West Virginia vs Pittsburgh Odds, Lines and Picks
- #17 Pittsburgh is a 7.5-point home favorite over West Virginia on Thursday night
- The schools are playing for the 105th time but last met in 2011
- A look at the matchup and odds can be found below with a pick
Two former USC quarterbacks will debut with their new schools far away from Los Angeles when West Virginia visits #17 Pittsburgh at 7 p.m. ET Thursday (Sept 1) at Acrisure Stadium in the reincarnation of the “Backyard Brawl.”
Pitt is a 7.5-point favorite after opening at -7 in a game that will be televised by ESPN. The weather forecast calls for mostly clear, a temperature of 73 degrees at kickoff with a low of 55.
West Virginia was 6-7 last season. Pitt won the ACC title and finished 11-3.
West Virginia vs Pittsburgh Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | +7.5 (-110) | +240 | Over 52 (-110) |
| Pittsburgh | -7.5 (-110) | -305 | Under 52 (-110) |
Odds as of August 30th at Caesars Sportsbook.
Get Your First Bet Back - Up To $1,000 On Caesars!
Pitt has +20000 National Championship odds and West Virginia is listed at +27500.
West Virginia Betting Outlook
West Virginia is counting on new quarterback JT Daniels to improve an offense that has been lackluster since Neal Brown took over as head coach prior to the 2019 season.
JT Daniels 🤝 Russell Wilson
(🎥: @WVUfootball) pic.twitter.com/h6DV3WaJp6
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 27, 2022
Daniels played in just nine games the past two seasons at Georgia. Five of those appearances came last year when he lost the starting quarterback job to Stetson Bennett, who led the Bulldogs to the national championship.
Since playing in 11 games as a freshman at USC in 2018, Daniels has appeared in just 10 games the past three seasons. He has completed 63.8% of his passes in 21 career games for 4,840 yards and 32 touchdowns with 16 interceptions.
Three of West Virginia’s top five receivers last season left the program via the transfer portal. The top returnee is Bryce Ford-Wheaton, who had 42 catches for 575 yards and three TDs in 2021.
#WVU WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton is a player who could really emerge into one of the best receivers in the Big-12 this season.
He’s an athletic, big bodied speedy receiver who can get behind secondaries and showcase his body control when the ball is in the air.pic.twitter.com/Jeb3Bz3via
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) August 9, 2022
Daniels is reunited with offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, who served in the same role at USC.
West Virginia’s offensive line has more than 100 career starts combined but those came under a run-heavy scheme. The Mountaineers figure to pass-happy with Harrell calling the plays.
West Virginia has just four defensive starters returning, all on the line. Tackle Dante Stills is back after having seven sacks and 15 tackles for loss a year ago.
Pittsburgh Betting Outlook.
Kedon Slovis takes over at quarterback for Kenny Pickett, who was third in the Heisman Trophy voting last season and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-round draft pick.
Pitt’s senior football players are being announced as they enter the event. Here is the guy who received the loudest applause, recently named starting quarterback Kedon Slovis. pic.twitter.com/AVmCKVLrIe
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) August 26, 2022
In 2019, Slovis took over as USC’s QB1 after Daniels sustained a knee injury. He wound up passing for 3,502 yards in 12 games and was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.
In 15 games over the past two seasons with the Trojans, Slovis threw for 4,074 yards and 28 touchdowns, was intercepted 15 times and completed 66.0% of his attempts. He lost his starting job to Jaxson Dart in 2021.
Pitt may not throw was much in 2022 under new offensive quarterback Frank Cignetti Jr. and without star wide receiver Jordan Addison. After winning the Biletnikoff Award, Addison transferred to USC.
With five starters returning on the offensive line, Pitt has the horses to play a power running game. The Panthers also have three backs who rushed for at least 500 yards last season.
The defense includes six players who garnered all-ACC honors last season. Calijah Kancey anchors the line, which could be among the best in the nation, and SirVocea Dennis is the top returning linebacker.
SirVocea Dennis days until the Backyard Brawl #H2P pic.twitter.com/fHJbHFH995
— Pitt Coverage (@PittCoverage) August 25, 2022
Dennis had a team-high 82 tackles last year, including four sacks.
The Panthers are at +1200 in the ACC Championship odds in their bid to repeat.
West Virginia vs Pittsburgh Prediction
The rivals, separated by a 75-mile stretch of Interstate 79, last met in 2011. West Virginia won a 21-20 squeaker at home.
Pitt, though, has a 61-40-3 lead in the all-time series.
Look for both teams to have some sloppiness on offense with new quarterbacks on opening night. That makes West Virginia look like a good choice to slip under the number.
Pick: West Virginia +7.5 (-110)
DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOKBET $5 & GET $200 INSTANTLY & A NO SWEAT NBA SGP EVERY DAY!
- FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK
BET $5 & GET $150 IF YOUR BET WINS!
- BETMGM SPORTSBOOK
GET UP TO $1,500 BACK IN BONUS BETS!
- CAESARS SPORTSBOOK
GET UP TO $1,000 BACK - ON CAESARS!
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
