It's Halloween night at Acrisure Stadium, and two banged-up teams are "starving for a win." Pitt has lost three straight and still hasn't named a quarterback, so the public will want the 7.5. I think the number is short. Start with the common opponents. Pitt lost by 6 at Boston College despite 13 penalties for 133 yards, 3 giveaways and an 0-for-3 night in the red zone. Georgia Tech lost to that same BC team by 22 at home. Pitt won by 2 at Virginia Tech, and Georgia Tech lost there by 10. Those are gaps of 16 and 12 points, and tonight Pitt is home. Pitt's skid is mostly self-inflicted. The Panthers scored 17, 21 and 23 while gaining 381 yards against UNC and 395 at BC, but kept handing the ball over (2, 3 and 1 giveaways). Georgia Tech can't punish that: it has one takeaway in six FBS games. The Yellow Jackets' defense is the worst unit on the field, allowing 33.5 points a game against FBS teams. Riley, Terry, Felton and Kiker are out in the secondary, White and Mitchell are questionable, and Brent Key admits the team is leaning on first-year players. Cataurus Hicks just went for 149 and 135 yards. Edge rusher Noah Carter is out, and GT has 1 sack or fewer in five of six FBS games. The turnover math runs the other way too. Georgia Tech has 9 giveaways in six FBS games, and Pitt's defense has 11 takeaways in seven. GT also lost OL Kevin Peay Jr. and Ethan Mackenny for the season, so Josh Petty makes a first career start at left tackle. The schedule favors Pitt. The Panthers are home with a bye next, so there's no lookahead. Georgia Tech is 2-5, traveling about 520 miles, with Louisville up next. The risks are real. Pitt's quarterback is unconfirmed, and its pass defense has allowed 249-plus yards in four straight games. Red-zone field goals can leave a favorite stuck at 6. GT gets DTs Tawfiq Thomas and Vincent Carroll-Jackson back after both missed BC's 400-yard rushing day. Georgia Tech also kept its road losses to 7 and 10. If Damon Ferguson Jr. can't go, play this smaller. Still, this defense forces almost nothing, and Pitt's main problem has been giving the ball away. Lay the 7.5 with Pitt.
It's Halloween night at Acrisure Stadium, and two banged-up teams are "starving for a win." Pitt has lost three straight and still hasn't named a quarterback, so the public will want the 7.5. I think the number is short.
Start with the common opponents. Pitt lost by 6 at Boston College despite 13 penalties for 133 yards, 3 giveaways and an 0-for-3 night in the red zone. Georgia Tech lost to that same BC team by 22 at home. Pitt won by 2 at Virginia Tech, and Georgia Tech lost there by 10. Those are gaps of 16 and 12 points, and tonight Pitt is home.
Pitt's skid is mostly self-inflicted. The Panthers scored 17, 21 and 23 while gaining 381 yards against UNC and 395 at BC, but kept handing the ball over (2, 3 and 1 giveaways). Georgia Tech can't punish that: it has one takeaway in six FBS games.
The Yellow Jackets' defense is the worst unit on the field, allowing 33.5 points a game against FBS teams. Riley, Terry, Felton and Kiker are out in the secondary, White and Mitchell are questionable, and Brent Key admits the team is leaning on first-year players. Cataurus Hicks just went for 149 and 135 yards. Edge rusher Noah Carter is out, and GT has 1 sack or fewer in five of six FBS games.
The turnover math runs the other way too. Georgia Tech has 9 giveaways in six FBS games, and Pitt's defense has 11 takeaways in seven. GT also lost OL Kevin Peay Jr. and Ethan Mackenny for the season, so Josh Petty makes a first career start at left tackle.
The schedule favors Pitt. The Panthers are home with a bye next, so there's no lookahead. Georgia Tech is 2-5, traveling about 520 miles, with Louisville up next.
The risks are real. Pitt's quarterback is unconfirmed, and its pass defense has allowed 249-plus yards in four straight games. Red-zone field goals can leave a favorite stuck at 6. GT gets DTs Tawfiq Thomas and Vincent Carroll-Jackson back after both missed BC's 400-yard rushing day. Georgia Tech also kept its road losses to 7 and 10. If Damon Ferguson Jr. can't go, play this smaller.
Still, this defense forces almost nothing, and Pitt's main problem has been giving the ball away. Lay the 7.5 with Pitt.
Pittsburgh -7.5