Miami vs. Pitt prediction, pick, odds, spread: Hurricanes, Panthers meet with ACC title game, CFP bids in play
No. 12 Miami looks to keep its CFP hopes alive at No. 22 Pitt in the regular season finale
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3 min read
The Miami Hurricanes look to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive with a win in their regular season finale against Pittsburgh, which has its own path to pursue when it comes to the ACC Championship Game and the CFP.
The Hurricanes moved up in the latest update to the CFP rankings from the selection committee, jumping ahead of Utah after last week's 17-point win at Virginia Tech. Now at No. 12, Mario Cristobal's group is two spots away from being in position to grab an at-large bid if it does not wind up in the ACC Championship Game at the conclusion of Week 14.
But Pitt also made a move up in the eyes of the committee, going from unranked last week to No. 22 after beating Georgia Tech in Atlanta last weekend. Pat Narduzzi's group showed a strong response after a high-profile loss to Notre Dame that has the Panthers back on the committee's radar, but the win against the Yellow Jackets also opened up the pathways to the conference title game.
If the Panthers can beat Miami and get an upset win from either Virginia Tech (at Virginia) or Cal (against SMU), then Pitt will have a shot to potentially play for the second ACC crown of the Pat Narduzzi era. It should be noted that Miami's path to the ACC title is not off the table, with rooting interests for Hurricanes fans including a win for Virginia Tech against Virginia.
With all the College Football Playoff and ACC Championship tiebreaker implications, it's clear why this ranked-on-ranked matchup will be a key piece in the postseason outlook for 2025. Now let's get into how these teams stack up against each other.
Miami vs. Pitt: Need to know
Class of the ACC: Though Miami is still pursuing its first ACC Championship Game under Mario Cristobal, the Hurricanes have been the best team in conference play over the last two years. Miami is 19-5 in ACC play since the start of 2024, and that .791 winning percentage in that span is the best in the conference ranking just ahead of SMU (.760). Even more impressive when it comes to competitiveness, none of Miami's five losses in conference play across the last two seasons have been by more than six points.
Miami's defensive improvement among FBS best: One of the key improvements that Miami sought to address in the offseason after 2024 was looking to fix the defense. The Hurricanes ranked 70th among FBS teams giving up 25.3 points per game, and Cristobal made a change going out to hire Corey Heatherman as the team's new defensive coordinator. Combined with some key transfer portal additions and better health along the defensive line, the improvements have been noticeable. Miami ranks No. 7 nationally and No. 1 in the ACC allowing just 14.5 points per game.
Mason Heintschel back on track after Georgia Tech win: Pitt freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel has provided a spark for the Panthers offense, leading the team to a 6-1 record since ascending to the top of the depth chart in the middle of the season. Heintschel has thrown multiple touchdowns in five of those seven games, and since becoming starter in Week 6 he ranks second in the ACC in passing yards (1,863 yards) and third in passing touchdowns (14) in that span. While the loss to Notre Dame was paired with Heintschel's worst game as a starter, he bounced back at Georgia Tech with 226 passing yards and three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in the win against the Yellow Jackets.
Where to watch Miami vs. Pitt live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 29 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium -- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Miami vs. Pitt prediction, picks
As long as Miami does not turn the football over, the Hurricanes should be poised to take care of business with a ground-and-pound style that could lead to lower scoring. Pitt's aggressive defensive nature should open up the opportunity for big splash plays from Malachi Toney and the Hurricanes skill players, which can power a win and cover. Pick: Miami -6.5
Who will win and cover in each Week 14 college football rivalry game? Legendary Vegas expert Bruce Marshall is on a 38-29 roll on college football picks. Visit SportsLine now to see all his college football picks.
