Is Pitt to Cover one of the Better College Football Picks in Week 11?

Are the Pitt Panthers to cover the spread in their game versus the UConn Huskies on Nov. 11th one of the better college football betting picks for Week 11?

Since starting out the season by going 2 and 3, the Panthers have won their last 3 games in a row. That includes dominating some fairly tough squads in the Big East like Syracuse and Louisville. The Panthers beat Syracuse 45 to 14 as 2 ½ point favorites, then Rutgers 41 to 21 as -13 ½ point faves, and then Louisville 20 to 3 as -9 ½ point faves.

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I don’t know about you, but the Panthers are definitely starting to look like one of the better college football picks this week to beat the spread.

Pittsburgh Panthers at Connecticut Huskies

Where: Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Connecticut

When: Nov. 11th, 2010 at 7:30 pm EST

TV: ESPN, ESPN3.com

NCAAF Betting Lines

Pittsburgh Panthers -5 ½ -110 O 46 ½ -110

Connecticut Huskies +5 ½ -110 U 46 ½ -110

The sports betting trends make it difficult to find which team in this game is one of the better college football picks this week.

• The Pittsburgh Panthers are 4 and 0 ATS in their last 4 conference games.
• The Pittsburgh Panthers are 6 and 2 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite of 3 ½ to 10 points.
• The Connecticut Huskies are 7 and 1 ATS in their last 8 games as a home underdog.
• The Connecticut Huskies are 8 and 2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.

Pittsburgh is obviously the better team in my mind and, unfortunately for Connecticut, appears to have hit their best stride of the season. The Panthers have simply obliterated their last three Big East teams by the combined score of 106 to 38. Pitt is also a great team against the spread in their away games. The Panthers are 4-2-2 ATS away from Pittsburgh.

Connecticut isn’t a bad team, they are 4 and 4 straight up on the season, but they seem to have issues when they face certain teams. The losses to Rutgers, and Temple are bothersome. Of course, the Huskies are 4 and 0 ATS at home this season and beat the West Virginia Mountaineers 16 to 13 as 4 ½ point underdogs in their last.

Can we predict Pittsburgh’s performance versus the Huskies in Connecticut based on West Virginia’s performance? Not really. The Mountaineers have been in a bit of a downward spiral after losing at home to Syracuse. West Virginia’s loss to Connecticut in no way should have any bearing on how the Panthers play against Connecticut.

Yes, the Huskies are good at home, but they give up 164 rushing yards and 21 points per game. The Panthers offense averages 156 yards per game. The Panthers’ D, which allows 94 yards per game, should be able to shut down Connecticut’s offense.

I just don’t see how the Panthers don’t break Connecticut’s ATS home streak. I have to believe that Pittsburgh keeps it going and wins their fourth straight game. Pittsburgh should get their rushing game going against Connecticut’s D and the Panther D should shut down the Huskies offensive attack.

I like the Panthers to cover the spread at 5 ½ points on Thursday night. Pittsburgh is one of the better college football picks ATS this week.

NCAAF Betting Pick: Pittsburgh Panthers -5 ½ -110

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