Pittsburgh Panthers vs Tennessee Volunteers Point Spread Picks

Pitt hung 51 on UMass last week, but you can throw that out the window as they face an SEC defense on the road this weekend. A year ago, Pitt beat Austin Peay 55-0, then won the next two in defensive games over Syracuse (21-10) and Louisville (23-20). Returning QB Kenny Pickett threw 13 TDs and 9 picks in 2020, and he received no help from a ground game that ranked #111 nationally with 119.9 yards per game. Coach Pat Narduzzi puts a premium on having hard-hitting defenses, and half his starters are back on a unit that ranked second nationally in sacks (4.18 per game) and tackles for a loss, third in rush defense (93.5 yards per game), and #20 in yards allowed. Pitt is 11-4 UNDER the total on the road against teams with winning home records and 15-7-1 UNDER as a road favorite. Tennessee has a new coaching staff, a new playbook, and a slew of raw starters on offense. QB Joe Milton III, a newcomer from Michigan, got the nod in the opener, but he didn't do much as the offense ran 64 times for 326 yards against Bowling Green. Milton also only completed 11-of-23 passes. With Tennessee 9-1 UNDER the total after a victory, look for the defenses to be way ahead of the offenses here. Play this game to stay UNDER the total for a Max Play.