- Pittsburgh beat Syracuse 27-13 Thursday night, covering as a 10.5-point favorite in the Panthers’ ACC opener.
- The teams combined for 40 points, well under the 51.5-point total set for the game.
- Steve Angeli threw two fourth-quarter interceptions and was benched for backup Amari Odom as Syracuse fell to 0-2 in ACC play.
- Pittsburgh, now 3-0, remains a distant ACC title long shot at +2500, far behind unbeaten favorite Miami’s -200.
PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh beat Syracuse 27-13 Thursday night, covering as a 10.5-point favorite in the Panthers’ ACC opener at Acrisure Stadium. Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli threw two fourth-quarter interceptions and was pulled for backup Amari Odom.
Angeli’s Interceptions Ended His Night
Angeli completed 13 of 25 passes for 161 yards and threw two fourth-quarter interceptions in Pittsburgh’s 27-13 win, and Syracuse coach Fran Brown benched him for backup Odom, who went 7 of 7 for 44 yards in relief.
Angeli’s first season back from a torn Achilles opened clean, with no interceptions in the win over New Hampshire, and has turned since – three picks in the loss to California, then two more that ended his night against the Panthers.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi credited the defense over his own offense afterward. “Nice to win when you don’t play your best football on offense or defense,” Narduzzi said after Pittsburgh’s win.
The Spread And The Total
Pittsburgh’s 14-point margin covered the 10.5-point legal sports betting spread with four points to spare, while the teams’ combined 40 points buried the 51.5-point total by more than 11 points. The defensive, run-heavy script from both sides punished anyone counting on either offense to score on the board.
Pittsburgh’s Ground Game, And The ACC Picture
Pittsburgh leaned on the run for all three of its touchdowns and finished with 245 yards on the ground, moving to 3-0 and 1-0 in the ACC. Syracuse fell to 1-2 and 0-2 in conference play, still searching for its first league win.
The result did little to move Pittsburgh’s ACC championship price on legal college football betting markets, which sits at a distant +2500, far behind unbeaten Miami’s -200 as the market’s clear favorite. An unbeaten record alone hasn’t been enough to pull the Panthers out of the pack chasing Miami, a gap that will need results elsewhere in the conference to close.
