Miami vs. Pittsburgh Prediction, Game Preview

The Miami Hurricanes (7-4) and the Pitt Panthers (8-3) close out their regular seasons this Friday at Heinz Field. Check out the Miami vs. Pittsburgh prediction and game preview.

Miami vs. Pittsburgh Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Friday, November 27
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Network: ESPN

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Why You Need To Care

Now that Pitt has been eliminated from the Coastal Division race, the Panthers and the Canes will largely be about positioning for the best possible bowl invitation next month. Pittsburgh has zero to be ashamed about in Pat Narduzzi’s first season, exceeding expectations after answering back-to-back losses with consecutive comfortable wins over Duke and Louisville. Ditto Miami and its interim coach Larry Scott, who’ve won three of four since Al Golden’s dismissal on Oct. 24. The Hurricanes have been a resilient bunch in 2015, answering demoralizing losses to division champs Clemson and Carolina with wins over Duke and Georgia Tech, respectively.

Why Miami Will Win

It’s been tough to keep these Canes down for very long this season. True, they’re not a top-tier ACC squad, but they’ve fared rather well against similar competition. In Brad Kaaya, Miami boasts the better quarterback in the matchup, and the secondary has been sound when not facing Deshaun Watson or Marquise Williams. If CB Corn Elder can help neutralize WR Tyler Boyd, the Panthers will be relegated to a one-dimensional team.

Why Pittsburgh Will Win

It says a lot about the makeup of this team that it can bounce back from demoralizing losses to Carolina and Notre Dame to play some of its best football of the year. The defense shut down Duke, while the offense punished a very good Louisville defense with the tough running of Qadree Ollison and the improved passing of Nathan Peterman. Narduzzi has Pitt peaking on both sides of the ball, and just in time to make a run at a 10-win campaign.

Player Who Matters

Miami has done an underrated job in pass protection this season, allowing just 15 sacks with some new faces in key places. But can the unit put the stop sign up on Pitt DE Ejuan Price, who was otherworldly last weekend versus Louisville? Price went berserk with 10 tackles, six stops for loss and five sacks, and he possesses the get-off and QB appetite to flush Kaaya from the pocket when not double-teamed off the edge.

What’s Going To Happen?

Pitt is playing with a giant head of steam that won’t be thwarted this weekend by Miami. The Canes have done a commendable job under Scott, keeping a tight focus amid the changes. But the Panthers are clicking in so many phases that they’ll be tough to stop at home in a chilly climate that will be unfamiliar to the warm-weather Hurricanes. Pitt is poised to roll into the bowl season on a three-game winning streak.