Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia Picks and Prediction for Saturday, September 13, 2025
Pittsburgh Panthers (2-0) vs. West Virginia Mountaineers (1-1)
We are heading into Week 3 of the 2025 college football season, which brings The Backyard Brawl from Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV, on Saturday afternoon, so here’s our Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia prediction and the latest odds update.
Pittsburgh and West Virginia lock horns for the fourth straight year. Over the last three seasons, the Panthers have gone 2-1 SU and 1-2 ATS against the Mountaineers, sandwiching a 17-6 loss in Morgantown with a pair of home wins, 38-31 and 38-34.
The Panthers are 7.5-point road favorites for Saturday’s clash, while the total sits at 57.5 points. The kick-off is set at 3:30 PM ET, so let’s take a closer look at this Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia prediction, one of our NCAAF picks for Week 3.
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Pittsburgh eyes the third straight W
After finishing the 2024 season with a six-game losing streak, the Pittsburgh Panthers started their 2025 campaign with a bang. The Panthers trounced the FCS Duquesne Dukes 61-9 in Week 1, covering a huge 39.5-point spread in front of the home fans. Pittsburgh outgained Duquesne 460-208 in total yards, and sophomore QB Eli Holstein threw for 215 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception.
Last week, the Panthers cruised past Central Michigan 45-17. They covered a 21.5-point spread at home, outgaining the Chippewas 464-217 on the afternoon. Holstein went 21-of-28 for 304 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception, while senior WR Raphael Williams Jr. had six receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
Interestingly, the Panthers kept the ball in possession for just 23:17 last Saturday. They rushed 26 times for 124 yards while holding the Chippewas to 40 yards on 41 carries. The Panthers lean on their passing game and Eli Holstein, who enjoyed a nice freshman year at Pittsburgh.
“I’m not worried about time of possession,” Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi said. “I worry about points and what that scoreboard looks like at the end. As long as we score, I don't care. I'm not going to tell Kade (offensive coordinator Kade Bell) to slow it down, score slowly. Being explosive on offense is critical for us.”
Holstein tossed for 2,228 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions last season (10 games). The Panthers went 7-6 overall (3-5 in the ACC) and suffered a tough 48-46 defeat against Toledo in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. Pittsburgh was scoring 32.9 points per game (tied for 30th in the nation) while surrendering 28.4 points in return (91st).
West Virginia hopes for a bounce-back performance
The West Virginia Mountaineers started the season with a 45-3 thrashing of the FCS Robert Morris Colonials. The Mountaineers outgained the Colonials 625-123 and managed to beat a huge 40-point line in front of the home fans. West Virginia rushed for five touchdowns, while junior QB Nicco Marchiol threw for 224 yards and a touchdown.
Marchiol and the Mountaineers’ offense struggled a lot in Week 2. They suffered a 17-10 defeat at the Ohio Bobcats, playing as 3.5-point road favorites. The Mountaineers racked up just 72 yards on 28 carries, while Marchiol went 15-of-26 for 178 yards and an interception. West Virginia kept the ball in possession for only 16:40.
"I’m just very disappointed, and it starts with me,” West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said. “I told the guys I failed them this week. I thought we had a good week of practice. I thought we were ready to play, and we weren’t. We didn’t execute. A lot of things to work on. I’m going to do a better job, and we’ll get better from this.”
Rodriguez, who spent the last two years at Jacksonville State, was with the Mountaineers from 2001 to 2007. He led West Virginia to a couple of bowl wins before joining Michigan in 2008. Last year, Rodriguez led Jacksonville State to a 9-5 record and the Conference USA title.
West Virginia went 6-7 in 2024 (5-4 in the Big 12). The Mountaineers lost to Memphis 42-37 in the Frisco Bowl. West Virginia ranked 54th in the country in scoring offense (29.2 points per game) and 110th in scoring defense (31.9).
Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Earle Sports Bets | +2,298.00 |
| 2 |  Ross Benjamin | +1,840.00 |
| 3 |  Rob Vincilleti | +1,757.00 |
| 4 |  David Hess | +1,745.00 |
| 5 |  Dan Kaiser | +987.00 |
Spread Pick for Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia
- Pittsburgh -7.5 (5 units)
The Mountaineers lost their starting RB Jahiem White in Week 2. White suffered an injury that forced him to be carted off, and his absence will be a huge blow for the Mountaineers. Last season, White posted 149 carries for 845 yards and seven touchdowns. Over the last two weeks, he’s amassed 133 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.
Rich Rodriguez loves to lean on rushing. Without White, Rodriguez’s team is in trouble, especially because the Mountaineers’ quarterback situation is far from ideal. On the other side, it seems like Eli Holstein and the Panthers know what they need to do to win this Backyard Brawl. Give me Pittsburgh.
Over/Under Pick for Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia
- Under 57.5 (5 units)
The Panthers are not a great defensive team by any means. However, the Mountaineers struggled to move the ball against Ohio in Week 2, and given Jahiem White’s injury, West Virginia could easily lay another egg in The Backyard Brawl.
The Mountaineers will have to lean on their defensive unit, which struggled a lot in 2024. Last season, West Virginia and Pittsburgh combined for 72 points, and the game flew over the 62.0-point line. I don’t expect to see a ton of points this time around, and the under has hit in the last four encounters between Pittsburgh and West Virginia in Morgantown.
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