Buckle up for our first loaded Saturday of the college football season, with end-to-end action across the weekend. To get the slate started, the Miami (OH) RedHawks will face the Pittsburgh Panthers, with kickoff scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET.
Looking at the odds, Pittsburgh enters as a 16.5-point favorite with -800 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. Miami (OH) is +550 to pull off the upset, with the game total set at 47.5 points.
This article previews both teams and offers a pick for the Week 1 matchup.
Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
Miami (OH) RedHawks
Chuck Martin is entering his 13th season as head coach of the Miami (OH) RedHawks, something increasingly uncommon in today’s college football landscape. They are looking to build off of a 7-7 record last year, taking a step back from back-to-back seasons with nine or more wins. Miami (OH) has been one of the more consistent teams in the MAC across the Martin era, with three MAC Championship appearances in as many seasons and six consecutive bowl appearances. They will be searching for the same level of success this year.
Kansas transfer David McComb is expected to get the start at quarterback, but has yet to throw a pass in a collegiate game. The former three-star recruit has notable upside, but remains a question mark. This offense ranked 108th last season and has been uninspiring over the past few years. Thomas Gotkowski is also in play at the quarterback spot, after seeing some game action with the program last year. Improving this production will be crucial for the team to get the results they want. This is especially true because nearly every notable position player who produced at a high level last year is no longer with the program. However, the RedHawks attacked the transfer portal heavily. Monmouth transfer Rodney Nelson is expected to play a major role in the rushing attack, and Wisconsin product Cade Yacamelli will make his presence felt. Miami (OH) will benefit from four members of the starting offensive line returning, and will lean on their rushing attack as the offense gets settled. Last year, they went 7-0 when they rushed for 135 yards or more, and 0-7 when they failed to reach that mark.
There was also plenty of change on the defensive side of the ball. Bill Brechin remains in place as defensive coordinator and has done a nice job of raising the floor of the collective defense across his time with Miami (OH). The RedHawks had five players reach All-MAC status on the defensive side of the ball, and none returned to the program. Eight of the team’s top 10 tacklers will not be suiting up for them this year. Even still, Miami (OH) did a nice job rebuilding this unit. It should still be expected to have one of the more dominant pass rushes in the conference and a respectable secondary headlined by Mychal Yharbrough and Kaleb Martin.
Pittsburgh Panthers
In contrast to Miami (OH), the Pittsburgh Panthers arrive into this season as a wild card. They are coming off a successful year, going 8-5 and peaking as the 23rd-ranked team in the AP Poll. But it was an up-and-down path to get here, as Pittsburgh started the year 2-2 with heartbreaking close losses to Louisville and West Virginia. They then found their stride, winning five straight games before dropping three of their final four and leaving a sour taste about the season’s outlook. This is the same program that leaped out to a 7-0 start in 2024 before losing from there to finish 7-6. Pat Narduzzi will be entering his 12th season as head coach of the program.
The most reassuring part of their outlook is the Panthers finding stability at quarterback. Mason Heintschel found his stride during the five-game winning streak and has a big-time arm. He threw for 2,354 yards and 16 touchdowns last year, while only taking over the job in mid-October. With a full offseason in which the full expectations were for him to be the starter, Pittsburgh will be hoping he takes a further leap in development and the entire offense benefits. There is reason for belief in the running game as well, with the duo of Ja’Kyrian Turner and Western Kentucky transfer La’Vell Wright each expected to play a role. Three starters are back on the offensive line, but the transfer portal will need to help, as Pittsburgh was among the worst in the country in sack allowance and tackles for loss. Turnovers were also a major issue last season, which must be cleaned up.
Pittsburgh has built an identity on defense, consistently bringing a high level of pass rush and a stingy overall attack. They have a loaded group of upperclassmen, and plenty of last year’s producers are back this season. This is an aggressive style of defense that wants to bring pressure and force turnovers. The Panthers forced at least one turnover in all but one game last season, and this level of defensive firepower has largely become the identity under Narduzzi.
Miami (OH) vs. Pittsburgh Pick
These teams have fared very differently in their season openers in recent years. Pittsburgh has won six straight opening matchups and 11 of their past 12. In contrast, Miami (OH) have dropped 16 of their last 18 openers, with the three-game season in 2020 and a victory over Presbyterian as the outliers. I lean toward this trend continuing and Pittsburgh getting the outright win. However, the 16.5-point spread feels too large given the question marks for both teams. Miami (OH) is a prideful program, and I expect them to keep this closer than is comfortable for most of the matchup.
But I am backing the game total to stay under 47.5 as my best bet in this game. Miami (OH) has a strong offensive line and, especially with questions at quarterback, will be content to slow the pace of play. Facing an opportunistic Pittsburgh defense, expect the game plan to focus on limiting risk and not beating themselves. It will be a priority to establish the running game all season, and expect this effort to be further magnified against a ball-hawking secondary.
On the other side of the matchup, Miami (OH) has the bodies to cause some problems on the interior and generate a pass rush against a vulnerable Pittsburgh offensive line. Mason Heintschel impressed last season at quarterback, but is not very mobile, and a consistent pass rush will be problematic for the overall offensive approach. If the RedHawks can consistently get in the backfield and speed up his process, turnovers will become a problem, and the scoring outlook will be bleak.
Expect growing pains for both offenses, and both programs may struggle to put up points reliably. Miami (OH) was shut out in last year’s season opener against Wisconsin and held to 20 or fewer points in seven games. Pittsburgh will need to drive the scoring for this total to be in play, but the offensive line concerns are more significant than most have discussed. Don’t expect either team to reach their offensive peak in the season opener, and a 47.5-point game total will be too lofty.
