A midseason turnaround helped vault Pittsburgh to a solid 8-4 regular season. As a reward, the Panthers have earned a trip to the Military Bowl. Awaiting them there will be East Carolina, one of the top programs in the American Athletic Conference. The Pirates haven’t faced top-flight competition, but this group can put up points in a hurry.
Will we see a shootout in Annapolis on Saturday? Pitt enters this contest as ten-point favorites (-110) over ECU, with the over/under set at 52.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Panthers are favored at -375 on the moneyline.
Pittsburgh vs. East Carolina prediction, preview
Pittsburgh’s entire offense underwent a midseason transformation. With starter Eli Holstein struggling, head coach Pat Narduzzi decided to put Mason Heintschel under center. The results have been phenomenal, to put it lightly. Since the freshman took over in Week 6, the Panthers have gone 6-2. The team’s only two losses during that stretch came against quality Miami and Notre Dame squads. On the year, Heintschel has thrown for 2,098 yards and 15 touchdowns while giving up seven interceptions.
It’s not just Heintschel that’s behind Pitt’s eight-win campaign. The team wields one of the ACC’s better defenses, holding opponents to 337.2 yards per game. Stuffing the run is a priority for the Panthers this season. The school has allowed a conference-best 2.8 yards per rush attempt. Those numbers are even more impressive when considering Pittsburgh doesn’t always control time of possession. The program has struggled to run the ball all season, a result of injuries and inconsistency out of the backfield. To make matters worse, running back Desmond Reid won’t be taking the field this weekend.
With respect to Reid, East Carolina has been hit even harder by opt-outs. Quarterback Katin Houser, tight end Jayvontay Conner, and wide receiver Yannick Smith have all entered the transfer portal. The latter was terrific this season, notching 3,300 passing yards and 28 total touchdowns. In his absence, the Pirates will face an interesting decision. Freshman Chaston Ditta could use the reps, as he’s only thrown seven times this season. However, sixth-year senior Mike Wright may give his team a better chance to win. Either way, ECU will need to help out whoever is under center.
To make matters worse for the Pirates, they’ll be without their offensive and defensive coordinators. That creates quite the pickle for head coach Blake Harrell. Typically, East Carolina puts up points. However, without Houser, this group might not be operating at full speed. That places an even greater emphasis on the other side of the ball. ECU is fairly underrated in that regard, holding opponents to a conference-leading 20.3 points and 348.9 yards per game.
Pittsburgh vs. East Carolina pick, best bet
If this was a regular season matchup, points could be scored in bunches. However, both teams are missing notable pieces on offense. That’s especially true for East Carolina, who will turn to a less-than-stellar option at QB. On the flip side, Pittsburgh’s month-long layoff could have an impact on Heintschel and company. In this bowl game showdown, don’t expect a shootout.
