One of just two games between ranked teams on the Week 10 schedule happens to also be one of the pivot points in the ACC title race as No. 18 Pitt travels to No. 20 SMU.
Pitt is off to a 7-0 start, the program’s first since 1982, with a 3-0 mark in ACC play following a thunderous 41-13 win over Syracuse last Thursday night. The Panthers defense picked off Kyle McCord five times and returned three of those interceptions for touchdowns in a runaway win that now has Pat Narduzzi’s squad in thick of the ACC title hunt. Narduzzi led Pitt to a runner-up finish in 2018 and the Panthers won the ACC outright in 2021. As one of four teams with an undefeated conference record heaving into November, Pitt holds the key to the race with two games against other top contenders — the first being SMU. BetMGM currently gives Pitt +1100 betting odds to win the conference, behind only Miami (+110), Clemson (+130) and SMU (+630).
Rhett Lashlee’s Mustangs were positioned as a possible threat to the likes of a Clemson or Miami back in the offseason, but some early offensive struggles and a loss to BYU cast some doubt on the team’s title hopes. Now, the BYU loss doesn’t look so bad and a quarterback change has sparked the SMU’s offense during a five-game winning streak that has seen the Mustangs average 42 points per game. Getting to 7-1 wasn’t easy, though, with results including a one-score win at Louisville and last week’s overtime epic at Duke. SMU blocked the Blue Devils’ attempt at a game-winning field goal in regulation then got a 2-point conversion stop in overtime to seal the 28-27 win.
Pitt vs. SMU: Need to know
Pitt dealing with uncertainty at quarterback: Pat Narduzzi expects Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein to play after he suffered an undisclosed injury and did not return in the fourth quarter of the Panthers’ 41-13 win against Syracuse last week. The Alabama transfer has enjoyed a terrific season thus far. Holstein has thrown for 1,805 yards and 17 touchdowns to only five interceptions. The question is, how close to 100 percent will the standout signal-caller be?
SMU dealing with its own injury concerns: Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings took a hard hit in the fourth quarter of last week’s win at Duke but did return after examination to lead the team to a win in overtime. But Rhett Lashlee said this week that Jennings is questionable for the game as he is one of several SMU players who are “beat up” and trying to work their way into shape for Saturday’s game. Jennings himself expressed his confidence in being ready to play on Wednesday. However, if SMU has to turn to its backup the Mustangs have a large sample size with Preston Stone, who threw for 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns as the team’s starting quarterback before suffering a season-ending injury against Navy last year.
Two of the ACCs best offenses: Even with some questions around the health of the quarterbacks there is still plenty of buzz about this clash of two high-powered offensive teams. Pitt currently ranks third in the ACC in scoring offense (40.9 points per game) and fourth in yards per play (6.96), while SMU ranks fourth in scoring offense (39.1 points per game) and fifth in yards per play (6.39). While Rhett Lashlee’s team productive does not come as a surprise, the renaissance for Pitt has been tremendous. New offensive coordinator Kade Bell has guided the Panthers their best numbers since that 2021 ACC Championship season.
How to watch Pitt vs. SMU live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 2 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium — Dallas, Texas
TV: ACC Network | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Pitt vs. SMU prediction, picks
The Panthers have exceeded expectations all year with their 7-0 start, and I think — given the way that SMU had to tap into its depth late Saturday night in Durham — there could be a bit of an advantage for a Pitt team that won in blowout fashion two days earlier. This is the toughest opponent Pitt has faced all year, but it’s still a game where the Panthers can hang around and cover the touchdown-plus betting line. Pick: Pitt +7.5
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