Pittsburgh Panthers vs. NC State Wolfpack Preview and Pick

Opening Line: NC State -1

Time: 3:30 PM EST Saturday September 26, 2009 TV: ESPNU

by Marasoft.com Staff

This game features the solid rushing attack of the Pittsburgh Panthers against the solid passing attack of the NC State Wolfpack. This is big game for both teams, as the Panthers look to stay undefeated while the Wolfpack look to improve to 3-1 before they begin ACC play. The Wolfpack need to win these types of games because when they begin ACC play they have to face 3 teams that are currently in the top 25. Pitt only plays one team that is currently in the top 25, but they play a tough Big East schedule facing South Florida, West Virginia, and Cincinnati, as well as playing Notre Dame in their 3rd to last game of the season.

Pitt is coming off a solid 27-14 win over a tough Navy team last week while the Wolfpack have crushed 2 cream puffs in a row, beating Murray State 65-7 and Gardner-Webb 45-14 ;as week, after losing their first game of the season 7-3 to South Carolina. If the Wolfpack want to be considered a legit team they have to win these types of out of conference games.

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Obviously the Wolfpack will play a tougher team this week, as in their last 2 games they have outscored their weak opponents 111-21. Pitt's offense has clicked so far in the early part of the season, as in their 3 wins they have scored a total of 119 points while only giving up 44.

The key to the game for the Wolfpack is stopping Pitt's RB Dion Lewis (398 yds 5 TD). If they contain Lewis and force Panthers' QB Bill Stull (540 yds 6 TD) to beat them with his arm they will be in good shape. However, Stull has shown that he can air it out, as in last weeks win over Navy he passed for 245 yards and had 1 TD.

Pitt has a solid defense and they will have their hands full against scrambling QB Russell Wilson (647 yds 8 TD). They will have to clog the lanes and not allow Wilson to scramble to find his targets. The offensive line of the Wolfpack will have to protect Wilson and also open up holes for the running game. Wilson does not have one main target, but he is good at spreading the ball around. There is no Wolfpack player that ranks in the top 100 in the FBS in receiving yards per game.

If the Pitt D can contain Wilson they will be in good shape, as Wolfpack RB Toney Baker only has 169 yards rushing and that is against a couple of teams that have a weak defense. He will be given a lot of room in this game, as the Pitt D will focus on stopping Wilson. The only decent defense that the Wolfpack have faced is in their first game against South Carolina and in that game Baker had a grand total of 24 yards rushing.

There is a good chance of rain in this game, so the team that can run the ball has a big advantage.

Will the Wolfpack be ready for this game? Pitt has played 2 teams in their last 2 games that played in Bowl games last season, Buffalo and Navy, while NC State has played 2 teams in their last 2 games, Murray State and Gardner-Webb, that will not be playing in any BCS or even Bowl games in the near future.

The Marasoft Pick: Pittsburgh +1
Wilson does have a lot of hype, but he has not really shown anything this season. Sure, he was legit against Murray State and Gardner-Webb, but against a solid South Carolina team in NC State's opening loss he was only 12/23 for 74 yards. The Wolfpack may have got their confidence back with their last 2 wins, which were both blowouts. Pitt has a well-rounded offense and they are better at running the ball. That added to the fact that they have played better teams and are still undefeated means that they will win this game in a minor upset and stay undefeated, as they get ready for Big East play.