Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Stanford Cardinal, Preview, Odds, Prediction and Picks – Saturday, November 1
The Stanford Cardinal will host the Pitt Panthers this Saturday, and we'll preview the lines and odds in our Pittsburgh vs. Stanford prediction. Pittsburgh is 4-0 in their last four games, most recently whacking the N.C. State Wolfpack 53-34 at home, while Stanford is coming off a 42-7 road loss to the vaunted Miami Hurricanes. Kickoff is set for 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, November 1.
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Pitt dominant through the midseason ACC schedule
The Pittsburgh Panthers are 6-2 overall, 4-1 in conference play, and sneaking up toward the AP Top 25–they received one vote–in Week 10. They've won and covered the spread in each of their last four games, beating Boston College (48-7), No. 25 Florida State (34-31), Syracuse (30-13), and N.C. State (53-34).
Pitt dominated the Wolfpack on offense, racking up 529 yards, 29 first downs, and converting on six of 14 third downs and their lone fourth-down attempt. They were especially strong in the middle two quarters of the game, scoring four touchdowns and three field goals while only punting three times. The offense wasn't any less dominant in the first quarter, but the defense stepped up in a big way–three of the Wolfpack's four third-quarter drives gained fewer than 10 yards, with two ending on failed fourth-down plays while a third ended with a fumble.
It's hard to separate the Panthers' dominant run from the performance of freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel, who made his first start in the team's 48-7 win over Boston College and hasn't given up the reins since. He completed 28 of 48 passes for 423 yards and three touchdowns against the Wolfpack, and finished his first game as a starter without throwing an interception or taking a sack.
The Panthers enter Week 10 ranked 10th in the FBS in passing yards per game (302.4) and eighth in points per game (40.3). They're third in the ACC standings behind No. 8 Georgia Tech (8-0) and No. 15 Virginia (7-1). Despite that, this may be the last regular-season game that Pittsburgh is favored to win–they'll face a gauntlet of Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, and Miami to close the season after visiting Stanford.
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Stanford rudderless in 42-7 Miami loss
Few teams have been as up-and-down this season as the Stanford Cardinal, who enter Week 10 at 3-5 overall and 2-3 against ACC opponents. They've alternated close wins at home with blowout losses on the road over their past seven games, most recently hosting Florida State for a 20-13 win before traveling to Miami for a 42-7 loss.
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Rob Vincilleti | +450.00 |
| 2 |  Sean Higgs | +327.00 |
| 3 |  David Delano | +182.00 |
| 4 |  Stephen Nover | +100.00 |
| 5 |  Terry Edelmann | +100.00 |
Past the first quarter, nothing about the Cardinal's loss to the Hurricanes was close. They gained only 144 total yards and eight first downs, committed two turnovers, and got most of their overall offensive production on a 74-yard touchdown drive to open the game. The second half went far worse–the Hurricanes' offense finally took off, scoring touchdowns on five of six drives, while the Cardinal only executed one drive that netted over ten yards gained. That drive ended in a turnover on downs; two of their other second-half drives ended in interceptions, while the remaining four ended in punts or the end of the game.
Ben Gulbranson completed only nine of 21 attempts for 50 yards, throwing a touchdown and two interceptions, and losing 20 yards on two sacks. He's had good performances this season, but he's completed a combined 15 of 34 passes for 140 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions in the team's last two games against Florida State and Miami. Stanford ranks 131st out of 136 teams in rushing yards per game (92.9) and T-127th in points per game (17.5)–they'll have a tough time doing much against Pittsburgh if the passing game doesn't execute at a higher level.
Pitt vs. Stanford Pick
Spread Pick for Pitt vs. Stanford
- Stanford +14.5 (-110) (4 Units)
Stanford has been here before–hosting a conference opponent they're projected to lose to by two touchdowns or more. They covered in a 30-20 loss against Boston College (+14.0) and won outright against Florida State (+17.5) two weeks ago. They'll be looking to follow a loss with a win for the fourth straight time after last week's loss in Miami. Pittsburgh could still very well win this game, but this will be the longest road trip they've made this season and covering as 14.5-point favorites is a tall order that they don't necessarily have any motive to fulfill.
Over/Under Pick for Pitt vs. Stanford
- Over 51.5 (-110) (4 Units)
Pittsburgh is on an impressive four-game win streak right now, but keeping their opponent off the scoreboard hasn't necessarily been part of the process. They allowed over 30 points in each of their losses, and they've allowed over 30 points to two of the opponents they've beaten in their past four games. Stanford has scored at least 20 points in each of their three home games this season, hitting 30 in their wins over Boston College (30-20) and San Jose State (30-29).
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