Pittsburgh vs. Toledo Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Sports Bowl

Reed Wallach | Dec 23, 2024

Dec 30, 2023; Tucson, AZ, USA; Toledo Rockets quarterback Tucker Gleason (4) against the Wyoming Cowboys in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh and Toledo finish their seasons in the Sports Bowl at Ford Field the day after Christmas.

Toledo couldn’t maintain its MAC excellence this season while Pitt lost its last five games to end its season as injuries took a toll on the roster throughout ACC play. So, what should we make of this bowl game with each team far from its best form?

We discuss below with Pitt sitting as a big favorite in the bowl game.

Pittsburgh vs. Toledo Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

Pittsburgh: -8.5 (-110)
Toledo: +8.5

Moneyline

Pittsburgh: -315
Toledo: +280

Total: 51.5 (Over -115/Under -105)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Pittsburgh vs. Toledo How to Watch

Date: Thursday, December 26th
Game Time: 2:00 PM EST
Venue: Ford Field
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
Pittsburgh Record: 7-5
Toledo Record: 7-5

Pittsburgh vs. Toledo Key Players to Watch

Pittsburgh

Desmond Reid: With Nate Yarnell in the portal, who was filling in for the injured Eli Holstein, Pitt may be down to its third quarterback on the depth chart for this bowl game, which would put a ton of pressure on the talented running back Reid to show out. Now, Reid did miss the regular season finale due to an injury so even he could miss this game, but if he plays, he’ll be the most dynamic weapon on the field. The junior averaged more than five yards per carry and added 12 yards per catch with eight total touchdowns.

Toledo

Tucker Gleason: The junior quarterback had an up-and-down season with the Rockets, passing for 2,457 yards with 22 touchdowns, but had several MAC games where he failed to clear 200 yards through the air. After ending his season with two losses to cap the regular season, can Gleason show some upside against a quality Pitt defensive line?

Pittsburgh vs. Toledo Prediction and Pick

Both teams enter this one in questionable form, and with that in mind I’m intending to take the under.

While the game will be played in a dome so the elements of late December in Detroit, Michigan won’t play a role, neither offense has the edge on the opposing defense.

For starters, Pitt is up in the air at quarterback at the moment. If Holstein can’t play, and Yarnell remains in the transfer portal, it’ll be redshirt freshman Ty Dieffenbach as the lone quarterback on the depth chart. Further, the team can be down more skill position weapons if Reid sits out another game to recover and other key pieces hit the portal as well.

However, the Panthers' defensive line should dominate the Toledo front seven. Pitt has been an elite defensive line all season, ranking top 25 in the country in sacks, and as of now, all key pieces are expected to play.

Meanwhile, the Toledo offense has struggled throughout the season. The unit is 112th in EPA/PLay and the offensive line failed to get much of a push to open the run game up, outside the top 120 in both.

I think this game has all the makings of a slog as each team fails to put points on the board. I’ll go with the under.

PICK: UNDER 51.5