Novig pricesPittsburgh hosts Georgia Tech as both teams try to end ACC losing streaks
Pitt has lost three straight and hosts 2-5 Georgia Tech on Oct. 31 at Acrisure Stadium, with the Panthers favored by about a touchdown.
Pittsburgh started 5-0 and has now lost three straight. The Panthers get a chance to stop that slide Saturday night at Acrisure Stadium against a Georgia Tech team that has lost two in a row of its own. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN2, according to ESPN's game preview.
Both teams sit in the bottom half of the ACC. Pitt is 2-3 in league play, and Georgia Tech is 1-3. Each lost by more than 20 points last weekend. Pitt fell 52-23 at No. 1 Miami, while the Yellow Jackets lost 49-27 at home to Boston College. A loss here would leave either team scrambling to reach bowl eligibility. Pitt finishes with Florida State at home and road games at Louisville and California. Georgia Tech hosts Louisville next.
The Panthers' quarterback situation is worth watching. ESPN lists Mason Heintschel as Pitt's season passing leader with 1,304 yards, 14 touchdowns and one interception. But Holden Geriner took the snaps against Miami, going 18 of 32 for 268 yards and a touchdown. Cataurus Hicks was the bright spot in that game, catching five passes for 149 yards. He leads the team with 649 receiving yards.
What it means for Saturday
The biggest gap between these teams is at the line of scrimmage. ESPN's numbers show Pitt allowing 65.0 rushing yards per game, second in FBS. Georgia Tech runs for 123.4 yards a game, which ranks 113th, and Justice Haynes leads the team with 515 yards. The Yellow Jackets' run defense is worse. It gives up 210.4 yards per game on the ground, 131st nationally. Pitt's soft spot is pass defense, which allows 266.3 yards a game. That gives Alberto Mendoza a target, and he is completing 71.2% of his throws. Georgia Tech has also given the ball away too often. Its turnover margin is minus-6, compared with plus-3 for Pitt.
The recent results tell the same story. Pitt lost its two games before Miami by six points to Boston College and four to North Carolina. Georgia Tech's only win over an FBS opponent was 28-25 over Duke. The Yellow Jackets are 1-6 against the spread, and Pitt is 4-4.
Pittsburgh is favored on this site's board for the game, which tracks 11 venues. Novig has the Panthers at -270 on the moneyline and Georgia Tech at +251. The best Georgia Tech price anywhere is +265 at BetRivers. ESPN reported an opening line of Pitt by 6.5. Novig now has the Panthers at -7.5 (-108), and FanDuel still offers -6.5 at a steeper -132. Totals vary more from venue to venue. Novig sets 54.5 with the over at -106 and the under at -122. Hard Rock Bet has the lowest over at 52.5 (-110), and FanDuel prices the under at 54.5 for -114. Sportsbook hold runs from 3.6% to 6.2% on the moneyline, so shopping across venues makes a real difference.
The game probably comes down to Pitt's run defense. If it holds Georgia Tech to its usual output and Pitt avoids the penalties that have cost it 78.3 yards a game, the Panthers should be able to end the losing streak.