Florida State ended an emotional week after parting ways with head coach Mike Norvell by defeating the Boston College Eagles last Saturday. Now, they'll turn around just six days later and take on the Pittsburgh Panthers in their final road game of the season.
Pittsburgh started the year 5-0 with a 2-0 record in the ACC, but they lost three straight games conference games before defeating the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets heading into their bye week. With a 3-3 record in the ACC, Pittsburgh has to win its three remaining games to have a shot at the conference title.
FSU doesn't have a chance to play in the ACC championship game, but they do need two wins in their final three games to become bowl-eligible, which makes this game very critical. With
that said, here are five things to know about Pittsburgh.
Very good home team
Pittsburgh has a record of 6-3. Almost all of their wins have been at home, as they've posted a 5-1 record on their field. They've gone 2-1 in the ACC at home, with their only loss being to the North Carolina Tar Heels, which ended their 5-0 start a month ago. Florida State just ended a 12-game road losing streak, but this will still be a tough test for them.
Their offense is very good
Pittsburgh ranks 24th in total offense and fourth in the ACC offensively at 446 yards per game. It's a pretty balanced attack as well as they put up 278 yards a game passing and 168 yards rushing. FSU's defense will have to be prepared in both areas to have a chance to stop them.
Their defense is very good also
This season, Pittsburgh's defense is allowing just 19.8 points per game, which is 31st in the nation, and they're 30th in total defense. Their calling card is being stout against the run as they rank second in the nation in that regard. Florida State's offense has a big challenge ahead of them on Friday night.
Red zone offense isn't good
Pittsburgh is ranked high offensively, but they struggle in the red zone. They've only scored touchdowns on 55.5% of their possessions, and they're 106th nationally in scoring percentage. FSU's defense gives up scores on 82.8% of their red zone trips, so something will have to give here.
Red zone defense is solid
When opponents get in the red zone versus Pittsburgh's defense, they have a tough time scoring touchdowns. They've only given up 16 touchdowns in 27 red zone trips defensively on the season. When Florida State's offense gets to this area of the field, they'll likely have a tough time getting into the end zone.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Five things about Pittsburgh before matchup vs. FSU
