Virginia Football vs. Pittsburgh Game Preview, Score Prediction

Aidan Baller | Nov 9, 2024

Virginia will look to bounce back after three straight losses. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

See live updates for Virginia vs. Pittsburgh here: Virginia vs. Pittsburgh Live Updates | NCAA Football

The Virginia Cavaliers and No. 18 Pittsburgh Panthers are set to face off on Saturday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 8pm. The two face off for the first time since 2022 where the Panthers defeated the Cavaliers 37-7 in Charlottesville. This game is critical for both teams as Virginia looks to make a last-ditch effort towards bowl eligibility while Pittsburgh will look to bounce back after a blistering 48-25 defeat to SMU last week. 

Read on for a full preview of Virginia vs. Pittsburgh with everything you need to know, including game details and notes, an opponent scouting report, what to watch for, and a score prediction. 

Virginia vs. Pittsburgh Game Details 

Who: Virginia Cavaliers (4-4, 2-3 ACC) vs. Pittsburgh Panthers  (7-1, 3-1 ACC)

When: Saturday, November 9th at 8pm ET

Where: Acrisure Stadium (68,400) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

How to watch: ACC Network

How to listen: SiriusXM 137, SXM App 137 | Virginia Sports Radio Network 

All-time series: Pittsburgh leads 10-4

Last meeting: Pittsburgh defeated Virginia 37-7 during the 2022 season in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

Virginia vs. Pittsburgh Game Notes 

• Virginia needs to win two of its last four games to become bowl eligible.
• UVA's last win in the series was a dominant 30-14 win on the road on August 31st, 2019.
• Pittsburgh is undefeated at home this season, boasting a 5-0 record this season at Acrisure Stadium.
• UVA is outsourcing opponents 74-40 in the fourth quarter this season.
• Three of UVA’s final four opponents are currently inside the CFB top-25 – No. 18 Pittsburgh, No. 10 Notre Dame, and No. 13 SMU. Three of the four contests will take place away from Charlottesville.  

Read Virginia’s injury report for the Pittsburgh game here: UVA Football Week 11 Injury Report: Brian Stevens, James Jackson, Antonio Clary

See below for UVA’s week 11 depth chart for the Pittsburgh game: Virginia Football Depth Chart vs. Pittsburgh | Takeaways, Analysis

Virginia Cavaliers football depth chart for week 11 vs. Pittsburgh. / Virginia Athletic

Opponent Scouting Report: Pittsburgh

2023: 3-9, 2-6 ACC
2024: 7-1, 3-1 ACC

The Pittsburgh Panthers have taken the ACC by storm this season, racing out to a 7-0 start before falling to SMU on the road. The Panthers started their season with four games out of conference, which included a 28-27 win over Cincinnati in which Pitt scored 15 unanswered fourth-quarter points to win, and a 38-34 victory over West Virginia, where Pittsburgh scored 14 unanswered points to solidify another comeback victory. 

With non-conference play out of the way, the Panthers went on a tear in the ACC with a strong 34-24 win over North Carolina before a missed field goal by Cal allowed Pittsburgh to stay undefeated with a 17-15 win over the Golden Bears. In response to the lucky victory, Pittsburgh left no doubt against Syracuse with a 41-13 crushing victory, which included the Panthers' defense picking off Kyle McCord five times, three of those going for touchdowns. 

Last week, the Panthers suffered their first defeat of the season, getting crushed 48-25 by SMU on the road. Their resume of performances landed them at No. 18 in the first College Football Playoff rankings.

Check out our Week 11 ACC Power Rankings: Virginia Football: ACC Football Week 11 Power Rankings

The primary reason for the Pittsburgh resurgence has been credited to quarterback Eli Holstein. Holstein, who redshirted his first season at Alabama before transferring to Pittsburgh, has been a star for coach Pat Narduzzi, throwing for 2,053 yards, 17 touchdowns, and six interceptions. As only a redshirt freshman, Holstein looks to be a force in the ACC for the next few years. 

Holstein spreads the ball around with five receivers having over 250 receiving yards and at least three touchdown receptions. Konata Mumpfield leads the way for the Panthers with 541 receiving yards and three touchdowns. After Mumpfield, running back Desmond Reid is second in receiving yards with 385 yards and four touchdowns out of the backfield, while Kenny Johnson is Holstein's second receiver target with 358 yards. 

On the ground, Reid is a force to be reckoned with 590 yards and three touchdowns, posing as a dual threat out of the backfield for defenses. Holstein is also dynamic, with 305 yards on the ground this season, showing himself as a passer and runner as a danger for defenses. 

Defensively, Pittsburgh is in the middle of the pack, ranking 9th in total defense in the ACC and 14th in passing defense. Despite this, the Panthers defense has had impressive performances, including the 41-13 victory over Syracuse, where the Pittsburgh defense forced five interceptions against former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, who had been having a solid year up until that point. 

Sophomore linebacker Kyle Louis leads the charge on the defensive side of the ball for the Panthers with 68 total tackles, four sacks, three interceptions, and one forced fumble. Other defensive standouts include defensive back Donavan McMillon, who has 67 tackles, four pass deflections, and one interception, and linebacker Rasheem Biles, who has 56 tackles, four sacks, and one interception. Throwing the ball in the middle of the field has proved dangerous for other opponents when playing the Panthers. 

What to Watch For in Virginia vs. Pittsburgh 

The Quarterback Battle
It's no secret that Anthony Colandrea has struggled the last few games, partially attributed to solid defenses, poor offensive line play, and a struggle for his wide receivers to get separation. With Brian Stevens set to return for the Virginia offensive line after missing the game against North Carolina and the Pittsburgh pass defense not being particularly the strongest, Colandrea has a shot at making a statement on Saturday. On the other hand, Eli Holstein will prove to be a formidable counterpart for Colandrea, with whom he will become familiar, as Holstein is only a redshirt freshman. This game has shootout potential if both play their best football. 

Can the Virginia defense contain Desmond Reid?
Last time out against North Carolina, the name of the game was containing Omarion Hampton. The Cavaliers failed that challenge, allowing Hampton to run for 105 yards and two touchdowns as the Tar Heels humbled Virginia 41-14. Against the Panthers, the key to their offense, besides Holstein, is containing his outlet in Desmond Reid, whom Holstein has relied on for explosive check-downs all year. First-time tackling against Reid and containing him will be vital to forcing Holstein to throw downfield rather than consistently moving the ball down the field with easy dump-off passes. 

Can the Cavaliers resolve their red zone struggles?
The red zone for Virginia has been atrocious on both sides of the ball. Beginning with the offense, which has only 12 red zone touchdowns in 2024, good for second to last in the ACC, is 26/33 overall in red zone conversions, with most of those being field goals. If the Cavaliers want to beat Pittsburgh, it starts with putting sevens on the board and not sending out Will Bettridge for chip shots. Defensively, the Cavaliers rank second to last in the ACC in red zone defense, allowing points on 30/33 trips for opposing offenses. If the Virginia defense can even cause Pittsburgh to leave the red zone empty-handed on one trip, it will be massive help in Virginia's efforts to possibly leave Pittsburgh with a much-needed win. 

Virginia vs. Pittsburgh Prediction 

With three straight losses, the Cavaliers' morale is at a season-low. On the other side, Pittsburgh is coming off its first loss of the season, which exposed many glaring weaknesses in the team. Now, the question is whether Virginia can expose these flaws, but do the Hoos have the talent to do so? Further, how does Pittsburgh respond to the loss? The bye week might help the Cavaliers roll into Pittsburgh healthier. Tony Elliott's lack of preparation against North Carolina can not be discounted when looking at how things will be different against Pitt. This game is closer than people think, but the Panthers will get back in the win column and hand the Cavaliers their fourth straight loss.

Score prediction: Virginia 23, Pittsburgh 26

More Virginia Football News

Stat Comparison: How Virginia Stacks Up Against Pittsburgh on Paper


UVA Football: Players to Watch in Virginia vs. Pittsburgh

UVA Football Week 11 Injury Report: Brian Stevens, James Jackson, Antonio Clary

Virginia Football Depth Chart vs. Pittsburgh | Takeaways, Analysis

Virginia Football: ACC Football Week 11 Power Rankings