Football Footnotes: Steelers, Panthers, Dukes and Colonials look for another sweep of a weekend
Pittsburgh football teams swept through last weekend as the Steelers, Pitt, Robert Morris and Duquesne all posted notable wins.
The Steelers enjoyed a rare victory in Denver, just their fourth in Colorado since the 1984 playoffs. Pitt posted an electric comeback over West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl. Duquesne's surprising upset of Youngstown State was its first against the Penguins in seven tries. And Robert Morris' 55 points against Mercyhurst were the second-most in program history.
All four clubs are looking to do the same this weekend, with three of the teams playing at home. We preview all the action in this week's Friday Football Footnotes.
• If the Steelers beat the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday (1 p.m.) at Acrisure Stadium, they'll improve to 3-0. That doesn't happen very often.
The Steelers got off to a 3-0 start in 2020. They began that year 11-0 before they lost five of their last six to close out the season.
Prior to that year, the franchise last enjoyed a 3-0 start in 2010. Oddly, that was a year when the Steelers had to play those first four games without Ben Roethlisberger due to a suspension from the NFL.
The Steelers opened that season beating the Atlanta Falcons in overtime 15-9 on a Rashard Mendenhall touchdown run with Dennis Dixon at quarterback.
Charlie Batch relieved an injured Dixon in Tennessee as the Steelers improved to 2-0 in Week 2, courtesy of a 19-11 final score. Then they thumped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-13 before losing at home to the Baltimore Ravens 17-14 in Week 4.
That season ended in an AFC Championship and a berth in Super Bowl XLV. Coach Mike Tomlin also began his first season 3-0 in 2007 before a Week 4 loss in Arizona.
• After their 10-point comeback late in the fourth quarter to beat West Virginia, the Pitt Panthers host another game at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. This one is against Youngstown State out of the FCS ranks at 3:30 p.m.
If the Panthers wanted any suggestions on how to take care of business against the Penguins, their friends down Fifth Avenue certainly provided a template.
Duquesne posted 189 yards in net rushing en route to a 28-25 upset over the then-20th-ranked Penguins. Running back JaMario Clements had two runs over 70 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown dash to ice the game.
Youngstown State also allowed 246 yards in a loss to Villanova and 164 yards during a win over Valparaiso.
So expect Pitt to keep it on the ground and improve on the 78 yards rushing the Panthers put up against the Mountaineers last week. Prior to that, Pat Narduzzi's group had 196 yards on the ground during a 28-27 victory over Cincinnati, and a 201-yard effort in the 55-24 win over Kent State.
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Clements wasn't even Duquesne's top running back to start the year. That was second-year Missouri transfer Taj Butts. However, Butts has been sidelined since the 49-10 loss against Toledo to open the season.
As for Jerry Schmitt's Dukes (1-2), they finally play their home opener at noon against West Virginia Wesleyan (0-2).
• Robert Morris is hoping to recreate last week's success. The Colonials dominated Mercyhurst in Moon Township 55-28.
That was the most points RMU has scored since they put up 54 at Central Connecticut State in 2013. The school record is 63 points at Saint Francis in 2000.
Quarterback Anthony Chiccitt (Bethel Park) was 19-for-25 with a career-high five touchdowns and 307 yards through the air.
RMU put up 536 yards of total offense, also the second most in program history.
Coach Bernard Clark's team (1-2) opens NEC play Saturday at Wagner (2-1). The Colonials return to Joe Walton Stadium on Saturday. Although Mercyhurst is a member of the Northeast Conference, last week's game did not count as a conference result due to the Lakers not playing a full NEC schedule this season.
As for West Virginia, after the Backyard Brawl collapse, the Mountaineers welcome Kansas, in a Big 12 game at noon. Both teams are 1-2 to start the season. BetRivers.com has WVU as a 2.5-point favorite.
The teams last squared off at Mountaineer Field in 2022 with the Jayhawks winning 55-42.
Penn State is coming off a bye. The 10th-ranked Nittany Lions are 2-0 after wins over WVU and Bowling Green. They get Kent State (0-3) in Happy Valley at 3:30 p.m. The Golden Flashes are a 49-point underdog.
