Earlier this offseason, ESPN ranked Pitt's 2017 football non-conference schedule the most difficult in all of the FBS. The Panthers have been 8-4 each of the past two years and despite the difficult slate, ESPN's Jared Shanker sees more of the same next year.
Projected W-L: The Panthers lose a lot of important pieces, especially on offense, and the schedule is among the toughest in the country. The defense should eventually get better under Pat Narduzzi, but the unit doesn't have the benefit of playing Oklahoma State and Penn State later in the season.