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    • Virginia Football vs. Pittsburgh Match Preview, Score Prediction
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    Virginia Football vs. Pittsburgh Match Preview, Score Prediction

    Umito Posted on

    THE Virginia Cavaliers and the No. 18 Pittsburgh Panthers are scheduled to face off Saturday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 8 p.m. The two are facing each other for the first time since 2022 where the Panthers beat the Cavaliers 37-7 in Charlottesville. This game is critical for both teams, as Virginia looks to make one last push to advance to bowl eligibility, while Pittsburgh will look to bounce back from a blowout 48-25 loss to SMU last week.

    Read on for a complete preview of Virginia vs. Pittsburgh with everything you need to know, including game details and notes, an opponent scouting report, what to watch and a score prediction.

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

    When: Saturday, November 9 at 8 p.m. ET

    Or: Acrisure Stadium (68400) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    How to watch: ACC Network

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

    All-time series: Pittsburgh leads 10-4

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

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

    See UVA’s Week 11 depth chart for the Pittsburgh game below: Virginia vs. Pittsburgh Football Depth Chart | Takeaways, Analysis

    Virginia Cavaliers football depth chart for Week 11 vs. Pittsburgh.

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

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

    The Pittsburgh Panthers have taken the ACC by storm this season, getting off to a 7-0 start before losing to SMU on the road. The Panthers began their season with four non-conference games, including a 28-27 victory over Cincinnati in which Pitt scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win, and a 38-34 victory over West Virginia, where Pittsburgh scored 14 unanswered points. to solidify another comeback victory.

    With non-conference play out of the way, the Panthers broke out in the ACC with a solid 34-24 victory over North Carolina before a missed field goal by Cal allowed Pittsburgh to remain undefeated with a victory of 17-15 on the Golden. Bears. In response to the fortunate victory, Pittsburgh left no doubt against Syracuse with a dominating 41-13 victory, which included the Panthers’ defense pushing back Kyle McCord five times, including three for touchdowns.

    Last week, the Panthers suffered their first loss of the season, crushed 48-25 by SMU on the road. Their performance summary landed them in 18th place in the inaugural College Football Playoff rankings.

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

    The main reason for Pittsburgh’s resurgence has been attributed to quarterback Eli Holstein. Holstein, who redshirted his freshman season at Alabama before transferring to Pittsburgh, was a star for coach Pat Narduzzi, throwing for 2,053 yards, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. As 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 totaling over 250 receiving yards and at least three touchdown receptions. Konata Mumpfield leads the way for the Panthers with 541 receiving yards and three touchdowns. After Mumpfield, running back Desmond Reid is second in receiving yards with 385 yards and four touchdowns out of the backfield, while Kenny Johnson is Holstein’s second-leading receiver target with 358 yards.

    On the ground, Reid is a force to be reckoned with with 590 yards and three touchdowns, posing as a dual threat out of the backfield for defenses. Holstein is also dynamic, with 305 rushing yards this season, proving to be a danger to defenses as a passer and runner.

    Defensively, Pittsburgh is middle of the pack, ranking 9th in total defense in the ACC and 14th in pass defense. Despite this, the Panthers’ defense put up some impressive performances, including the 41-13 victory over Syracuse, where the Pittsburgh defense forced five interceptions against former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, who had been having a tough time. solid year so far.

    Sophomore linebacker Kyle Louis leads the charge on the Panthers’ defensive end with 68 total tackles, four sacks, three interceptions and a forced fumble. Other defensive highlights include defensive back Donavan McMillon, who has 67 tackles, four pass deflections and one interception, and linebacker Rasheem Biles, who has 56 tackles, four sacks and one interception. Throwing the ball in the middle of the field proved dangerous for other opponents against the Panthers.

    The Quarterback Battle
    It’s no secret that Anthony Colandrea has struggled in recent games, partly attributed to strong defenses, poor offensive line play and a difficulty for his wide receivers to gain separation. With Brian Stevens set to return for Virginia’s offensive line after missing the North Carolina game and Pittsburgh’s pass defense not particularly the strongest, Colandrea has a chance to make a statement on Saturday. On the other hand, Eli Holstein will prove to be a formidable counterpart to Colandrea, with whom he will become familiar, as Holstein is only a redshirt freshman. This game has shootout potential if both play their best football.

    Can Virginia’s defense contain Desmond Reid?
    Last time against North Carolina, the name of the game had Omarion Hampton in it. The Cavaliers failed that challenge, allowing Hampton to run for 105 yards and two touchdowns as the Tar Heels humiliated Virginia 41-14. Against the Panthers, the key to their offense, besides Holstein, is containing its outlet in Desmond Reid, who Holstein has relied on for explosive checks all year. Tacking for the first time against Reid and containing him will be key to forcing Holstein to throw downfield rather than constantly moving the ball down the field with easy-to-throw passes.

    Can the Cavaliers solve their red zone problems?
    Virginia’s red zone was atrocious on both sides of the ball. Starting with the offense, which has just 12 red zone touchdowns in 2024, good for second-to-last in the ACC, is 26/33 overall in red zone conversions, most of them them being field goals. If the Cavaliers want to beat Pittsburgh, it starts with putting sevens on the board and not sending Will Bettridge out for chip shots. Defensively, the Cavaliers rank second to last in the ACC in red zone defense, allowing points on 30/33 trips to opposing offenses. If Virginia’s defense can even get Pittsburgh to leave the red zone empty-handed on just one trip, it will go a long way toward Virginia’s efforts to possibly leave Pittsburgh with a well-deserved victory.

    With three consecutive defeats, the morale of the Cavaliers is at its lowest for the season. On the other hand, Pittsburgh is coming off its first loss of the season, which exposed many of the team’s glaring weaknesses. Now the question is can Virginia expose these flaws, but do the Hoos have the talent to do so? Plus, how is Pittsburgh responding to the loss? The bye week could help the Cavaliers head to Pittsburgh healthier. Tony Elliott’s lack of preparation against North Carolina can’t be ignored when you consider how different things will be against Pitt. This game is closer than people think, but the Panthers will get back in the win column and hand the Cavaliers their fourth straight loss.

    Score prediction: Virginia 23, Pittsburgh 26

    Stat Comparison: How Virginia Compares to Pittsburgh on Paper

    UVA Football: Players to Watch in Virginia vs. Pittsburgh

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

    Virginia vs. Pittsburgh Football Depth Chart | Takeaways, analysis

    Virginia Football: ACC Football Week 11 Power Rankings

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