Pitt and West Virginia will face off for the 107th time on the gridiron Saturday in Pittsburgh.
The Panthers are 2-0 coming off wins against Cincinnati and Kent State, while WVU is 1-1, losing to Penn State and defeating UAlbany.
Our staff gives their predictions:
Ashley O’Brien:
I always look forward to this game when it’s on the schedule. It’s such a long-standing and fierce rivalry. With home-field advantage this year, I expect Pitt to win in a thriller. These teams are evenly matched, but the Panthers have the momentum coming off of a comeback win over Cincinnati. Their offense and defense look a lot different this year compared to last. I expect them to take shots downfield against West Virginia, looking for holes in the secondary, and provide an even balance on the ground. In the end, I think a late field goal is the decider.
Pitt 24, WVU 21
Ryan Roddy:
I predict this will be a very close affair that comes down to the wire, just like it did in the Brawl’s return in 2022, but in favor of the Mountaineers. The focus will be on their defense, specifically their secondary. That’s my most significant key to victory for them, and that’s what is going to decide the outcome, in my opinion. Pitt has a quarterback I’ve been impressed with so far: redshirt freshman Eli Holstein, who is not afraid of airing it out and is ultimately accurate in doing so with a completion percentage nearing 67%. Pitt’s runningback Desmond Reid is another weapon. He can hurt you in the rush attack and in the passing game, and we saw that against the Bearcats. For WVU’s offense, I’m predicting CJ Donaldson will have a big game like he’s had against the Panthers in the past; no Mountaineer has more touchdowns than him in the last three seasons. However, West Virginia must mix in some passes and shots to keep Pitt’s defense on their toes. Ultimately, I predict that West Virginia kicker Micael Hayes will hit a late field goal to win it.
WVU 24, Pitt 21
Korey Moore:
The Mountaineers will have a lot of ground to cover defensively after their secondary struggled in its first two outings. That being said, I think enough pressure will be put on freshman quarterback Eli Holstein to make the secondary’s job easy. WVU’s defensive line should be able to manage against Pitt’s singular rushing threat and hold the Panthers in the red zone. Offensively, Garrett Greene, CJ Donaldson, and Jahiem White all being clear rushing threats will be a challenge in itself for Pittsburgh to deal with. I expect Greene to make use of his receivers a bit more, but this game can be won on foot, and if it is, WVU has the clear advantage over Pitt, who will rely a lot on Desmond Reid in the run game and as a receiver.
WVU 31, Pitt 13
RJ Russell:
This is a game that could very well be decided by Quarterback play. WVU Senior Garrett Greene will look to build off his performance against Albany. While for Pitt, Eli Holstein has put up stellar numbers with 635 yards and six TDs through the first two games of the season. Another difference maker could be the Pitt run game, West Virginia will need to find a way to slow down Junior running back Desmond Reid who has recorded 145 yards in each of the last two games. Although I believe that the Mountaineers will walk out of Pittsburgh with a win in a close game that comes down to the wire.
WVU 28, Pitt 24
