Odds, Picks and Predictions
The West Virginia Mountaineers and Pittsburgh Panthers will square off Thursday in a NCAA football matchup.
Pitt enjoyed a productive 2021 campaign. They suffered just three total losses and have built an impressive football program. They will look for similar results in 2022.
And they can start their season off on a high note with a victory on Thursday.
As for West Virginia, they were extremely inconsistent in 2021. They went through plenty of hot and cold stretches last year. If they can put the pieces together and find some balance, this could be a dangerous team in 2022.
This projects to be a competitive affair in the season opener for Pitt and West Virginia.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EST on Thursday, September 1st, 2022, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
West Virginia Mountaineers at Pittsburgh Panthers Info
Location: Acrisure Stadium (formerly Heinz Field) in Pittsburgh, PA
Date: Thursday, September 1st, 2022
Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN
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The Pittsburgh Panthers enter this game as the favorites. They are favored to win by one score, which won’t be an easy number to cover. But this Pitt team certainly possesses the talent to get the job done.
It should be noted that West Virginia is a team more than capable of upsetting the odds. They were just under .500 against the spread a season ago but could finish with an even better mark in 2022.
These odds tell us that this should be a competitive game. Pitt expects to pull off the victory. But the Mountaineers won’t go down without a fight.
Betting Trends
- The West Virginia Mountaineers were 6-7 against the spread last season.
- The Pittsburgh Panthers were 10-4 against the spread last year.
- The Mountaineers were 2-4 against the spread when playing on the road.
- The Panthers were 4-3 against the spread when playing at their home field.
- West Virginia was 3-4 against the spread as an underdog last year.
- Pitt was 10-3 against the spread as a favorite last year.
- The Mountaineers were 2-2 against the spread when playing as an away underdog.
- The Panthers were 4-3 against the spread when playing as a home favorite.
As seen above, the Panthers were impressive against the spread a season ago. Meanwhile, West Virginia was average in the department.
Let’s take an in-depth look at each of these teams ahead of this game.
Betting on West Virginia Mountaineers
The Mountaineers were mediocre overall and against the spread. They never caught any form of momentum, which led to this team trading wins and losses for the entire season.
For example, they were blown out by Kansas State in mid-November last year. But they rebounded with strong victories over Texas and Kansas in late November.
But they dropped their bowl game against Minnesota in December. The offense was quiet as they lost 18-6.
And those four games help reveal what kind of year West Virginia had in 2021. They have obviously brought in new recruits, and the rest of their players have more experience entering 2022. So they should be able to avoid enduring the same amount of streakiness.
One hopeful statistic for bettors taking West Virginia is that they went 2-0 against the spread when playing as underdogs of 7 points or more in 2021. So they displayed the ability to keep the score close despite the odds.
But does that mean the Mountaineers are worth placing your money on?
On paper, Pitt should win this game. But it will be interesting to see what kind of defensive improvements the Mountaineers made over the offseason. They were aiming to strengthen their overall team on the defensive side of the ball, and this game should provide a good look at their progress.
Betting on Pittsburgh Panthers
Pitt was excellent against the spread in 2021. In fact, they were one of the best teams when covering the spread overall.
But the loss of Kenny Pickett, who was drafted by the Steelers, will hurt this team without question. However, they believe they have the talent to enjoy a solid campaign and get the job done on Thursday.
Pitt was decent against the spread when playing at their home field. But they were especially good in terms of covering as a favorite.
Covering spreads in football can be difficult as a favorite. Teams can sometimes be listed as heavy favorites, and it is difficult to uphold the odds late in games in a blowout. But the Panthers were able to do just that.
They will need to win by more than seven points on Thursday. It won’t be easy, but the Panthers have the talent to cover. They were 4-3 last year when favored to win by seven or more points.
Additionally, 14 of Pitt’s games last year went over the point total. Their impressive offense did not have much trouble scoring at all in 2021.
It will be interesting to see if Pitt can replicate last year’s success this year.
West Virginia Mountaineers at Pittsburgh Panthers Picks and Predictions
This should be a fun game to watch. Both of these offenses are capable of scoring a lot of points in a hurry. Take the over on the listed point total.
As for the game, Pitt should be able to cover the 7.5-point spread. The Mountaineers’ defense has their share of question marks, and it may take them a few games to settle in.
Meanwhile, the Panthers are confident after their strong season. They should use their momentum from last year and home energy to turn Thursday’s game into a convincing victory over the Mountaineers.
The Picks:
- Go ahead and take Pitt as your moneyline (straight-up pick) betting selection in this game.
- Take the over on the implied point total in this one.
- Roll with the Pittsburgh Panthers -7.5 with your spread selection.
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