NCAA Football
2025-11-29 - Miami Hurricanes at Pittsburgh Panthers
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : College Football Week 14
Saturday 29th November 2025 - Scheduled 12pm
5pm (British Time)
Preview
Six teams still have some pathway into the ACC Championship Game and being able to keep alive Playoff consideration hopes.
Two of those are meeting in the early Saturday slot in College Football knowing they have to win and then hope things break their way later in the day.
The team that is perhaps going to have to go into the political business is the Miami Hurricanes (9-2) who have a win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but are just 5-2 in the Conference this season. They are clearly playing with 'style points' in mind and the Hurricanes are plenty respected as the highest Ranked team in the ACC, but they are unlikely to find a way into the top twelve without playing in, and likely winning, the ACC Championship Game.
Miami will have to first concentrate on this one before looking for a number of results to land their way the rest of the way- losing would mean elimination from all talk of a Playoff spot and so that has to be the focus, rather than concerning themselves too much about the upsets that will be needed to earn a spot in the Championship Game instead.
They are travelling to another interested party in the permutations when facing the Pittsburgh Panthers (8-3) who actually did Miami a favour by knocking off the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Week 13.
It means Pittsburgh have improved to 6-1 in the Conference and the path into the ACC Championship Game is much easier to manage- they need to win in Week 14 and hope either SMU or Virginia are upset as big favourites.
Again, those other games are out of the control of the Panthers and so the sole focus has to be on winning at home and matching the nine wins that were secured in the 2022 season.
Credit has to be given to Pittsburgh for the way they played in the big win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, but this is another significant test for them. They are going to be trying to run the ball against a very good Miami Defensive Line, which is important to at least slow down the Hurricanes pass rush that will be looking to expose the inexperience of Mason Heintschel at Quarter Back.
It has to be said again that the Panthers deserve credit for the Offensive output in the win last week and Heintschel will have taken a lot of confidence from having what is arguably his best game of the season. However, doing the same against the Miami Hurricanes is another big test for a young Quarter Back and especially if the pocket is collapsing around him.
Throwing in this Miami Secondary is not going to be easy under the pressure expected and Mason Heintschel will have to be wary of the Interceptions that can be created by the road team.
Haynes King got himself into an early hole in the loss last week, but Miami have to be very confident that Carson Beck can avoid the same type of mistakes at the Quarter Back position.
His Offensive Line is likely going to make sure that Beck is kept in third and manageable spots on the field and that should give the Quarter Back the time to attack this Pittsburgh Secondary that has been allowing players to thrive when throwing against them. The pocket is likely going to be kept clean for Carson Beck, but he will have noted that the Panthers picked up two more Interceptions last week in the win over the Yellow Jackets and winning the turnover battle feels vitally important to the outcome of this one.
Carson Beck had 2 Interceptions in the loss to the SMU Mustangs, but has bounced back in this three game winning run- in those victories, Beck has 8 Touchdown passes without throwing an INT and that gives the Miami Hurricanes the edge.
In recent seasons, Pittsburgh have been a very good home underdog to back, but they are 0-2 against the spread in that spot this season, including a blowout to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Head Coach Pat Narduzzi had suggested the game was not as important as others before that defeat, which may have contributed to the eventual performance, but the Panthers have also been well beaten by the Louisville Cardinals at home and Miami can at least offer an argument to the Playoff Committee by winning well here.
Prediction
Lay the points with the road favourite who can then sit back and see if there are enough upsets in the ACC to make the Championship Game.
The Pick :
Pittsburgh Panthers 23-34 Miami Hurricanes
BEST BETTING TIP :
I'll back Miami Hurricanes - 7 Points at -103 with Bookmaker.eu
