Kent State at Pittsburgh Pick & Prediction – 8/31/2024

In the matchup between the Kent State Golden Flashes and Pittsburgh Panthers on August 31, 2024, the Golden Flashes are 24 point underdogs. Early betting trends show 85% of spread bets favoring Kent State, while Pittsburgh has 15% of the bets. The total of 55.0 has seen 55% of bets on the under and 45% on the over. Pitt will be expected to take care of business at home in this non-conference matchup, but Kent State will be doing everything in its power to erase the memory of a rough 2023 season starting with an upset here.

Nowhere to Go But Up For Kent State

Last season, the Kent State Golden Flashes went 1-11 and were one of the worst teams in all of FBS football. Their lone win last season came against an FCS opponent in Central Connecticut in what was a dismal year for the school out of the MAC. This year, Kent State will hope for better results, but we might not see many positives out of them in this season opener against the Pitt Panthers.

The three quarterbacks that Kent State used last season combined for under 2,000 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Needless to say, that is not good enough going into this season, where Tommy Ulatowski and Devin Kargman are back at quarterback this year. While nobody is asking them to go out and win this game, Kent State would certainly like to see some signs of progress from one or both men.

Two Quarterbacks Likely For Pitt

The Pitt Panthers had a rough 2023 season as well, going 3-9 overall and just 2-6 in ACC play. Their offense was a train wreck, as Boston College transfer Phil Jurkovec did not bring any sort of of life to a team that has struggled since Kenny Pickett's departure for the NFL. Here, Pitt should get a win without much trouble, but they will want to look as good as possible in doing so to build some confidence for tougher games on their schedule still to come.

Pitt has confirmed that they have multiple starting quarterbacks lined up, according to their depth chart. Eli Holstein and Nate Yarnell are both listed in that role. And while only one will take the field at a time in this game, Pitt will likely give both ample time to see what they can do against an opponent they should be able to move the ball smoothly against.

Kent State vs Pitt Best Bet

From a sheer probability standpoint, it would be hard for Kent State to be as bad as they were a season ago. But we still aren't rushing to back them against a power conference opponent in this game. Pitt may have two quarterbacks in the mix in this contest but they should still be able to bring enough to the table offensively to win this game and cover the number at home.

For more on today's game check out the comprehensive statistics, betting odds, and trends below. Be sure to check out all our free NCAAFB picks here.