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Virginia Football-Pittsburgh Match Preview, Score Prediction

Harry November 8, 2024

Virginia Cavaliers and the No. 18 Pittsburgh Panthers will face off in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Saturday at 8 p.m. The two faced each other for the first time since 2022, when the Panthers defeated the Cavaliers 37-7 in Charlottesville. This match is critical for both teams; While Virginia makes a last-ditch effort to qualify for the bowl, Pittsburgh will look to bounce back from last week’s stunning 48-25 loss to SMU.

Read on for our full preview of the Virginia-Pittsburgh game, including everything you need to know, including game details and notes, opponent scouting report, what to look for, and score prediction.

WHO: Virginia Cavaliers (4-4, 2-3 ACC) – Pittsburgh Panthers (7-1, 3-1 ACC)

When: Saturday, November 9 at 20:00 ET

Where: Acrisure Stadium (68,400) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

How to watch: ACC Network

How to listen: SiriusXM 137, SXM App 137 | Virginia Sports Radio Network

All time series: Pittsburgh leads 10-4

Last meeting: Pittsburgh defeated Virginia 37-7 in Charlottesville, Virginia, during the 2022 season.

Read Virginia’s injury report for the Pittsburgh game here: UVA Football Week 11 Injury Report: Brian Stevens, James Jackson, Antonio Clary

See below for UVA’s Week 11 depth chart for the game against Pittsburgh: Virginia Football Depth Chart – Pittsburgh | Inferences, Analysis

Virginia Cavaliers’ Week 11 football depth chart vs. Pittsburgh. /Virginia Athletic

2023: 3-9, 2-6 ACC
2024: 7-1, 3-1 ACC

The Pittsburgh Panthers took the ACC by storm this season, getting off to a 7-0 start before falling on the road to SMU. The Panthers started the season with four non-conference games; these included a 28–27 victory over Cincinnati, in which Pitt scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, and a 38–34 victory over West Virginia, in which Pittsburgh scored 14 unanswered points. to cement another comeback victory.

With non-conference play out of the way, the Panthers ripped through the ACC with a strong 34-24 win over North Carolina, then a missed shot by Cal allowed Pittsburgh to remain undefeated with a 17-15 victory over Golden. Bears. In response to the fortunate victory, Pittsburgh left no doubt with a crushing 41-13 victory over Syracuse; This included the Panthers’ defense beating Kyle McCord five times, three of which were touchdowns.

Last week, the Panthers suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 48-25 on the road to SMU. Their resume of performances placed them at No. 18 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.

Check out our Week 11 ACC Power Rankings: Virginia Football: ACC Football Week 11 Power Rankings

The primary reason for Pittsburgh’s resurgence has been attributed to quarterback Eli Holstein. Holstein, who redshirted his first season at Alabama before transferring to Pittsburgh, became a star for coach Pat Narduzzi, passing for 2,053 yards, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. Just a redshirt freshman, Holstein looks to be a force in the ACC for the next few years.

Holstein spreads the ball around with five receivers with more than 250 receiving yards and at least three receiving yards. Konata Mumpfield leads the way for the Panthers with 541 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Behind Mumpfield, running back Desmond Reid was second in receiving yards with 385 yards and four touchdowns out of the backfield, while Kenny Johnson was Holstein’s second receiving target with 358 yards.

On the field, Reid is a force to be reckoned with, with 590 yards and three TDs, and he’s a dual threat out of the backfield for the defense. Holstein is also dynamic; With 305 yards on the ground this season, he projects as a passer and runner who is a danger to the defense.

Defensively, Pittsburgh is in the middle of the pack, ranking 9th in the ACC in total defense and 14th in pass defense. Despite this, the Panthers defense put in some impressive performances; Including a 41-13 victory over Syracuse in which Pittsburgh’s defense forced five interceptions against former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, who was having a solid year up to that point.

Sophomore linebacker Kyle Louis leads the offense on the defensive side of the ball for the Panthers with 68 tackles, four sacks, three interceptions and one forced fumble. Other defensive standouts include linebacker Donavan McMillon, who had 67 tackles, four pass deflections and one interception, and linebacker Rasheem Biles, who had 56 tackles, four pass deflections and one interception. While playing with the Panthers, throwing the ball down the middle of the field proved to be dangerous for other opponents.

Quarterback War
It’s no secret that Anthony Colandrea has struggled the last few games, due in part to solid defenses, poor offensive line play and his wide receivers struggling to get separation. With Brian Stevens set to return to the Virginia offensive line after missing the game against North Carolina and Pittsburgh’s pass defense not being particularly strong, Colandrea has a chance to make a statement on Saturday. Eli Holstein, on the other hand, will prove to be a formidable counterpart to Colandrea, whom Holstein will only be familiar with as a redshirt freshman. This match has the potential for a penalty shootout if both play their best football.

Can the Virginia defense contain Desmond Reid?
Last time we played against North Carolina, the name of the game was Omarion Hampton. The Cavaliers came up short on that challenge, allowing Hampton to rush for 105 yards and two touchdowns as the Tar Heels defeated Virginia 41-14. The key to their offense against the Panthers is containing the outlet outside Holstein in Desmond Reid, whom Holstein has relied on for explosive checks all year long. Tackling Reid for the first time and containing him will be vital to force Holstein to throw downfield instead of constantly moving him downfield with easy passes.

Can the Cavaliers solve their red zone problem?
Virginia’s red zone was terrible on both sides of the ball. Starting with an offense that has just 12 red zone touchdowns in 2024, good for second-to-last in the ACC, they are 26-of-33 overall on red zone conversions, most of which have been field goals. If the Cavaliers want to beat Pittsburgh, it starts with putting sevens on the board instead of sending Will Bettridge out for chip shots. Defensively, the Cavaliers rank second to last in the ACC in red zone defense, allowing opposing offenses 30/33 points. If the Virginia defense can cause Pittsburgh to leave the red zone empty-handed on one pass, it will go a long way in Virginia’s efforts to come away from Pittsburgh with a much-needed win.

Having lost three in a row, the Cavaliers’ morale is at its lowest level of the season. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is suffering its first loss of the season, which reveals many glaring weaknesses in the team. The question now is whether Virginia can expose those flaws, but do the Hoos have the talent to do so? Moreover, how will Pittsburgh react to this loss? This bye week could help the Cavaliers enter Pittsburgh healthier. Considering how different things will be against Pitt, Tony Elliott’s lack of preparation against North Carolina cannot be ignored. This game is closer than people think, but the Panthers will get back on the win streak and hand the Cavaliers their fourth straight loss.

Score prediction: Virginia 23, Pittsburgh 26

Stat Comparison: Virginia’s On Paper Against Pittsburgh

UVA Football: Players to Watch in the Virginia-Pittsburgh Game

UVA Football Week 11 Injury Report: Brian Stevens, James Jackson, Antonio Clary

Virginia Football Depth Chart – Pittsburgh | Inferences, Analysis

Virginia Football: ACC Football Week 11 Power Rankings