West Virginia Mountaineers (1-1) vs Pittsburgh Panthers (1-1)
Game Info: Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 7:30 pm (Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium)
Betting Odds: West Virginia Mountaineers -3 -- Over/Under: 48 Click Here for the Latest Odds
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The Pittsburgh Panthers will play the West Virginia Mountaineers in a non-conference game on Saturday night at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. Pittsburgh won this rivalry game last season with a 38-31 final score in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Preview
The Pittsburgh Panthers are 1-1 this season after they lost to Cincinnati by a score of 27-21 last week. Pittsburgh trailed 27-7 going into the fourth quarter, but the Panthers were able to out score Cincinnati 14-0 in the final quarter. Pittsburgh was out gained by a total of 371-262 and they turned the ball over one time in the loss. The Panthers defeated Wofford by a score of 45-7 in Week 1. The Pittsburgh offense is averaging 33 points per game with 226.5 passing yards per game and 150 rushing yards per game, while going 46.4% on third downs this season. Phil Jurkovec has thrown for 393 yards and four touchdowns for the Panthers this season. Daniel Carter has rushed for 90 yards and one touchdown, while Gavin Bartholomew has caught five passes for 118 yards and one score. The Pittsburgh defense is allowing 17 points against per game this year.
West Virginia Preview
The West Virginia Mountaineers are 1-1 this year after they defeated Duquesne by a score of 56-17 in their last game. West Virginia led 35-10 at the half and they were able to take it easy in the second half for the win. The Mountaineers out gained their opponent by a total of 619-234 and forced two turnovers in the win. West Virginia lost to Penn State by a score of 38-15 in Week 1. The West Virginia offense is averaging 35.5 points per game with 238.5 passing yards per game and 225 rushing yards per game, while going 37% on third downs this season. Garrett Greene has thrown for 402 yards and four touchdowns for the Mountaineers this year. CJ Donaldson Jr. has rushed for 137 yards and one touchdown, while Hudson Clement has caught five passes for 177 yards and three scores. The West Virginia defense is giving up 27.5 points against per game this season.
West Virginia Mountaineers Team Facts
- West Virginia has won each of its last eight home games against non-conference opponents.
- West Virginia has covered the spread in seven of its last eight games against non-conference opponents at Milan Puskar Stadium.
- West Virginia has won the first quarter in five of its last six home games against non-conference opponents.
- West Virginia has won the first half in each of its last five games against non-conference opponents at Milan Puskar Stadium.
- Each of West Virginia's last five September games as a home favorite against non-AP-ranked teams have gone OVER the total points line.
Pittsburgh Panthers Team Facts
- Pittsburgh has won six of its last seven games.
- Pittsburgh has failed to cover the spread in five of its last six games as an underdog.
- Each of Pittsburgh's last six games have gone OVER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- West Virginia was one of only 20 FBS teams to win 3+ games when trailing at HT last season.
- Pittsburgh ranked T16th among FBS teams for H1 win percentage last season (.692).
- Pittsburgh ranked 18th among FBS teams for Q1 points allowed per game last season (3.8).
Pick
Both of these teams come into this matchup with a 1-1 record and will be looking for their second win here. Pittsburgh finished strong against Cincinnati last week, but they played very poorly in the first three quarters. West Virginia hung in there against a tough Penn State team in Week 1 and the game was closer than the score suggested. I think West Virginia will get the job done at home in this game, but I do expect it to come down to the last few possessions. Take the Mountaineers here, behind another strong rushing attack.
David’s Pick West Virginia -3
AUTHOR: David Racey
Mitch's Take...
