At first glance, the new ACC football alignment looked like a loss for Pitt — including the part where Duke no longer appears on the schedule every year.
Upon further review, I've changed the call. This is a win, for multiple reasons that I will get into shortly.
First, the basics: Starting in 2023, the ACC will scrap its two-division football format and put all 14 schools together. The top two finishers, based on conference winning percentage, will play in the league title game. Each team will play three annual primary opponents and face the other 10 league teams twice during a four-year cycle.
I'm quite certain the college football world will not miss the Coastal division, but Pitt might. It just seemed like a good fit for the program. Not too high-profile, not too low-profile. Since joining the ACC in 2013, Pitt has won the division twice — one more time than anybody else — and figures to be a strong contender again this season.
Plus, living in the Coastal, you might not have to deal with Clemson until the conference title game (last year being an exception for Pitt).
For the most part, Pat Narduzzi has figured out how to beat his Coastal opponents. The Panthers have even won two in a row against North Carolina, which had previously tortured them. In fact, in a sea of Coastal change, Pitt has become the picture of stability. Narduzzi has more tenure at Pitt (seven years) than all of the other Coastal coaches at their schools combined.
Next season, all of that goes away. There will be no such thing as a "Coastal division title."
If I'm Narduzzi, I'm not thrilled with the development. But I'm not too upset, either, because Pitt wound up with a pretty good deal.
Here's what I mean: Every ACC team will play a rotating list of opponents but will have a fixed group of three every year through 2026, and Pitt's group includes Syracuse, Boston College and Virginia Tech.
No disrespect to any of those programs, but that's a pretty good draw. It sure beats Georgia Tech's, which includes Clemson, and while I'd love to see Miami on Pitt's schedule every year, it's probably best for the Panthers to avoid that fate, seeing as they are 2-7 against the Hurricanes since joining the ACC.
If you could have handpicked two regular opponents from the Atlantic division, Syracuse and BC would have been near the top of the list (although BC probably isn't disappointed, either, seeing as it no longer has to face Clemson every year, not to mention the dormant powerhouse that is Florida State).
Pitt has beaten Syracuse four times in a row since 2018, eight of 10 since 2012 and 17 of 21 since 2000. The Orange are an ACC punch line, having gone 22-52 in the conference since joining it in 2013.
Pitt has lost two in a row to BC, but the Eagles have not finished ranked one time since 2013 and are 29-45 in ACC games over that span.
Pitt has beaten Virginia Tech three times in four tries since 2018 and is 9-5 against the Hokies since 2000. The Hokies were a brand under Frank Beamer. Their reputation has taken a hit.
As for the rivalry factor, I would ask: What rivalry factor?
Don't get me wrong. I can hardly wait for Pitt's next visit to the JMA Wireless Dome (Syracuse), but the Panthers have no true rivals in the ACC, and this move just underscores that sad fact. Are you really going to miss playing Georgia Tech and Virginia every year?
At least with Syracuse, BC and Virginia Tech, it's three old Big East opponents. But Pitt's biggest rivalry games, if they are to happen at all, will happen out of conference.
This season, for example, the game you circle is West Virginia.
I guess it's nice that Pitt will see Florida State more often — the schools have met just twice since Pitt joined the ACC — but do you really care?
The bottom line is that if Pitt takes care of business, it'll be fine. Just like in the Coastal, it has its own manageable little corner with the group of three.
If Narduzzi's program is headed in the direction many believe (I'm not convinced), a change in alignment won't matter.
COAST to COAST
Pitt's record against Coastal division opponents since joining the ACC in 2013:
(School: record)
Duke: 7-1
Ga. Tech: 6-3
Miami: 2-7
N. Carolina: 2-6
Va. Tech: 5-4
Virginia: 6-2
