Week 1 has more college football action than Week 0, but it's common to see Power 4 teams play Group of 5 opponents in these weeks. The Miami (OH) Redhawks (7-7 last season) vs. Pitt Panthers (8-5 last season) could be a more entertaining bout, however.
The Pitt Panthers have been a talented but inconsistent team since 2021, when they won the ACC. This past season was another instance of that. Pitt lost their first two Power 4 games close against West Virginia and Louisville. However, after a midseason quarterback change from Eli Holstein to true freshman Mason Heintschel, Pitt went on a roll. They won their next five games, putting up 30 or more points in each of them.
However, the other shoe dropped after their bye. They lost three of their last
four, with their only win being a 42-28 victory vs. Georgia Tech to eliminate the Yellow Jackets from the ACC title game. The Panthers themselves had a shot at the title, but they lost to Miami 38-7. In the Military Bowl against East Carolina, they lost 23-17.
The Miami (OH) Redhawks out of the Mid-American Conference dealt with similar inconsistencies. They lost their first three, albeit against all non-conference opponents (Wisconsin, Rutgers, UNLV). Then, they won their next five in a row entering conference play. They lost their next two against the Ohio Bobcats and Toledo Rockets, and after the Toledo game, startgin quarterback DeQuan Finn left the organization to prepare for the draft.
They won against Buffalo and Ball State to close out the regular season, but without their starter, they stood no chance against the Western Michigan Broncos in the MAC championship. They still made it to the Arizona Bowl against Fresno State, which they lost 18-3. They're hoping to head to the conference title for the third straight season under Chuck Martin.
If you are looking for some betting advice for the matchup, we've got you covered. Here are the latest odds for the game, courtesy of BetMGM.
Miami (Ohio) vs. Pitt game odds
All college football odds via BetMGM
- Spread: Pitt -16.5 (-110), Miami (OH) +16.5 (-110)
- Money Line: Pitt -810, Miami +560
- Over/Under: Over 47.5 (-105), Under 47.5 (-115)
Miami (Ohio) vs. Pitt prediction, pick:
Unlike most Power 4 vs. Group of 5 matchups, this one is tougher to gauge. The Pitt Panthers are talented enough to win the ACC, but they've also lost too many games they should've won easily, like this one.
The key to this game is the trenches for both sides. Miami (OH) is returning a ton of experience in the offensive line (74 combined starts in the OL), while the Panthers struggled in pass-protection last season, allowing 44 sacks.
The RedHawks have a great running back room returning, with Rodney Nelson lighting up the Football Championship Subdivision with the Monmouth Hawks. However, Pitt also has Ja'Kyrian Turner, who could challenge for an All-ACC spot this season.
They also have the advantage of Mason Heintschel, who was arguably the best true freshman quarterback in the country last season. They also have great linebacker play, even with the losses of Rasheem Biles and Kyle Louis, and their special teams play is among the best in the nation.
That gives Pitt the advantage in my book, but I still think Miami (OH) can keep it close. With their offensive line and running game, they could chew clock in the early going and force the game to be low-scoring. I take Pitt, but by a decently close margin.
Score Prediction: Pitt 28, Miami (OH) 14
Best Bet: Miami (OH) +16.5 (-110)
Miami (Ohio) vs. Pitt channel, start time, streaming:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
TV Channel: The CW
Live Stream: FuboTV
Watch Miami (Ohio) vs. Pitt on FuboTV (Free Trial)
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Miami (Ohio) vs. Pitt: Week 1 Betting Odds, Prediction
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