Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Pittsburgh Panthers and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will both be trying to pick up a win on Friday when they battle at Rutgers Stadium.
Oddsmakers currently have the Panthers listed as 5-point favorites versus the Scarlet Knights, while the game's total is sitting at 45½.
Pittsburgh scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to take a 24-21 win over UConn at Heinz Field in Week 6.
UConn covered as a 6.5-point road underdog while the final score played under the 47-point total.
Current streak:
Pittsburgh has won 2 straight games.
Rutgers has won 4 straight games.
Team records:
Pittsburgh: 5-1 SU, 3-2 ATS
Rutgers: 4-1 SU, 1-2 ATS
Pittsburgh most recently:
When playing in October are 6-4
When playing on turf are 6-4
After outgaining opponent are 7-3
When playing within the conference are 8-2
Rutgers most recently:
When playing in October are 6-4
When playing on turf are 8-2
After outgaining opponent are 8-2
When playing within the conference are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Pittsburgh is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Rutgers
Rutgers is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games
Rutgers is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home
Rutgers is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
Rutgers is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh
Next up:
Pittsburgh home to South Florida, Saturday, October 24
Rutgers at Army, Friday, October 23
Pitt at Rutgers
By Brian Edwards
For a second straight night, the Big East will take center stage in the college football universe when Rutgers plays host to its conference rivals from the Steel City.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Pittsburgh (5-1 straight up, 3-2 against the spread) as a three-point favorite with a total of 48 ½. As of early Thursday night, most books had the Panthers favored by 3 ½ or four with the total adjusted into the 45-46 range. The Scarlet Knights are plus-150 on the money line (risk $100 to win $150).
Dave Wannstedt’s team already has a pair of Big East victories in its pocket. The Panthers went to Louisville two Fridays ago and emerged with a 35-10 win as seven-point road favorites. They captured a 24-21 win over UConn last week, rallying from a 15-point deficit to take out the Huskies on Dan Hutchins’ 18-yard field goal as time expired.
Gamblers backing Pitt, like myself, were left ripping up tickets after it failed to cover the number as a 6½-point home ‘chalk.’ The Panthers had three tries from inside UConn’s 10, but they came up short for the potential cover (pending the PAT) each time.
Bettors were only further chafed by Pitt’s yardage domination (489-303), which wasn’t enough due to a pair of Bill Stull interceptions and the team settling for a 19-yard field goal in the third quarter. Stull did recover to throw two touchdown passes, including a 27-yard scoring strike to Dorin Dickerson. A subsequent thee-yard pass to Cedric McGee on the 2-point conversion drew Pitt even before a three and out from the defense set up Hutchins’ game winner.
Rutgers (4-1 SU, 1-2 ATS) is in a more favorable situation for this spot in terms of the schedule. While Pitt has to travel and play on a short week of preparation, the Scarlet Knights are coming off an open date. Before that, they waxed Texas Southern 42-0 in a non-lined home game.
Since losing 47-15 as a five-point home favorite in the season opener against Cincinnati, RU has won four consecutive games against extremely weak foes like Howard (45-7), FIU (23-15), Maryland (34-13) and Texas So.
Tom Savage has taken over at the quarterback position and will make his fourth career start. The true freshman, who was the prize of Greg Schiano’s recent recruiting class, has a 4/0 touchdown-interception ratio. Those numbers are misleading, however, and this will be Savage’s first real test against Big East competition. (He did have a TD pass against the Bearcats, but it came well after the outcome had been decided.)
Rutgers will need to protect Savage, who will face a defense that ranks third in the nation in sacks. Pitt averages more than four sacks per game. This unit will go against an RU offensive line that most think of as the best in the conference.
Junior OT Anthony Davis is an All-American candidate that protects Savage’s blind side. OG Caleb Ruch is another emerging star, but he may not play due to a leg injury that’s had him sidelined the last three weeks.
Other than the two picks against UConn, Stull has been sensational this season. The fifth-year senior QB has completed 66.7 percent of his throws for 1,256 yards with a 13/3 TD-INT ratio. Stull has a pair of big-time weapons in Dickerson and Jonathan Baldwin. Dickerson has hauled in 21 receptions for 232 yards and seven TDs, while Baldwin has 27 catches for 532 yards and three TDs.
Although the Panthers lost a pair of RBs to the NFL in LeSean McCoy and LaRod Stephens-Howling, they have enjoyed a productive ground attack thanks to the emergence of Dion Lewis, who has 738 rushing yards and seven TDs. Lewis is averaging an eye-opening 5.6 yards per carry.
The Panthers come to New Jersey with a 5-1 record for the first time since 2000. They will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak against Rutgers.
Schiano’s squad won 54-34 at Pitt last year as a 9 ½-point road underdog. In 2007, the Scarlet Knights won a 20-16 decision but failed to cover as 12-point home favorites. RU won 20-10 at Pitt in ’06 and 37-29 in ’05. Both of those victories came from the ‘dog role.
The ‘under’ is 3-2 overall for Pitt, but the ‘over’ is 2-1 in its road games. The Panthers have had two games combine for 41 points and two others go to 45. They saw points galore (81 and 69) in their two other contests.
The ‘under’ is 2-1 overall for RU, 1-1 in its home contests.
Weather reports are indicating a strong chance of rain and temperatures in the low-40s by kickoff. The wind-chill factor could be in the 30s. ESPN will have the telecast at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
Michigan transfer Marcus Weatherspoon was expected to start at LB for Rutgers, but the redshirt freshman still hasn’t played this season because of a pulled muscle in his leg.
LVSC opened Nebraska as a six-point home favorite versus Texas Tech. As of Thursday night, however, the line had shot up to 10 ½ at most spots. The Cornhuskers are 5-0 ATS this year, including three spread covers as double-digit home favorites. Dating back to midway through the 2001 campaign, the Red Raiders are 7-3 ATS when listed as double-digit underdogs. They took the cash in a similar spot (+19) during a 34-24 loss at Texas earlier this year.
Although Ohio St. trounced Wisconsin 31-13 to cover the number as a 16-point home favorite last week, a closer look at the box score tells a different story. The Badgers actually doubled up the Buckeyes in yardage (368-184) and also had way more first downs (22-8). Jim Tressel’s team collected the comfortable victory thanks to a kick return for a TD and a pair of pick-six’s.
Iowa remains undefeated, but doesn’t is seem like this team is living on borrowed time? After all, the Hawkeyes had to block a pair of last-second field goals to beat No. Iowa 17-16 in the season opener. They also won by just three over Arkansas St. (24-21) and by two over Michigan (30-28). Iowa won a 38-16 decision over Wisconsin last season, scoring the most points against the Badgers in a head-to-head meeting since 1978. With revenge on its mind, Wisconsin looks like the play to me as a short favorite against Kirk Ferentz’s squad.
Al Groh’s tenure at Virginia reminds me of Tommy Bowden’s at Clemson. For years, Bowden would seemingly be on the hot seat every year, only to finish strong and leave the school with no choice but to retain him. When Virginia lost its first three games this season, including an embarrassing home defeat against William & Freakin’ Mary, Groh’s eventual pink slip seemed to be a foregone conclusion. But now the Cavs have won back-to-back games by capturing a 16-3 win at North Carolina and a 44-0 win over Indiana. UVA is a short ‘chalk’ this week at Maryland.
Nation’s Five Most Disappointing Teams:
1-Illinois (1-4 SU, 0-4 ATS)
2-FSU (2-4 SU, 1-4 ATS)
3-Georgia (3-3 SU, 1-5 ATS)
4-North Carolina (4-2 SU, 1-3 ATS)
5-Clemson (2-3 SU, 3-2 ATS)
vegasinsider.com
What Bettors Need to Know: Pitt at Rutgers
By Lee Kostroski
Revenge
Pittsburgh is 5-1 and if not for a fourth-quarter letdown against NC State, it would be 6-0. The Panthers are undefeated in conference play and they are still in very good position to win the Big East.
This is a huge game for Pitt. None of the current Pitt players have ever experienced a win vs. the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers has defeated the Panthers four years in a row by an average of 11 points per contest.
Senior QB Bill Stull was knocked out of last year’s game and he had three words for their game against Rutgers on Friday - “This is personal.”
Looking for a signature victory
Despite the 4-1 start, Rutgers has yet to record an impressive win. The Knights got torched at home by Cincinnati to begin the season and have since defeated Howard, Florida International, Maryland and Texas Southern by an average of 27 points per game.
Their 32-point home loss to Cincy says more than any of those four victories against below-average teams. Cincinnati scored 47 points and put up 562 yards of total offense against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights, meanwhile, had just 293 total yards and a 1.5 YPC average.
Regardless of the Cincy game, Rutgers still ranks 29th nationally in total defense and seventh in rush defense. Granted, the Knights haven’t faced and top-tier talent since Cincinnati but an improved defense could cause problems for Pittsburgh’s offense.
Quarterback play
Both teams have good running attacks. Pitt’s true freshmen Dion Lewis ranks third nationally with 738 rushing yards. Rutgers features a very effective three-headed rushing attack with Joe Martinek, Jourdan Brooks and De-Antwan Williams combining for 868 yards and 10 touchdowns.
This game will come down to which quarterback can make more plays. Pitt QB Bill Stull is completing 67 percent of his passes for 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions. However, he did throw a pick-six that put them in a 14-3 deficit last week against Connecticut.
Rutgers QB Tom Savage hasn’t wowed anybody with his 56 percent completions or his 138 yards per game. But he also hasn’t thrown an interception and doesn’t make many other mistakes.
Trap game
Pitt is coming off of a come-from-behind last second win against Connecticut at home last week. The Panthers now travel to Rutgers to face the Scarlet Knights in what will be a very emotional game for the seniors.
At this point of the season, it’s apparent that the Panthers clearly have the better, more experienced team. However, Rutgers had a week off to prepare and it’s obvious that the Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Shiano and the rest of the coaching staff knows Pittsburgh very well, having defeated them four years in a row.
Pittsburgh may be extremely fired up for this game, but Rutgers should be well prepared and it’s hard to imagine the Scarlet Knights rolling over on a Friday night home game.
Line movement
The line opened at 3 and has stayed fairly steady around there until Thursday night when it climbed to 5.5 at some books.
The total opened at 49 before sinking slightly to 48.5, then dropping to 45.5 as of Thursday night.
Trends
The Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Friday games and 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games in October. They are also just 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games as a favorite. The ‘under’ is 6-2 in Panthers last eight games overall and 4-0 in Panthers last 4 conference games.
Rutgers is 7-3-1 ATS in its last 11 games overall and 25-10-1 ATS in its last 36 games as an underdog. As a home dog, the Knights are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games. They are ‘under’ 12-3-1 in their last 16 games in October and also ‘under’ 4-1 in Scarlet Knights last 5 home games.
The road team is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings but Pittsburgh [road team] is just 2-5 ATS in their last 7 meetings.
Weather
Game-time temperature is forecasted in the mid-forties with a 50 percent chance of rain.
Pittsburgh (5-1, 3-2 ATS) at Rutgers (4-1, 1-2 ATS)
The Panthers will try to snap a four-game losing streak to Rutgers when they head to New Jersey for a Big East matchup against the Scarlet Knights.
Pitt rallied from a 21-6 third-quarter deficit at home against UConn on Saturday, winning 24-21 when Dan Hutchins connected on an 18-yard field goal as time expired. However, the Panthers came up short as a 6½-point favorite, dropping the Panthers to 6-13 ATS in their last 19 as a chalk.
Rutgers won its fourth straight game Saturday with a 42-0 blowout of Championship Subdivision squad Texas Southern in an unlined contest. After opening with a 47-15 home loss to Big East rival Cincinnati, the Scarlet Knights have scored at least 23 points in each of the ensuing four, with the defense surrendering a total of 35 points during this stretch.
Rutgers went to Pittsburgh last year and embarrassed the Panthers 54-34, cashing as a 9½-point underdog. The Scarlet Knights have taken the last four meetings in this rivalry (3-1 ATS) and cashed in five of the last seven. However, the road team holds an 8-3 ATS advantage in the last 11 years, with the underdog 5-2 ATS in the last seven.
Despite its recent struggles as a favorite, Pitt remains on ATS runs of 12-4 in October, 9-4 on the road, 4-0 on Fridays and 4-0 following an ATS loss. Rutgers is just 1-3-1 ATS in its last five home games, but otherwise is on pointspread runs of 6-2-1 overall, 25-10-1 as an underdog, 3-1 in October and 7-1-1 after a SU win.
Pitt has topped the total in five of six as a road favorite, but aside from that, it is on “under” streaks of 6-2 overall, 4-0 in Big East action and 5-2 in October. The Scarlet Knights are on “over” runs of 9-4 as a home ‘dog, 10-3-1 against teams with winning records and 5-0 in Big East games, but they have stayed below the total in three of four overall and 11 of 15 in October.
In this rivalry, the over has been the play in four of the last six years.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
Tips and Trends
Pittsburgh at Rutgers
Pittsburgh (-3.5, O/U 46): Rutgers has had Pittsburgh’s number recently winning the past four times. The Panthers lost to the Scarlet Knights, 54-34, last year at Heniz field despite out-gaining Rutgers, 486-442. The Panthers have been held to an average of 76 yards rushing by Rutgers during the past four meetings. The 5-1 Panthers have won two in a row beating Louisville on the road (35-10) and Connecticut (24-21). Their only loss came in Week 4 to North Carolina State, 38-31. The Panthers rallied from 16 points down in the third quarter to beat Connecticut at home in their last outing. Quarterback Bill Stull threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Pittsburgh ran for 221 yards in the win. Freshman running back Dion Lewis ranks second in the Big East in rushing averaging 123 yards per game. The Panthers have failed to cover 13 of the past 19 times they’ve been favored.
The Panthers are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 road contests.
The road team is 8-3 against the spread in the series.
Key Injuries - Defensive back Elijah Fields (ankle) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 24
Rutgers: Rutgers gave up 47 points and 564 yards to Cincinnati in its opening game, a 47-15 defeat. But since that stinging loss, the Scarlet Knights have won four in a row, including shutting out Texas Southern (42-0) in their last game. Rutgers has played a softer schedule than Pittsburgh having defeated Howard (45-7), Florida International (23-15), Maryland (34-13) and Texas Southern. The Scarlet Knights frequently blitz. They’ve scored four touchdowns on defense. The Scarlet Knight have held their last three foes to an average of 65.2 yards per game. Rutgers ranks 66th in the nation in total offense. Running backs Jourdan Brooks and Joe Martinek have combined to rush for 647 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Rutgers is 15-5-1 against the spread when getting between 3 ½ and 10 points. The Scarlet Knights have covered 10 of the past 14 times they’ve been a home underdog.
Rutgers is 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games.
The Over is 9-4 in the Scarlet Knights’ last 13 games as a home underdog.
Key Injuries - Offensive lineman Caleb Ruch (ankle) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 21 (Side of the Day)
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
By Who2BetOn
Big East action heats up under the Friday night lights when the Pittsburgh Panthers invade New Brunswick, NJ to tango with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
ESPN’s Friday night CFB betting telecast takes us to Big East territory where the Pitt Panthers (5-1, 3-2 ATS) and Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-1, 2-3 ATS) will lock horns. Last we saw the Panthers, they rallied for 11 straight 4th quarter points to pull off the 24-21 non-covering home win against the UCONN Huskies. Rutgers blanked another patsy, Texas Southern, 42-0 to improve its record to 4-1 on the year. These teams have met every year since 1985 and Pitt is 19-7 during that stretch but has dropped each of the L/4 meetings.
QB Bill Stull cemented himself as the team’s leader last Saturday afternoon against the Connecticut Huskies. He started the game off terribly, but after having one of his passes intercepted and returned for a TD, the SR. QB stepped up and led his team to an improbable victory. He tossed a pair of TD passes late in the game, and then led the Panthers on the game winning drive that was capped off with an 18-yard FG to secure the three-point home victory. His stat line read 21/31 for 268 yards with a 2/2 TD/INT ratio when it was all said and done. He’s the ringleader of an offense ranked 53rd overall in total offense (388.8 YPG) and 18th overall in scoring offense (34.8 PPG). The defense is above average allowing 335.8 YPG (#48) and 18.8 PPG (#33), but the pass defense has to leave HC Dave Wannstedt concerned considering it allowed Soph QB Cody Endres throw for nearly 200 yards on 17 of 23 passing.
CFB bettors haven’t really had a chance to see Rutgers since it got rolled up and smoked in its Week 1 match-up with Cincinnati. Since then, they’ve cruised to a perfect 4-0 mark against creampuffs Howard, FIU, and Texas Southern. Their lone quality win came at Maryland where they upended the Terps 34-13 as one-point road underdogs. Tonight’s match-up with Pitt will give us a clearer understanding of what HC Greg Schiano’s team is all about. Offensively, Rutgers comes in ranked #66 overall in total offense gaining 364.2 YPG and #31 in scoring offense (31.8 PPG). QB Tom Savage returned to live game action after suffering a concussion vs. Cincy, and will go tonight. Defensively, the Scarlet Knights rank 29th overall allowing 302.6 YPG and 23rd overall in scoring defense allowing just 16.4 PPG. Again, this teams played nobody throughout the last month, so don’t read too much into these rankings.
Rutgers gouged the Panthers defense for 371 passing yards and threw 6 TD passes en route to the decisive 54-34 outright win as 9.5-point road underdogs in last year’s meeting. The Scarlet Knights have won four straight in the series by an average of 11 PPG, but the road team is 8-2 ATS the L/11 meetings.