College Football Predictions: Picks for Top games of Week 3

Pittsburgh (-3) at West Virginia (ABC, 7:30 PM EST)

There are few college football rivalries better than Pitt and West Virginia. One of the worst things about realignment is the loss of games like this so kudos to both programs for bringing the Backyard Brawl back.

Last year, the Panthers won the game by a touchdown. This year, they head to Morgantown. The Mountaineer fans will be rabid. They want a win or they are going to want head coach Neal Brown fired most likely.

Garrett Greene has been solid at quarterback with 402 yards and four touchdowns, but the running game has struggled and the Mountaineers were beaten soundly by Penn State.

Pittsburgh was shaky last week against Cincinnati but rallied for the win. Phil Jurkovec has four touchdown passes and zero interceptions, yet he’s averaging fewer than 200 yards per game and is completing only 49 percent of his passes.

The Panther defense ranks 18th in yards allowed and 44th in points allowed. Frankly, it will need to have a stellar night or a better game from Jurkovec.

I’m not overly confident though, so give me the home team in this rivalry game.

West Virginia 24, Pittsburgh 20