West Virginia vs. Pitt: Prediction and Preview
Week three of the college football season is here. West Virginia plays Pitt, and Heartland College Sports has your game prediction, preview, and betting odds ahead of the matchup.
GAME INFO
Saturday, Sept. 14; 2:30 p.m. (CT); Acrisure Stadium; Pittsburgh, Penn.
TV: ESPN2
Records: West Virginia (1-1); Pitt (2-0)
Last Week: West Virginia def. Albany, 49-14; Pitt def. Cincinnati, 28-27
Series History: Pitt leads 62-41-3.
Last Meeting: West Virginia 17, Pitt 6 (2023)
Fun Fact: The famed “Backyard Brawl,” the Mountaineers and Panthers first met in 1895. This will be the 107th game in the series. Before conference realignment, Pitt and West Virginia played every year from 1943-2011. The series goes on pause until it is renewed in 2029.
West Virginia vs. Pitt Betting Lines and Odds
Opening Line: West Virginia -3.5
Over/Under: 61.5
Key Players
West Virginia Mountaineers
RB CJ Donaldson
West Virginia has several weapons in the backfield, so the honor of being the leading rusher is a week-to-week affair. Right now, Donaldson leads the Mountaineers with 169 rushing yards, along with two touchdowns. He only gained 45 yards against Penn State, so he gave his numbers a big nudge against Albany (125 yards). The junior should be more effective against a power conference defense. Last season, he rushed for 798 yards, which is second-best for WVU.
LB Josiah Trotter
Trotter has a football pedigree. His father, Jeremiah, was a star at Stephen F. Austin in college and then for the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL. He never got a shot last season as he sustained a season-ending lower-leg injury during spring practice. So, he’s in the midst of a fine start to his first year on the field. He is second on the Mountaineers with 13 tackles (seven solo), along with a tackle for loss. As he gets more reps, WVU fans are going to like what they see from the redshirt freshman.
Pitt Panthers
QB Eli Holstein
The redshirt freshman quarterback is off to a hot start, as he has thrown for 638 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions in two games. He joined Pitt this spring after he started his career at Alabama. Wouldn’t you know it? That Jalen Milroe guy is pretty good, so Holstein transferred to Pitt. The Zachary, La., native threw for 7,014 yards and 62 touchdowns against just 13 interceptions as a three-year starter at Zachary High School. He has a big arm and he’s accurate.
DB Donovan McMillon
After two years at Florida he transferred to Pitt and made an impact on the field. He played in all 12 games, including eight starts at strong safety, as he earned Honorable Mention All-ACC. He led the Panthers with 105 tackles, the most by a Pitt defender since Jordan Whitehead in 2015 (109). He’s off to a strong start with 19 tackles, an interception and a pass-breakup. He’s the defender that will be patrolling the third level all afternoon.
KEY STORYLINES
West Virginia Mountaineers
It’s only game three, but it already feels like a must-win for coach Neal Brown. It’s worth remembering that he only received a one-year extension after last year’s 9-4 season and actually surrendered a bit of money in the process. The win over Albany was perfectly fine. But that sub-par performance against Penn State is probably still stuck in the back of his mind. It’s not that the Mountaineers lost — it’s that they were dominated by the Nittany Lions. If that happens twice entering Big 12 play, well, the folks in Morgantown are going to get mighty restless.
Pitt Panthers
Coach Pat Narduzzi is entering his 10th year with the Panthers. Man, time flies. Before last year’s disastrous 3-9 season, he turned the Panthers into a consistent winner. Pitt is 67-50 under him, with six bowl appearances, two ACC Coastal division titles and the 2021 ACC crown, as the Panthers beat Wake Forest in the title game. His goal this season is to get Pitt turned around, and transfers like Holstein are helping him get off to a good start.
PREDICTION: Pitt 33, West Virginia 30
First, if you’re reading this, I’ll be in Pittsburgh covering the game this weekend. So, if you see me, come and say hello. Second, I have a bad feeling about the Mountaineers. How much have they improved since the Penn State loss? How much momentum does Pitt have after stealing one on the road at Cincinnati? This feels like it will be an exciting Backyard Brawl, with the home team winning by a nose.
