Who's Playing

Massachusetts @ Pittsburgh

Last Season Records: Pittsburgh 6-5; Massachusetts 0-4

What to Know

The Pittsburgh Panthers and the Massachusetts Minutemen will face off at 4 p.m. ET Sept. 4 at Heinz Field to kick off their 2021 seasons. While Pitt was not exactly top dog last season, they did wrap up the year with a winning record of 6-5. Meanwhile, coming off of an uninspired 0-4 last-season record, UMass has set their aspirations higher this year.

A couple last-season defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: The Panthers were the best in the nation in sacks, finishing the 2020 season with 46. Less enviably, UMass ranked worst in the nation with respect to rushing yards allowed per game last year, where the squad gave up 273.5 on average. The good news for UMass, of course, is that these forces working against them might not carry over into the new season.

Pitt has the odds in their favor, so they'll need to guard against complacency. It would take nothing short of a miracle for the Minutemen to pull off a win, but maybe they can at least keep Pitt from covering the spread.

How To Watch

  • When: Saturday at 4 p.m. ET
  • Where: Heinz Field -- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • TV: ACC Network
  • Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Ticket Cost: $20.00

Odds

The Panthers are a big 37.5-point favorite against the Minutemen, according to the latest college football odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 37.5-point spread, and stayed right there.

Over/Under: -110

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Series History

This is the first time these teams have played each other within the last six years.