Pitt at Virginia Tech: Game Info, Odds, Three Storylines

The Pitt Panthers make their first road trip of the season to visit the Hokies.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will take their first road trip of the season this weekend, visiting Virginia Tech for a battle between two desperate teams. 

The Panthers will have one big advantage on paper, but with plenty of injury concerns surrounding either team, they will have to earn their first conference win in front of a sold-out crowd at Lane Stadium. 

Game Info

Opponent: Virginia Tech (1-3 overall, 0-0 ACC)
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Location: Lane Stadium; Blacksburg, Virginia
Broadcast: ACC Network and 93.7 The Fan

Odds
The Panthers are narrow, 2.5-point favorites over the Hokies. They are favored on the moneyline at -135 compared to +114 for Virginia Tech. The point total line has been set at 40.5. 

Three Storylines

QB Questions on Both Sides
Entering the weekend, neither team has their quarterback situation settled, at least publicly. 

Pat Narduzzi said he has a "good idea" of who his starting quarterback will be but declined to share during his final press conference of the week. Starter Phil Jurkovec was knocked out of the North Carolina game in the first half after taking a targeting hit and was replaced by Christian Veilleux, who would play if Jurkovec is not able to go. 

For Virginia Tech, starter Grant Welles didn't play last week at Marshall but dressed and warmed up. He's practiced this week but Hokies head coach Brent Pry has not yet declared who will start. Kyron Drones - a powerful and athletic runner with a big arm - would start in Welles' place if he's not yet ready. 

Born to Run
Virginia Tech enters this game ranked 122nd in the FBS in rushing yards allowed per game, 112th in yards allowed per rush and 118th in rushing touchdowns allowed per game. Last week, Marshall accumulated 209 of their 214 total rushing yards in just three quarters. And these Hokies have surrendered some astonishing rushing totals to the Panthers before - think Qadree Ollison and Darin Hall in 2018 or Israel Abankinada last season. 

Pitt appears to have found some traction on the offensive line despite their losses up front and every additional snap this new unit gets with one another will only lead to better play as they develop greater chemistry with each other and the rest of the offense. 

The Panthers entered last week with the motivation to run the ball early, often and effectively and that should go double this week given the opponent. 

Pitt Looking for Playmakers
Part of the reason Pitt has struggled so mightily on offense this season is a lack of explosive plays, something they'll seek to correct this week by getting some speedy wide receivers more involved. 

They think they have something in freshman wideout Kenny Johnson, whose 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against North Carolina was his introduction to big-time college football. Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti has been looking for more ways to get the ball in his hands, adding handoffs and jet sweeps to his kick return duties and that role should expand this week. 

Elsewhere, Bub Means has followed up what was by all accounts promising spring and summer camps with a disappointing first four weeks of the regular season during which he has just four catches for 71 yards and no touchdowns. 

Narduzzi said Means has continued to keep a great attitude and work hard, and that the Panthers can do more to help him get open if he slows down and remembers his technique. Facing a Hokie defense that will be keying on the run, don't be surprised to see Means be on the other end of some deep shots. 

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