West Virginia vs Pittsburgh Prediction, Odds & Betting Trends for College Football Game on FanDuel

West Virginia vs Pittsburgh Week 1 Game Info

2022 NCAA College Football Game
West Virginia Mountaineers (0-0) vs. No. 17 Pittsburgh Panthers (0-0)
Date: Thursday, September 1, 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Acrisure Stadium — Pittsburgh, PA
Coverage: ESPN

Week 1 of the 2022 NCAA college football season includes a showdown between the West Virginia Mountaineers and No. 17 Pittsburgh Panthers. The rivalry nicknamed the "Backyard Brawl" is back for for the first time since 2011. This is the 105th all-time meeting between West Virginia and Pittsburgh.

West Virginia is back for another year under head coach Neal Brown, who has led the Mountaineers to a bowl appearance in each of the last two years. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh will be looking to keep their success going with a new quarterback. Kedon Slovis has big shoes to fill following Kenny Pickett's departure to the NFL.

West Virginia vs Pittsburgh Odds & Spread

All NCAAF betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline: WVU: (+240) | PIT: (-300)
Spread: WVU: +7.5 (-110) | PIT: -7.5 (-110)
Total: 52 — Over: (-115) | Under: (-105)

Pittsburgh enters this contest as the clear favorite on the moneyline and the spread. This 7 p.m. ET clash also features a total of 52, which is below average compared to this week's college football projected totals.

West Virginia vs Pittsburgh Prediction & Pick

Pittsburgh leads this series with an all-time record of 61-40-3, but have lost three straight games to West Virginia. There's a lot to like about the Panthers' chances of ending that streak. Slovis has three years of college experience and has posted at least 1,900 yards and 11 touchdowns in each season.

On the other side, JT Daniels has four years of college experience, but hasn't played in more than five games in a season since 2018. I trust Slovis to make the necessary adjustments playing on a new team much more than I do Daniels. The Panthers should be able to get the job done here late.

Final Score Prediction: West Virgnia: 20 | Pittsburgh: 30

West Virginia vs Pittsburgh Betting Trends

- West Virginia is 5-2 straight up in its last seven games against Pittsburgh.
- The total has hit the under in five of West Virginia's last six Week 1 games.
- Pittsburgh is 11-4 against the spread (ATS) in its last 15 games.
- The total has hit the under in four of Pittsburgh's last five games against West Virginia.

West Virginia vs Pittsburgh Best Bet

All NCAAF betting lines, odds and prop bets are available on FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Mountaineers have an outside shot to pull off an upset in this game, so switching gears to the total is a logical move here. Keep in mind the under has hit in seven of the last 10 games between West Virginia and Pittsburgh. The under has also hit in five of West Virginia's last six Week 1 games.

Two transfer quarterbacks means the offenses are going to take time fully gel and put together efficient drives. With two defenses looking to impact the game with big-time stops, it's hard to imagine more than 51 points on the scoreboard at the final whistle. The under will just barely hit.

Bet: Under 51.5 Points (-110)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.