Pitt at Duke: Game Info, Odds, Three Storylines
PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers got back on track last week when they knocked off Boston College at home on Senior Night and they'll try to end the 2023 season on a high note by upsetting Duke.
The Panthers are riding a seven-game winning streak against the Blue Devils that stretches all the way back to Pat Narduzzi's first season as head coach at Pitt and hold some momentum as they try to make it eight in a row.
Game Info
Opponent: Duke (6-4 overall, 3-4 ACC)
Time: 12:00 p.m. EST
Location: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, North Carolina
Broadcast: ACC Network and 93.7 The Fan
Odds
Duke is a 5.5-point favorite in their regular season finale against Pitt. The Panthers' moneyline odds sit at +170, compared to -210 for the Blue Devils. The point total line has been set at 41.5.
Overcoming Injuries
Narduzzi announced this week that two Panthers had suffered season-ending injuries that had kept them out of the Boston College game and would keep them sidelined against Duke. Pitt will be without a pair of starters - tight end Gavin Bartholomew and defensive tackle Devin Danielson for the regular season finale and have to reach into their depth chart for solutions.
Karter Johnson and Malcolm Epps are listed as co-starters at tight end and they combined for three catches for 60 yards but had totaled just 11 catches for 153 yards entering the Boston College game. Who emerges from a suddenly crowded room and how effective they are remains to be seen. Defensive tackle, on the other hand, is more secure, with rotating starters Deandre Jules and Tyler Bentley ready to plug the void and Sean FitzSimmons and Elliott Donald taking on increasingly bigger roles as the weeks move on.
The Devil's in The Details
The Panthers, the most penalized team in the ACC this year, played an uncharacteristically clean game last week against the Eagles, committing just four combined penalties for 22 yards - three for 12 yards on offense and just one for 10 yards on defense.
Throughout this season, many of the Panthers' struggles can be attributed to their undisciplined play. Duke, the fourth-least penalized team in the ACC, doesn't beat themselves and Pitt will have to match their level of execution to keep pace and bid for the upset.
Encore for Nate Yarnell
After winning his second career start against Boston College last weekend, Nate Yarnell was elevated to first-string quarterback on Pitt's depth chart this week. He threw for 207 yards and a touchdown while completing 57.9% of his throws in a turnover-free game for the Panthers offense. He showed complete command of the full playbook, made good decisions and even used his legs to create extra offense.
But the Blue Devils are a talented, stingy defense that doesn't beat themselves. They rank fourth in the ACC in defensive efficiency against the pass and, unless the Panthers get another big day on the ground from Rodney Hammond, Yarnell will have to make more plays against a better secondary.
As Christian Veilleux proved against Louisville, it's one thing to catch lightning in a bottle with your first start, but quite another to sustain that play over multiple weeks. Yarnell will get the chance to prove if he can this week.
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