Former Big East rivals Miami and Pittsburgh meet Thursday night on ESPN in what should be a highly competitive game with drastic repercussions for the loser. Both schools were expected to compete for their respective conference championship, but each has already suffered a non-conference loss, meaning whoever falls Thursday night falls 1-2. The first betting line has the visiting Hurricanes favored by 3.5 points.
This will be the first time these two schools have played since Miami left the Big East in 2004. The Canes won that previous meeting 28-14 as three-point betting line favorites here at Heinz Field for their eighth straight victory over the Panthers and 14 and 15 tries. It’s perhaps worth noting that Pitt has been outplayed in five of the last six meetings, and he’s done it by an average of 185 yards per game.
There’s a coaching connection here, as Pitt HC Wannstedt served as the defensive coordinator at Coral Gables with Jimmy Johnson from 1986 to 1988. Miami HC Shannon was a starting LB on the 1987 team.
Going back to this year, both teams expected to go into this match undefeated. Miami’s loss was more excusable since it came playing at #2 Ohio State twelve days ago. “La U” didn’t cover as 8.5-point underdogs in a 36-24 loss. Shannon said, “Ohio State is a good football team, a great football team, but we made so many mistakes that we didn’t give ourselves a chance.”
Those errors Shannon spoke of included eight penalties and four interceptions thrown by quarterback Jacory Harris. Miami has been a terrible college football team () under their current head coach, at Virginia Tech (twice), Florida St, Oklahoma and Ohio State have been outscored by a whopping 188-61 margin while going 0- 5 ATS. Harris threw 17 INTs last year, so that’s another thing to consider.
Miami hasn’t played since Ohio State’s loss and will try to avoid back-to-back regular-season losses for the first time since the final two games of the 2008 season.
Pittsburgh suffered their loss in the season opener, also on the road, at Utah. The only difference is that they were much more competitive in a 27-24 overtime loss, which dropped them out of the Top 25. Wanny and company rebounded with a win over FCS opponent New Hampshire by a score of 38-16. . Neither of these teams has beaten an FBS opponent this season.
The Panthers may have bigger problems than college football teams and a 1-10 SU vs. Non-conference ranked opponents (since ’96) like freshman running back Jason Douglas (DUI) and reserve offensive lineman Keith Coleman (aggravated assault) have been suspended indefinitely. Both players were arrested, as was defensive end Jabaal Sheard in July for an off-campus brawl. On the field, RB Dion Lewis has been held to just 102 yards on 35 carries.
Totals players take note that Miami has gone under in 27 of 37 games with totals between 49.5 and 56.
For tonight’s college football picks, visit Vegas Experts.