Pitt-Miami: Panthers Ready to Pounce on No. 19 Hurricanes
College football kicks off on Thursday night when the No. 19 Miami Hurricanes travel to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers.
The odds makers at BetPhoenix have the Canes listed as 3.5-point favorites for this game.
The Hurricanes have had a bye week leading up to this game, but it was not one without distractions.
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Miami quarterback Jacory Harris came across racist remarks on Twitter after the loss to Ohio State. He handled it in stride like the professional that he is and addressed it with the media.
In fact it was revealed that many of the Miami players were using Twitter right up until kickoff. This prompted UM head coach Randy Shannon to ban players from using the popular social media site to allow his players time to focus on football.
Shannon gave his team the first few days of last week off to recover from a bruising battle with the Buckeyes. The team used the time off to cover game field in hopes they will improve in the game against Pittsburgh.
Injuries and Other Issues
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The off time was welcomed by the Miami players, but not everyone will suit up against Pittsburgh.
Sophomore defensive tackle Curtis Porter was leg-whipped against Ohio State and will be out for this game, becoming the second defensive tackle after Jeremy Lewis to be lost due to injury. This will leave Miami thin at defensive end, but it is not the only team dealing with injuries.
Pittsburgh is dealing with plenty of injuries of its own. All-American defensive end Greg Romeus had back surgery and will be out for at least a month.
Also, backup tailback Jason Douglas and sophomore starting middle linebacker Dan Mason were implicated in a hit-and-run accident last weekend. Douglas has been suspended indefinitely and Mason demoted to second string.
Must-Win Game?
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For the Pittsburgh offense to be successful, they need to get running back Dion Lewis some chances to make plays.
So far this year opposing defenses have keyed in on Lewis, and it has worked. Even against New Hampshire, Lewis was held to just 27 yards on 10 carries. This is due to some problems on the offensive line and opposing defenses focusing on Lewis in the backfield.
Although early in the season, this already seems like a “must win” for both teams. Miami would like to rebound from a horrible loss at Ohio State, and a win by Pittsburgh would certainly propel this team into the Top 25 rankings.
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Prediction and Pick
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The Panthers have the luxury of playing at home on national television, which will draw a raucous crowd in support of the Panthers.
Tino Sunseri has looked good at quarterback for the Panthers. Look for Dave Wannstedt to utilize passing early to set up Lewis with runs and check-down swing passes.
The 'Canes are a very talented group but show little discipline on the field, which results in turnovers, missed tackles, and mental mistakes.
The Panthers are 7-3 against the spread (ATS) in the last 10 games at home and will have the crowd behind them in this game. The Canes are 2-5 ATS against the Big East and after a loss, but perhaps the most intriguing number is that they are just 3-13 ATS after a bye week.
This will be a very close game that will go down to the wire, and in a close game I will take the points.
Pittsburgh +3.5
Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews, and predictions. Feel free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com.
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