Pittsburgh Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2017

The Rice Owls serve as the Pittsburgh Panthers final non-conference game before the bulk of the conference schedule. The Owls are coming off a 3-9 season and based on the roster turnover, they could be in for another long season.

The Owls will need to replace their starting quarterback but return all five starters on the offensive line from last season. Trey Martin did miss time with a foot injury but his presence on the line should help make for a smooth transition for whoever the new starting quarterback is.

Redshirt sophomore Jackson Tyner has the most experience among a trio of quarterbacks vying for the starting job. Tyner threw for 318 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception in four games of action last season. He made his first career start in the team’s final game of the season against the Stanford Cardinal.

Defensively, the Owls return seven starters. They’ll look to perform a lot better under newly hired defensive coordinator Brian Stewart. The Rice defense ranked 115th in the FBS in scoring defense (37.3 ppg) in 2016.

Surprisingly, this is the first meeting between Pittsburgh and Rice since 1951. The Owls hold a 2-0 record in the all-time series, winning both games by one possession both times. However, don’t expect an upset here. The Panthers should be well-equipped to put the Owls away early.

Final: Rice 7, Pittsburgh 35 (3-2)