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Duke Football: The Pittsburgh Panthers are a hard nosed football team

By Kevin Connelly

SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 13: Maurice Ffrench #2 of the Pittsburgh Panthers runs witht the ball behind Kenny Pickett #8 of the Pittsburgh Panthers to avoid a tackle from TaRiq Bracy #35 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on October 13, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 13: Maurice Ffrench #2 of the Pittsburgh Panthers runs witht the ball behind Kenny Pickett #8 of the Pittsburgh Panthers to avoid a tackle from TaRiq Bracy #35 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on October 13, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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Duke Football is ready to bounce back from a defeat last week, but they will have to travel to Pittsburgh to face a very good football team.

When you play at Heinz Field it seems like you have to take the identity of the Pittsburgh Steelers teams of old of hard nosed football, a powerful rushing attack, and a tenacious defense.

Well that’s what the Duke Blue Devils will be facing on Saturday afternoon as they travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers as the forecast is calling for cold temperatures and rain.

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The Panthers have had an up and down season, starting off with a bang, rolling over Albany in the season opener, but then getting drilled into the ground by Penn State in a primetime game at Heinz Field.

Pittsburgh responded by defeating Georgia Tech, but then followed that up with a loss to North Carolina and a beatdown by UCF.

After getting back on track with a thrilling win over Syracuse at home, the Panthers then traveled to South Bend to take on Notre Dame and the Panthers were defeated in a heart breaker.

After a week off, Pittsburgh is eager to get back on the field against the Duke Blue Devils.

The signal caller of the Panthers offense is Kenny Pickett who has completed 62.4% of his passes this season with only six touchdown passes and five interceptions. Pickett has done this while just eclipsing the 1,000 passing yard mark for the season.

However, the Panthers offense is centered around their running game with their special running backs Qadree Olllison and Darrin Hall.

Ollison has taken the ball 108 times this season for 646 yards and six touchdowns, while Hall has rushed 57 times for 376 yards and four touchdowns.

Pittsburgh running back A.J. Davis also has 24 carries for 104 yards this season, while Pickett isn’t that much of a threat to tuck and run, he does have 51 rushes for only 76 yards and two touchdowns on the season.

The Panthers have a three headed monster that is catching passes from Picket. Taysir Mack, Maurice Ffrench, and Rafael Araujo-Lopes lead the Pittsburgh wide receiving corps.

Mack leads the way with 12 receptions for 265 yards but has yet to find the end zone this season, while Ffrench has reeled in 17 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns, and Araujo-Lopes leads the trio with three touchdowns ann 19 receptions for 199 yards.

The Blue Devils defense will have their hands full trying to keep this Pittsburgh offense under control, but the if the forecast is correct, the rain could help Duke as it would limit the Panthers air attack and force them to run the ball which the Blue Devils defense has proved it can stop.

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