In Chryst We Trust: A Pittsburgh Panthers Dynasty

[St. Francisco]

I've finally decided on my team for NCAA 14, so I'm back at it again...hope you guys enjoy this one as much as you've enjoyed the rest.

I'm not one for big introductions, but I'll just give a few quick notes on the dynasty. In keeping with my tradition, all games will be simmed. No games will be re-simmed to give a more favorable result. Below is a list of guidelines I will follow.


Requirements for teams moving up to BCS conferences:

-Winning record for three straight years.

-Prestige level of four stars or higher.

-Finish ranked at the end of the season the year before they move up.

-Win their conference title the year before they move up.

-Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis if a team meets most but not all of these requirements.


Recruiting Rules:

-All players added to the recruiting board must have Pitt listed as one of their top five choices. There are two exceptions to this rule: 1) If it is a position of need, and no players meet this requirement; 2) The team will be allowed to add one player from Pennslyvania if he is a top ten athlete, or the #1 player in the country, regardless of this requirement.

-Over recruiting is not allowed under any circumstances.

-If a player has decided to declare early and is projected to be drafted in the first three rounds, he may not be persuaded to stay under any circumstances. Players projected to be drafted from rounds four to seven may be persuaded to stay if they are going to be a starter for the next season.

-Players who have decided to transfer may not be persuaded to stay unless they are going to be a starter for the next season.

[St. Francisco]

SCHOOLS GRANT NCAA UNPRECEDENTED CONTROL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL
In a move regarded as shocking, but well-received, the NCAA has announced today that they will take a much more active role in collegiate football athletics going forward. Most notably, the NCAA will assign a committee who will be in charge of handling all conference alignments. Not much is known about the specifics, but what was revealed was that the committee will immediately convene and realign all ten conferences to consist of twelve teams each, giving every conference a title game at the end of the season. In this sweeping conference realignment, the committee will focus on maintaining the integrity of the existing conferences and rivalries, while also paying special attention to placing teams geographically, and balancing each conference to ensure a level playing field. Each conference will play an eight-game conference schedule, and will have protected rivalries across the divisions.

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
Boise St., BYU, San Diego St.

TEAMS REMOVED
Arizona, Arizona St., Colorado


PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP
ROSE BOWL
PASADENA, CA


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
USC vs. Stanford
UCLA vs. Cal
Oregon vs. Boise St.
Oregon St. vs. San Diego St.
Washington vs. BYU
Washington St. vs. Utah

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
None

TEAMS REMOVED
None


BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
LUCAS OIL STADIUM
INDIANAPOLIS, IN


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
Michigan vs. Ohio St.
Michigan St. vs. Penn St.
Northwestern vs. Nebraska
Illinois vs. Indiana
Wisconsin vs. Iowa
Minnesota vs. Purdue

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
Arizona, Arizona St., Missouri, Tulsa

TEAMS REMOVED
West Virginia, Iowa St.


BIG XII CHAMPIONSHIP
COWBOYS STADIUM
DALLAS, TX


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
Texas vs. Oklahoma
Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma St.
Baylor vs. Tulsa
TCU vs. Missouri
Arizona vs. Kansas
Arizona St. vs. Kansas St.

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
Florida St.

TEAMS REMOVED
Missouri, Texas A&M, Kentucky


SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
GEORGIA DOME
ATLANTA, GA


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
Florida vs. LSU
Florida St. vs. Mississippi St.
Georgia vs. Auburn
South Carolina vs. Arkansas
Tennessee vs. Alabama
Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
Connecticut

TEAMS REMOVED
Duke, Miami, Florida St.


ACC CHAMPIONSHIP
BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM
CHARLOTTE, NC


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
North Carolina vs. NC State
Virginia vs. Virginia Tech
Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse
Boston College vs. Connecticut
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
Maryland vs. Wake Forest

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
Notre Dame, West Virginia, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Miami

TEAMS REMOVED
Memphis, Connecticut, Temple


AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
LP FIELD
NASHVILLE, TN


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
Notre Dame vs. Miami
Louisville vs. USF
Kentucky vs. UCF
West Virginia vs. Texas A&M
Rutgers vs. SMU
Cincinnati vs. Houston

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
Colorado, New Mexico St., Idaho

TEAMS REMOVED
Boise St., San Diego St., Hawai'i


MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
SPORTS AUTHORITY FIELD AT MILE HIGH
DENVER, CO


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
Colorado vs. Fresno St.
Colorado St. vs. San Jose St.
Air Force vs. Nevada
Wyoming vs. Utah St.
New Mexico vs. UNLV
New Mexico St. vs. Idaho

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
Iowa St.

TEAMS REMOVED
Buffalo, UMass


MAC CHAMPIONSHIP
FORD FIELD
DETROIT, MI


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
Toledo vs. N. Illinois
Kent St. vs. W. Michigan
Akron vs. E. Michigan
Bowling Green vs. C. Michigan
Miami Univ. vs. Iowa St.
Ohio vs. Ball St.

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
Georgia St., Duke, Old Dominion

TEAMS REMOVED
Tulsa, UAB, FIU, FAU, UTSA


C-USA CHAMPIONSHIP
MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME
NEW ORLEANS, LA


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
ECU vs. Southern Miss
Duke vs. Rice
Georgia St. vs. UTEP
Old Dominion vs. Tulane
Marshall vs. La. Tech
Mid Tenn. St. vs. North Texas

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
UAB, FIU, FAU, UTSA, Memphis

TEAMS REMOVED
Georgia St.


SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP
RELIANT STADIUM
HOUSTON, TX


PROTECTED RIVALRIES
FIU vs. UTSA
FAU vs. Texas St.
UAB vs. Memphis
Troy vs. Arkansas St.
W. Kentucky vs. UL Monroe
S. Alabama vs. UL Lafayette

[St. Francisco]

TEAMS ADDED
Hawai'i, Buffalo, UMass, Temple

TEAMS REMOVED
BYU, New Mexico St., Idaho, Old Dominion, Notre Dame

[St. Francisco]

ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VISIO
PAC-12 CHAMPION VS. BIG TEN CHAMPION




ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL
BIG XII CHAMPION VS. SEC CHAMPION




DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL
AMERICAN CHAMPION VS. ACC CHAMPION




TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL
AT LARGE TEAM VS. AT LARGE TEAM

[St. Francisco]

PITT-PSU AND BACKYARD BRAWL RIVALRIES RENEWED FOR 2013
The University of Pittsburgh today has announced that their long-standing rivalries with in-state foe Penn St., and West Virginia have been renewed beginning with the 2013 season, and continuing indefinitely on a home-and-home series rotation. Penn State leads the two school's all-time series with a 48-42-4 record, but the two teams have not met since Pitt defeated Penn St. 12-0 in 2000. As for the Backyard Brawl, the Panthers lead the all-time series 61-40-3, and have decided to continue the rivalry despite departing the Big East. Pittsburgh will also play rivals Navy and Temple this year, but there are currently no plans to continue those rivalries on a yearly basis past 2013.