00:00A big game in the ACC.
00:02It will not count, though, for conference odds,
00:05obviously with Notre Dame being an independent,
00:08but it will affect the national championship odds in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
00:13We see Notre Dame open as a 10-and-a-half-point road favorite.
00:17We see it now balloon to 11-and-a-half in multiple books.
00:21The total right now, 55-and-a-half.
00:23Pitt, one of the hottest teams in the nation right now,
00:25winners of five straight, coming out of a bye-week coach.
00:28Pat Narduzzi came out and said, ah, this game doesn't matter.
00:33Notre Dame can beat us 110-3.
00:35All that matters is the next two games in the ACC against Georgia Tech in Miami.
00:41I understand you might want to say that, but why put that out there, you know,
00:45before this matchup?
00:47Is he setting up his team for failure entering week number 12?
00:51Oh, no, it's what he says to his team behind closed doors.
00:54That's all gamesmanship there.
00:56He's just trying to throw out the word that they don't have a chance.
00:59I promise you, he's a veteran coach that knows what he's doing.
01:03That comment was meant for Notre Dame because he knows he's got a quarterback
01:07that's probably the hottest quarterback in the league,
01:09best young freshman quarterback in a while, and they're on a roll at Pittsburgh.
01:14And so Notre Dame, yes, they are favored,
01:17and Notre Dame can control that football with that running attack and that quarterback.
01:21But they are playing with house money at Pitt.
01:23That doesn't mean they don't care.
01:25That means they can go out there, put a few trick plays in, go forward on fourth down.
01:30They know they're an underdog, and I think this gives Pitt the opportunity to say,
01:35let's do whatever it takes to win, not let's don't worry about getting beat if we get beat.
01:40Agreed.
01:40And I think two-fold when you think that how could Pitt be alive potentially in this game.
01:45They're playing with house money.
01:46It's not a conference game.
01:48And their strength defensively happens to be the front seven, one of the best,
01:52not just in the ACC but in all of college football,
01:55holding opposing offenses to 80 rushing yards per game and only 2.3 yards per carry.
02:01And, oh, by the way, C.J. Carr is a freshman, and all the pressure on Notre Dame.
02:05Why?
02:06Because they can't afford to lose this game.
02:08They lose this game.
02:09They are out of the college football playoff picture.
02:13You've got it exactly right.
02:14All the pressure is on Notre Dame, and they know it.
02:18And they really, they know they've got a good football team.
02:21I think they'll be ready to play because they watch video.
02:23They know how good Pittsburgh is.
02:25But like I said, the time for a great game plan to do some different things,
02:31that falls in Pittsburgh's hands.
02:33So this ought to be a great game right now.
02:35And if Pittsburgh can keep that quarterback, protect that quarterback,
02:38give him time, this could be real interesting.
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