “The name “Lombardi” says it all. All of the finalists are such great players. I’m blessed to have been chosen for this award.”
This Pittsburgh team is not to be underestimated, they can and have competed with some of the best teams and players in the country. Although their stats don’t jump out like the Falcons stats do the Panthers will not be an easy win by any means.
