MSU HC: Peach Bowl Between Pitt Football, Spartans Was 'Decided on the Field'
PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers were undoubtedly undermanned when they lost 31-21 to Michigan State in the Peach Bowl this past January. Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett, destined for the first round of the NFL Draft declined to play. So did top cover corner Damarri Mathis. Big-play threat Taysir Mack didn't play either after suffering a midseason injury and backup quarterback Nick Patti, who started in Pickett's place, exited the game after hurting his shoulder at the end of his second drive.
For that reason, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi still thinks that his team would have won the Peach Bowl handily had the rosters been at full strength. In the same breath, he claimed that the Panthers could win the Big 10 regularly. He was pressed on the claims at ACC Media Days and toned down his comments slightly, claiming to have only been promoting the strength of his team and conference in the wake of realignment talks that have pushed his program to the periphery.
Spartans head coach Mel Tucker was also asked about Narduzzi's comments at Big 10 Media Days. Tucker responded by saying that he had moved on from
'I really prefer not to go into hypotheticals,' he said. 'Especially games played in the past that were decided on the field.'
It's notable that Michigan State played through a costly absence of their own in that game. The country's second-leading rusher, consensus All-American Kenneth Walker opted out in anticipation of the NFL Draft, just like Pickett.
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