First Call: Najee Harris responds as Zaire Franklin doubles-down on criticism; Steelers-Cowboys primetime history

Fridays First Call has Najee Harris response to Zaire Franklins criticism.

We recap the brief history of the Pittsburgh Steelers vs.

Dallas Cowboys in regular season primetime games.

Pitt looks to extend its unbeaten streak while hoping to shake some frightening history in North Carolina.

Penn State renews some long-dormant acquaintances with UCLA.

West Virginia wants to change its recent course against Oklahoma State.

Also, Duquesne battles a familiar foe for homecoming to open NEC play.

Franklin speaks frankly Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin isnt backing off his criticism of Steelers running back Najee Harris.

Before the Steelers loss Sunday in Indianapolis, Harris was caught flipping his middle fingers to the Colts crowd on the video board.

He then went out and posted only 19 yards on 13 carries.

After the game, Franklin took offense to Harris gesture and was critical of Harris performance, calling him soft and claiming that Cordarrelle Patterson ran harder.

During a video stream with James Boyd of The Athletic this week, Franklin reiterated his dislike for Harris actions.

On Thursday, Harris responded.

Hes a great player.

(We were) going back and forth, at it all game, Harris said.

Competition, man.

I take my hat off in victory.

I take my hat off in defeat.

When I saw the comment, I was just laughing, like, Hey man, congratulations.

You won.

You can talk whatever you want.

It is what it is.

Harris is eighth in rushing attempts this season with 68.

But he is averaging just 3.4 yards per carry.

Primetime party The Steelers and Cowboys are two of the biggest brand names in the NFL.

So its no surprise to learn (via Fox Sports Pittsburgh 970s Matt Williamson) that since 1970 the Cowboys lead the NFL with 106 primetime wins.

The Steelers are second with 98.

The two clubs will play one another in primetime this weekend as the Cowboys visit Acrisure Stadium for Sunday Night Football on NBC.

However, the two teams have met in primetime just once since the 1970 merger during the regular season with the Steelers winning 36-28 in 1982 on Monday Night Football.

Franco Harris had 103 yards on the ground .

Terry Bradshaw threw three touchdown passes including one to John Stallworth , who had 137 yards receiving.

Jack Ham and Rick Woods had interceptions.

Danny White threw for 347 yards and four touchdowns in the loss.

The Steelers also visited the Cowboys in 1960 for the franchises first-ever NFL game under the lights in the Cotton Bowl .

The Steelers won that one behind four passing touchdowns from Bobby Layne .

Carolina outta my mind Pitt (4-0) is a road favorite Saturday (noon) at North Carolina (3-2), even though they are going to what has been a house of horrors for the football program.

BetRivers.com has the Panthers as three-point favorites at Kenan Stadium.

They have never won a game there in seven tries.

Most recently, Pitt dropped a 42-24 contest there in 2022.

Prior to that, the Panthers managed to lose games by scores of 38-35 (2018), 37-36 (2016) and 40-35 (2014).

Future Steelers Ryan Switzer and Mitch Trubisky had monster games in the 2016 contest .

Trubisky was 35-of-46 for 453 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.

Switzer caught 16 of those passes for 208 yards and a score.

Fellow future Steelers Quadree Henderson and James Conner combined for 173 rushing yards and one touchdown for Pitt.

They also combined for 77 receiving yards on seven catches.

Meanwhile, West Virginia (2-2) is a three-point underdog at Oklahoma State (3-2) on Saturday (4 p.m.).

The Mountaineers won their last game in Stillwater.

That was a 24-19 victory in 2022.

However, the Cowboys have won eight of the last nine in the series and 10 of 15 overall.

Via the Associated Press , West Virginia has a 10-19 record on the road under Neal Brown, including 10 losses by at least 17 points.

Seventh-ranked Penn State (4-0) is a 28-point home favorite over UCLA (1-3) at noon.

These teams havent met since 1968.

The first score of that game came when future Steelers Hall of Famer Jack Ham blocked a punt and Jim Kates picked it up and ran it back for a 36-yard touchdown.

After surprising slow start on defense, Steelers seek bounce-back performance against Cowboys Pitt reinstates RB Rodney Hammond after he was declared ineligible for 2024 season Russell Wilson ramps up at Steelers practice; Justin Fields focused on Cowboys, not QB1 status Ready for more Duquesne opens NEC play against Long Island University at 1 p.m.

Saturday.

Its homecoming and family weekend for the Dukes.

Jerry Schmitts team comes in at 2-2, having lost two games to FBS competition (Boston College and Toledo).

They have beaten Youngstown State and West Virginia Wesleyan.

The Sharks are 0-5 after playing a pre-conference schedule that included two ranked FCS teams (No.

6 Villanova and No.

25 Rhode Island).

They also lost 45-0 at TCU.

The two teams have a long history of playing tight, back-and-forth games.

Last years game saw the Dukes come back from a 21-7 deficit to take a 28-21 lead before allowing the game to be tied.

Then Duquesne won on a field goal with three seconds left.

The year before, LIU won a 50-48 shootout in double-overtime in Pittsburgh.

That was the only victory for the Sharks in the series.

Four of the five matchups between the teams have been decided by one possession, including each of the last three.

As for Robert Morris, the Colonials have a bye after a 31-7 loss to Eastern Kentucky.

RMU hosts Delaware State next Saturday for homecoming.

The Dukes and Colonials play each other at Arthur J.

Rooney Field on the Bluff on Nov.

9.

Bac for more The Robert Morris womens hockey team is in action at home for a second straight weekend.

The Colonials split a series last weekend against Union, winning the first game 3-1 before losing the contest 4-2.

Veronica Bac had three goals during the two games.

Coach Logan Bittle and company welcome Bemidji State to Clearview Arena on Friday and Saturday.

The Beavers dropped their first two games of the season by a combined score of 11-3 at No.

5 Ohio State.

As for the mens team, Derek Schooleys skaters dont take the ice until a three-game exhibition series next week in Michigan against Bowling Green, the U.S.

National Development Team and a Canadian university (Simon Frazier).

The Colonials opening regular season game is a Thursday night tilt against Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

The return game will be on Neville Island on Oct.

19.

Listen: Its Tim Benzs weekly Fantasy Sports podcast with Jeff Erickson of RotoWire.

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