Surging Panthers host Duke at Heinz Field this Saturday
11/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
PITT (6-4, 3-3 ACC) vs. DUKE (4-6, 1-5 ACC)
November 19, 2016 • 3 p.m., ET
Heinz Field (68,400/Natural Grass) • Pittsburgh, Pa.
ROOT SPORTS Pittsburgh • Pitt IMG Sports Radio Network
PittsburghPanthers.com • @Pitt_FB • #DUKEvsPITT
LINK (PDF): Pitt Game Notes (vs. Duke)
LINK: TV Affiliates for Pitt vs. Duke
GAME STORYLINES
- Coming off a dramatic victory at Clemson, Pitt looks to continue its momentum—and bolster its postseason résumé—when Duke visits Heinz Field on Saturday.
- The Panthers became bowl eligible with a 43-42 win over No. 2 Clemson, scrambling the College Football Playoff picture. Pitt has gone bowling eight consecutive seasons and in 13 of the past 16 years.
- Duke is coming off an upset of its own. The Blue Devils beat rival North Carolina, 28-27, last week in front of an ESPN Thursday night television audience. The Tar Heels had been ranked as high as No. 13 before the loss. With a 4-6 overall record, Duke needs two more wins to become eligible for a bowl invitation.
- Annual foes as members of the ACC's Coastal Division, the renewed Pitt-Duke series has featured some offensive shootouts. In three ACC meetings, the Panthers have averaged 45.7 points to the Blue Devils' 39.7.
- Quarterback Nathan Peterman was named the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week for his performance at Clemson. Peterman threw for 308 yards and five TDs against the Tigers' rugged defense that was surrendering just 180.1 pass yards per game.
- James Conner has compiled 51 touchdowns for his career, second all-time in ACC annals. The junior running back needs just two TDs to eclipse the ACC mark of 52 held by Virginia's Wali Lundy (2002-05).
- James Conner is also on the verge of breaking the ACC record for career rushing touchdowns. Conner has 48, one shy of the 38-year-old ACC record held by NC State's Ted Brown (49 from 1975-78).
- Quadree Henderson is the country's most dangerous return man. Henderson leads the nation in kickoff return touchdowns (three) and ranks third in kickoff return average (33.0).
SERIES NOTES
This is the 21st meeting between Pitt and Duke in a series that dates back to 1929...it is also the fourth Atlantic Coast Conference matchup between the two schools...Pitt and Duke meet annually as members of the ACC's Coastal Division...the Panthers lead the overall series, 11-9, and have won five of the past six meetings...Pitt leads the ACC series, 2-1, and triumphed in Durham last year, 31-13...in the last game played in Pittsburgh (2014), the Blue Devils won in two overtimes, 51-48...that marked Duke's first victory over the Panthers since 1966, snapping a four-game series losing streak...there have been some milestone moments in the Pitt-Duke series...on Sept. 29, 1951, Duke defeated Pitt, 19-14, in the first live nationwide telecast of a sporting event...NBC was responsible for the landmark broadcast...the inaugural game of the series was on Oct. 5, 1929, when Pitt defeated host Duke, 52-7, in the first game ever played at "Duke Outdoor Stadium," later renamed Wallace Wade Stadium...the 1937 and 1938 games featured two of the nation's very best teams and a pair of legendary coaches in Pitt's Jock Sutherland and Duke's Wallace Wade...on Nov. 27, 1937, the No.1-ranked Panthers defeated the No. 18 Blue Devils, 10-0...Pitt would finish 9-0-1 to claim the national title (Duke finished 7-2-1)...on Nov. 26, 1938, the No. 3 Blue Devils blanked the No. 4 Panthers, 7-0, in what would be Sutherland's final game as Pitt's coach...Duke finished the 1938 regular season unbeaten (9-0), untied and unscored upon, but lost to Southern California in the Rose Bowl, 7-3...Pitt, which did not go to a bowl, finished 8-2.
SERIES IN BRIEF
Series Began: 1929
Series Overall: Pitt leads 11-9
ACC Series: Pitt leads 2-1
At Pittsburgh: Duke leads 5-4
At Duke: Pitt leads 7-4
At Neutral Sites: DNA
Last Meeting: Nov. 14, 2015 (Pitt 31, Duke 13)
Last Meeting at Pitt: Nov. 1, 2014 (2OT: Duke 51, Pitt 48)
Current Series Streak: Pitt has won 1 (2015)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 4 (1969, 1975-76, 2013)
Longest Duke Series Win Streak: 5 (1940-42, 1950-51)
Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 45 points (52-7, 1929)
Largest Duke Victory Margin: 28 points (28-0, 1942)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television • RSN (ROOT SPORTS Pittsburgh)
Wes Durham, play-by-play
James Bates, analyst
Jenn Hildreth, reporter
Pitt Radio • 93.7 The Fan & the Pitt IMG Sports Network
Bill Hillgrove, play-by-play
Bill Osborn, analyst
Larry Richert, reporter
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
Sirius Channel 126, XM Channel 204, Internet Channel 970
WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM
Pitt IMG Sports Network Online Audio Options
PittsburghPanthers.com via CSLive
Pitt Gameday LIVE App
TuneIn (free live and on-demand content)
