The Pittsburgh Panthers will prove a strong challenge for the Cougars’ 11th ranked national defense with their breakout sophomore trio. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The Pittsburgh Panthers are the final opponent for the Cougars until they enter the Tom Herman era next season, and it won’t be the easiest of feats. The nationally acclaimed Cougar defense will be put to the test against a strong ground game from the Panthers as the teams meet Friday in Fort Worth for the 2015 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
The Panthers look to take advantage of the lackluster bowl performance of the Cougars, posting a 2-10 overall record in the postseason. After allowing 41 points against Vanderbilt in last year’s BBVA Compass Bowl, Houston looks to improve its defensive performance in Friday’s matchup. Although Houston has allowed an average of 35.8 points per game in the span of its last 12 bowl appearances, Pittsburgh hopes its key offensive players can combat Houston’s strong defense that currently ranks 11th in the nation.
Sophomore quarterback Chad Voytik has kept the Pittsburgh offense running under center while keeping opposing defenses on their toes, accumulating 2,000 passing yards and 426 rushing yards.
The strength in Pittsburgh’s running game grows exponentially with sophomore running back James Conner. Conner ranks fifth nationally in rushing yards per game with 139.6 and third nationally in touchdowns with 24. The sophomore will prove to be a challenge to Houston’s 19.5 average points allowed per game.
Sophomore receiver Tyler Boyd made Atlantic Coast Conference history this season as he became the first player to record over 1,000 yards in his freshman and sophomore seasons. Boyd landed a spot on the first team All-ACC roster and looks to be a threat downfield against the Houston defensive backs.
The key to success for Houston against the driven Pittsburgh offense is going to be locking up the Panthers on third down. The Panthers are among the top in the nation for converting on third down as they succeed on 46 percent of their attempts.
