Pittsburgh Football: Panthers want to rub it in vs Miami

Pitt football already sealed up the ACC Coastal, but Miami will be looking for revenge after the Panthers ended their perfect season in 2017.

Last year, the stakes were reversed. Miami entered their annual duel against Pittsburgh with the ACC Coastal title already wrapped up. The Hurricanes put their perfect 10-0 record on the line against the Panthers, needing only to win to set up a winner-take-all showdown against Clemson not just for the ACC title but also a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Instead, Pitt pulled off a 24-14 upset at Heinz Field that sent the Hurricanes on a three-game losing streak to end a 2017 campaign that started with such promise. Now, though, the Panthers are the team that has sealed up the ACC Coastal and is looking to keep their winning streak going as they prepare to head to Charlotte to face Clemson for the conference crown.

The Panthers have won four straight to claim the division title, recovering from a 3-4 start thanks to a solid rushing attack and great ball protection. Pittsburgh is 15th nationally in ground gains, averaging nearly 250 rushing yards per game, and they are in the top 20 in giveaways. And two of Pitt’s four losses so far this season have come against undefeated Notre Dame and UCF.

Miami has one of the best defenses in the entire country, but the Hurricanes have been betrayed by an inconsistent offense in 2018. Freshman quarterback N’Kosi Perry has averaged only 115 passing yards per game this year, as Mark Richt has vacillated between the youngster and veteran Malik Rosier under center.

Can Pitt put together a two-game winning streak in this series for the first time since 1976, or will the Hurricanes earn their seventh win of the year? Here’s how you can watch the Saturday game between ACC Coastal champion Pittsburgh and Miami:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 24
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Miami, Fla.
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

Pittsburgh can’t leave points on the field when they get inside the red zone. This year, the Panthers rank 107th in red zone scoring as they come away empty on 21 percent of their trips inside the opponent’s 20. Penalties have also been costly for Pitt, and they will need to cut back on the flags they see on Saturday to come away with a victory as a road dog.

Miami, favored by 4.5 points at home, can’t afford to give away good field position on special teams. The Hurricanes rank outside the top 100 nationally in punt return defense, net punting, and kickoff return defense. If they give the Panthers short fields, it will prove costly no matter how well the Canes defense has been playing.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com

Point Spread: Miami -4.5
Over/Under: 47

Prediction

The oddsmakers were generous when they set the over/under at 47 points this week, as Miami’s defense is going to stifle the Pittsburgh offense. And when the Hurricanes have the ball, a combination of their own offensive ineptitude and Pitt’s decent defense will keep the score low. Field goals are going to be a big part of the game on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium, and Alex Kessman will outplay Buddy Baxa in the kicking duel.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 23, Miami 17