Bryan Albin’s College Football Games of the Week

#4.  # 15 PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (+3, -110) @ UTAH UTES (-3, -110)

Thursday September 2nd 8:30 ET

This matchup is clearly the best of the Thursday night games even though it’s on Versus instead of ESPN. Pittsburgh comes into the year as the favorite to win the Big East, and a team that could be a darkhorse candidate to make the BCS title game. However, the Panthers will have to survive the Utes in Salt Lake in the first game of the year before they look into the future. Utah is nearly impossible to beat at home (17 straight home wins) and the Utes are the most likely candidate to unseat TCU as Mountain West Champions if anyone can overtake the Horned Frogs.

TEAM GAME

If this matchup could be decided on paper, Pittsburgh would probably win comfortably. Pitt has three potential All Americans in RB Dion Lewis, WR Jonathan Baldwin and DE Greg Romeus. However, as all football fans know, sometimes you are only as good as your weakest links. Therefore, the guys who will probably have the biggest influence on this game are Pitt QB Tino Sunseri and the Pitt offensive line. Sunseri will be making his first career start in a hostile environment and he will be standing behind an inexperienced offensive line that has 3 new starters. If the line protects Sunseri and if Sunseri is efficient passing, Lewis ought to be able to succeed. However, if Utah is able to stack the box with 8 defenders due to an incompetent Pitt passing game, Lewis may be in for a long night.

GOING FOR THE WYNN

Utah So. QB Jordan Wynn burst onto the scene in the second half of last season. Wynn took over in the 8th game of the regular season and threw for over 1,300 yards 8 TD’s and 4 INT’s in limited action. He really emerged in the Poinsettia Bowl Game, though, when he led Utah a big win over California with 3 TD passes. Pittsburgh will be breaking in 2 new cornerbacks this year, as both Aaron Berry and Jovani Chappel are no longer on the football team, so Wynn will have to be sharp in attacking the corners right from the get go.

KEYS TO THE GAME

• The expectations are as high as they’ve been in a long time in Pittsburgh. With Lewis and Baldwin being Heisman candidates, Pitt fans believe they ought to win the Big East outright this year. However, expectations can sometimes put unnecessary pressure on a team, especially one that’s breaking in new starting Qb on the road against a high caliber team such as Utah. I don’t expect Sunseri to be sharp in this one.
• If Utah jumps out to a quick lead will Pitt be patient? Pitt needs to establish Dion Lewis, even if it falls behind early. If Lewis goes off for 150 yards or so, Pitt may find itself winning a huge opener.
• If Utah double teams Greg Romeus, the other DE for Pitt, Jabaal Sheard, has to take advantage. Sheard doesn’t have the speed of Romeus, but he is a big physical end who ought to be able to put pressure on Jordan Wynn if he’s being single-covered all game.

Pick:        Pittsburgh 23                   Utah 24           Pittsburgh covers