Free Week 1 Prediction: Cavaliers vs. Panthers Odds
Looking for Virginia Cavaliers vs. Pittsburgh Panthers free picks? Week 1 betting sees the Cavaliers taking on the Panthers on Saturday, August 31st, 2019 at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football predictions like this Virginia Pittsburgh free pick.
College Football Handicapping: Week 1
(0-0) Virginia Cavaliers vs. Pittsburgh Panthers (0-0)
Date: Saturday, August 31st, 2019
Time: 7:30 PM EST
Venue: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
NCAA Football Spread: Cavaliers -2.5
NCAA Betting Total: 46
Live CFB Odds
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This week one matchup will see the Virginia Cavaliers and the Pittsburgh Panthers square off in their ACC opener. Both teams play in the Coastal division, which should be wide open and they will both want to get an early win in conference play.
Pittsburgh won the meeting with Virginia last year, 23-13. They are now 2-0 in their last two games against the Cavaliers.
Virginia Cavaliers
The Cavaliers had a decent season at best, but finished it off on the right note as they shut out South Carolina in their bowl game. They will look to improve on last years’ 8-5 record and will have the perfect opportunity to start the season with a conference win against the Panthers.
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The Cavs will return Bryce Perkins for his senior year at the quarterback position. Perkins threw for 2,680 yards, 25 touchdowns an 9 interceptions. However, they lost their top running back, wide receiver, tackler and their leader in interceptions. These three guys all were drafted into the NFL. That leaves the question of who will make big plays for both the offense and defense.
Last season the Cavs averaged 28.5 points per game. This saw them ranked 70th in the country. Losing some of their top offensive weapons will likely play a role and it will be interesting to see who will step up. I certainly see the points per game dropping, especially in this first game while they try an establish their play-makers.
The defense last year ranked 54th an allowed 21.8 points per game. They must be a huge part of this years team just in case the offense see a decline in production.
Pittsburgh Panthers
The Panthers finished 2018 7-7 after losing their bowl game to Stanford. This year they will look to have their first winning season since 2016.
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The Panthers will return their starting quarterback, Kenny Pickett. Pickett is a junior and by now has a good understanding of the game-plan for this Pittsburgh offense. He threw for 1,969 yards, but just 12 touchdowns. They did lose their their top two running backs and will be looking to fill their role in the opener.
Overall, the offense was a lackluster group for the most part. They only scored 25.5 points per game and ranked 94th in the country. Having lost their top two running back, the passing game may be how they have to approach this season. They were 121st in passing yards per game last year with 141.8 yards per game through the air. This is a huge red flag and Pittsburgh could be in for a long season.
It is not like the defense was shut down either. They allowed an average of 28.8 points per game, good for 87th in the country. We are not sure how improved they will be, but I think it will not be much. I expect the Panthers’ defense to struggle and to allow a bunch of points.
NCAA Football Handicapping Trends
- UVA are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall
- Favorite is 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 meetings
Free Week 1 NCAA Football Pick
The Cavaliers finished their 2018 season strong and I think that will roll over into this season opener.
4* Free NCAA Betting Pick: Virginia Cavaliers -2.5
I like the Cavaliers defense to be the turning point and for the Cavs to cover and get the win.
Week 1 Free Score Prediction: Virginia 23 – Pittsburgh 17
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