Week 4: Quick Hits from Lunch with Cut

Duke head coach David Cutcliffe held his weekly press conference today. Cutcliffe talked about his team’s 38-14 loss to Georgia Tech last week and also the upcoming matchup against Pittsburgh. Here are some highlights from his 30-minute question and answer session. The Blue Devils play the Panthers Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Wallace Wade Stadium.

"Just like you would think a Pitt team to be—they're physical. It doesn't surprise me that a Paul Chryst-coached football team will play really hard and really physical and play for a full 60 minutes. So this sets up to be a really good ACC football matchup this Saturday."—Cutcliffe

Pittsburgh heads to Durham coming off a 49-27 win over New Mexico last week. The Panthers are 1-1 on the year, having lost to Florida State 41-13 at home during college football's opening weekend.

The Panthers utilized their huge offensive line in Saturday's blowout against the Lobos, and the Blue Devil players and coaches have taken notice of Pittsburgh's strength up front and power running game, which will serve as a major change of pace after facing Georgia Tech's spread option attack last Saturday.

"That sun is bright in Miami, and they had an offensive line that blacked out the sun.... All I can tell them is that if they are 6'6", 340 it's easier to get under their pads. You better play low. You better not get up there and rustle with them."—Cutcliffe

Pittsburgh was the first opponent Duke faced in Wallace Wade Stadium—previously named Duke Stadium—on October 5, 1929. The Panthers won that matchup 52-7, but Cutcliffe noted that the loss was not as bad the events that would follow.

"The only thing that is frightening is that they played that game and the stock market crashed in October of 1929. All that happened at the same time. I don't know what that means for us and Duke football and for Pitt. People better be careful with their investments first and foremost."—Cutcliffe

The 1929 game was the first meeting between Duke and Pittsburgh. Since then the two teams have met 17 times, with the Panthers leading the overall series 9-8. Pittsburgh won the last meeting 44-31 in Durham in 1976.