The Pittsburgh Panthers (1-0) face off against the Cincinnati Bearcats (1-0) on Saturday, September 7th. This game will be played at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati and televised on ESPN2. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Kickoff is set for 12:00 ET.

Pittsburgh Panthers vs Cincinnati Bearcats

 

Pittsburgh Offense Breakdown

After putting up 570 yards of total offense and 55 points in their last game, Pittsburgh’s offense is firing on all cylinders. The Panthers’ ground game was effective, amassing 201 yards and two touchdowns, while their passing attack was even more potent, racking up 369 yards and four scores. Eli Holstein completed 75% of his passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns, ending the game with a passer rating of 114.17. His top target, Kenny Johnson, caught seven passes for 105 yards.

Desmond Reid was a key contributor on the ground, rushing for 145 yards on just 14 carries and finding the end zone once.

Cincinnati Offense Breakdown

Cincinnati’s offense was dominant in their 38-20 win, racking up 665 total yards. The Bearcats ran for 282 yards and three touchdowns, while their passing game added 383 yards and two scores.

Quarterback Brendan Sorsby completed 71% of his passes for 383 yards, throwing two touchdowns and finishing with a passer rating of 134.21. Evan Pryor led the ground game with 105 yards on just four carries, and Xzavier Henderson was the top receiver with seven catches for 101 yards.

Pittsburgh Team Defense

Pittsburgh’s defense was dominant in their most recent game, holding Kent State to just 33 rushing yards on 37 attempts. The Panthers allowed 24 points but were strong overall, giving up just 214 total yards. Kent State completed 14 of 28 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns, with Pittsburgh’s defense picking off one pass.

Pittsburgh Team Defense

Cincinnati’s defense will need to tighten up after allowing 438 total yards to Towson in their last game. Towson’s offense found success on the ground, rushing for 194 yards, while the Bearcats’ secondary gave up 244 yards through the air. Cincinnati’s defense allowed 20 points and 22 first downs, but they did manage to force two turnovers.

Pittsburgh vs Cincinnati Trends

• Through their last ten road contests, the Pittsburgh Panthers offense has averaged 22 points per game while allowing an average of 29. Pittsburgh posted an overall record of 3-7 while going 3-7 ATS.
• Through their last five home contests, the Cincinnati Bearcats offense has averaged 22 points per game while allowing an average of 31. Cincinnati posted an overall record of 2-3 while going 2-3 ATS.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Pittsburgh Panthers have gone 3-7 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-8.
• In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Cincinnati Bearcats have a straight up record of 7-3 and an ATS mark of 2-8.

Panthers vs Bearcats Prediction

Our projections have this week two matchup between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati as a tight one, with Cincinnati favored by -2.5. However, we like Pittsburgh to not only cover the spread but to win the game straight-up. The projected final score is 28-26 in favor of Pittsburgh.

With the over/under line set at 59.5 points, we recommend taking the under, as our projections have the combined score at 54 points.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.