Pittsburgh vs. Louisville Prediction, Game Preview

The Pittsburgh Panthers (7-3) want to stay in the Coastal Division race when the surging Louisville Cardinals (6-4) invade Heinz Field. Check out the Pittsburgh vs. Louisville prediction and game preview.

Pittsburgh vs. Louisville Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, November 21
Game Time: 3:45 ET
Venue: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Network: ESPNEWS

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Why You Need To Care

In one of the more compelling ACC games of the weekend, a pair of schools with winning marks meet at Heinz Field. Pitt is actually still alive in the Coastal Division, though it needs to win its final two games along with two Carolina losses to leapfrog the Heels. Doubtful, but it’s a sign of progress for first-year head coach Pat Narduzzi that the Panthers remain mathematically viable this late in the year. Louisville became bowl eligible with last week’s victory over Virginia. The Cards have leveraged the softer side of the schedule to overcome a rocky start with six wins in their last seven outings.

Why Louisville Will Win

The nation’s 14th-ranked D was already littered with next-level performers, like DE Sheldon Rankins, LB Devonte Fields and S Josh Harvey-Clemons, among others. However, now the Cardinals are clicking on offense as well, scoring 79 points over the last two games. This is as close to a complete team as Bobby Petrino has had all year, with RB Brandon Radcliff and QB Kyle Bolin pulling a larger share of the weight as the regular season winds down.

Why Pittsburgh Will Win

After dropping back-to-back games, the old Pitt is back. The Panthers rebounded a week ago to throttle Duke in Durham, 31-13. And the defense, save for the Notre Dame visit, has been steady throughout the season. Even when Pitt fell to division-leading Carolina, the high-flying Heels only managed 26 points. True, Narduzzi harbors no household names, but DE Ejuan Price, linebackers Matt Galambos and Nicholas Grigsby and DBs Jordan Whitehead, Lafayette Pitts and Avonte Maddox are compiling all-league resumes.

Player Who Matters

Which quarterback gets more time to check down his receivers, Bolin or Panther Nate Peterman? Both teams can get after the pocket … and both, especially Louisville, have sprung leaks in pass protection. The Cards are coming off a rough game against the pass, yielding four touchdown passes to Virginia’s Matt Johns. Peterman wants to keep Louisville on its heels, feeding WR Tyler Boyd to balance out the north-south running of Qadree Ollison.

What’s Going To Happen?

Very similar teams. Very unlikely that either program will enjoy a double-digit bulge at any point during the game. The Panthers and the Cards will partake in a seesaw battle that’s dictated by the rugged defenses and the special teams units. In the end, it’ll come down to the kickers, with Pitt’s Chris Blewitt nailing one more field goal than Louisville’s John Wallace.