Teams looking to build off strong seasons from a year ago meet in ACC action when the No. 24 Louisville Cardinals face the No. 21 Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday. The Cardinals finished second in the ACC Atlantic Division at 5-3 and were 8-5 overall in 2019. The Panthers, meanwhile, tied for third with North Carolina and Miami (FL) at 4-4 in the ACC Coastal Division and were 8-5 overall. Pittsburgh won the last meeting between the schools, 45-34, in 2015.
The game is slated to start at noon ET from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The Panthers are favored by three points in the latest Louisville vs. Pittsburgh odds from William Hill, while the over-under for total points scored is 55.5. Before making any Pittsburgh vs. Louisville picks, check out the college football predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of over $3,800 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is a sizzling 13-1 on top-rated picks through three weeks of the 2020 college football season, returning over $900 in profit already. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Louisville vs. Pitt. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college football odds from William Hill and trends for Pitt vs. Louisville:
- Louisville vs. Pittsburgh spread: Pittsburgh -3
- Louisville vs. Pittsburgh over-under: 55.5 points
- Louisville vs. Pittsburgh money line: Louisville +125, Pittsburgh -145
- LOU: RB Javian Hawkins ranks second in the ACC with 117.5 yards per game
- PITT: The Panthers are seeking their first 3-0 start since 2014
Why Pittsburgh can cover
The Panthers have become a force on the ground, and in the season-opening win over Austin Peay they had five different players account for six rushing touchdowns. The Panthers had only 11 rushing touchdowns over 13 games in 2019, but already have seven through the first two games. Sophomore Vincent Davis leads Pittsburgh in rushing with 28 carries for 109 yards (3.9 average) and two TDs. Last season, as a true freshman, Davis played in 11 games and carried 61 times for 314 yards (5.1) and five touchdowns.
Defensively, the Panthers are limiting the opposition to an average of five points per game so far. Defensive back Paris Ford continues to be a force. After leading the Panthers in tackles in 2019 with 97, including 60 solo, he is again among the team leaders with seven, including five solo. He also has a pair of interceptions. For his career, Ford has 109 tackles, including 68 solo, with three forced fumbles and five interceptions.
Why Louisville can cover
The Cardinals have a history of playing well after a loss. After each defeat last year, Louisville rebounded with a win and averaged 36.6 points per game in doing so. Junior quarterback Micale Cunningham has completed 45-of-70 passes for 650 yards and six touchdowns this season. A year ago, he set the school record for passing efficiency with a mark of 194.45. In his career, he has passed for 3,288 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Hawkins has also been a solid contributor for Louisville, rushing 46 times for 235 yards and two scores. In the loss to Miami, Hawkins ran for 164 yards, the ninth 100-yard rushing game of his career, tying him for seventh on the Cardinals' career rushing list. He is also the ninth player in school history to record three games of at least 150 yards rushing. In 2019, Hawkins rushed for a Louisville record 1,525 yards.
How to make Louisville vs. Pittsburgh picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total. In fact, it says Cunningham will be held to under 200 yards passing, while the Panthers' rushing attack will be held to just one touchdown. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in over 50 percent of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Pittsburgh vs. Louisville? And which side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Louisville vs. Pittsburgh spread to back, all from the advanced model that is up over $3,800 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
