The Pittsburgh Panthers travel to meet the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium/Worsham Field this week. The game starts at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct 3 and will air on ESP3 and CHSS.
Virginia Tech was defeated by East Carolina 35-28 last week. Isaiah Ford had a solid outing in the loss, totaling eight receptions for 95 yards. Bucky Hodges finished with 73 receiving yards on five receptions. Pittsburgh also fell short, losing a close one to Iowa 27-24. Tyler Boyd had a big game for the Panthers, totaling 10 receptions for 131 yards and one TD.
The Hokies, a four-point favorite, will be looking to defend their home field when Pittsburgh visits. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is currently unavailable.
The Hokies enter the game with a record of 2-2 Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS) this season. The Hokies run the ball frequently. They rush 45.8 times per game, which is the 24th best in the nation. Transitioning to the Virginia Tech defense, there are a few things to keep in mind when it is on the field. The Panthers could have a difficult time throwing the ball against the 25th-best pass defense in the nation. The Hokies give up 169.8 yards per game through the air. The Panthers need to watch out for Virginia Tech’s tenacious defense. It averages the sixth-most turnovers with 2.8 per game.
On the other side, the Panthers have a record of 2-1 for both ATS and SU. The Hokies need to protect their quarterback against the sack-happy Panthers. The Pittsburgh defense ranks eighth in the country in sacks with 3.7 per game. Don’t be surprised to hear lots of calls against the Hokies when they take the field. Virginia Tech is among the most penalized teams in the country, receiving an average of 9.5 penalties per game.
Predictions: SU Winner – Pittsburgh, ATS Winner – Pittsburgh
Notes
Virginia Tech is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Virginia Tech’s last 6 games.
Virginia Tech is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Virginia Tech’s last 6 games at home.
Virginia Tech is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh.
Virginia Tech is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh is 2-0 SU when leading at the half this season. Virginia Tech is 2-1 SU when taking a lead into halftime.
The Virginia Tech offensive passing attack is ranked only 51st nationally, while the Pittsburgh pass defense is ranked 50th. The Panthers passing game is ranked just 104th, compared to the 25th-ranked pass defense of the Hokies.
Pittsburgh has given up 23.7 points per contest this year, which is ranked 90th in the nation. Virginia Tech has scored 36.2 points per game this year and is ranked 29th overall.
