Pittsburg, PA
Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 9
Pitt is one of the few remaining unbeatens left in the country, but will face a stiff test against a high-octane Syracuse offense.
Both teams have been able to score points in bunches with new coaching staffs and transfer quarterbacks showing out with Syracuse counting on the arm of Kyle McCord and Pitt’s offense utilizing Eli Holstein as a dual threat option.
Should we count on both teams to keep up the scoring in a Thursday night showcase?
Spread
Moneyline
Total: 62 (Over -115/Under -105)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Syracuse
Kyle McCord: McCord has been on a tear since arriving in Western New York. He is seventh in passing yards (2,160) with 19 passing touchdowns as the Orange have quickly improved under first year head coach Fran Brown. This is a pass-happy offense that has been chucking it around the yard and McCord will look to continue posting gaudy stats against a Pitt team that is outside the top 100 in EPA/Pass.
Pittsburgh
Eli Holstein: Another transfer quarterback, Holstein is showing out for the revamped Pitt offense under former Western Carolina tactician Cade Bell. The Panthers offense has been a terror for the opposition this season, scoring at least 28 points in all but one game this season. Holstein is at nearly 2,000 all purpose yards with 18 total touchdowns on the year.
We are in for a shootout on Thursday.
While Pitt remains one of the 10 unbeatens remaining in college football, the team is far from a juggernaut. The Panthers have allowed points to any capable offense its faced outside of allowing only 15 points to a banged up Cal team.
The strength of the Pitt defense lies with its defensive line, ranking eighth in EPA/Rush on the year and 12th in defensive line yards. However, Syracuse is intent on airing it out, third in pass play percentage (63.02%). For that matter, Pitt is outside the top 100 in EPA/Pass, so this is a plus matchup for McCord and co.
Meanwhile, Syracuse has been a big play funnel all season. The team is 114th in explosive pass defense and is outside the top 100 in EPA/Pass while allowing north of six yards per play.
Both teams should be able to move the ball at will and cash in against out-matched defenses.
PICK: OVER 62
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Follow Reed on Twitter @ReedWallach and get all his college football bets on betstamp @rw33
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Pittsburg, PA
Where to watch Colorado Rockies vs Pittsburgh Pirates: TV channel, start time, streaming for
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
Baseball is back and finding what channel your favorite team is playing on has become a little bit more confusing since MLB announced plans to produce and distribute broadcasts for nearly a third of the league.
We’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know Thursday as the Colorado Rockies visit the Pittsburgh Pirates.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Colorado Rockies vs Pittsburgh Pirates?
First pitch between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies is scheduled for (ET) on Thursday, .
How to watch Colorado Rockies vs Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 6:32 a.m.
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
Gas prices continue to sit near the $5 mark for the better part of the Pittsburgh region. Not only is it impacting people’s wallets, but it’s also hitting the bottom lines of first responders’ operations.
While gas prices are not impacting day-to-day operations, budgets are always tight, and if prices stay high, it could have some long-term impacts. First responders say they’ll still come when you call 911, so there’s no need to panic, but there is some concern behind the scenes.
“We can’t charge more for our services. The only way to weather the storm is to become more efficient,” Regional Emergency Support Quick Response Service director Mike Gallagher said.
RESQRS said gas is normally about $2,500 to $3,000 a month. From March to April, it was $5,500. The ambulance they wanted to get this year is now on hold as costs go up.
“It definitely has affected other parts of the business and how we operate,” Gallagher said over Zoom.
It’s the same for volunteer firefighters. Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services had its bill go from $300 to $400, up to $1,000 last month. This price spike was, of course, never anticipated when making the budget last year.
“It absolutely wasn’t. We just have to take money from other things and reprioritize,” SAVES fire chief Mike Daniher said.
Medic Rescue in Bridgewater, Beaver County, covers that county and takes patients to Wexford and Pittsburgh hospitals. They easily rack up hundreds of miles a day driving. Insurance doesn’t cover gas spikes, and fuel reimbursements are set from the prior year.
“I don’t see how it would be sustainable in the long term without some changes in financing,” Medic Rescue director of operations Bill Pasquale said.
An immediate impact for many services is putting new equipment on the back burner. While grants can be used for that, there’s no guarantee it’s accepted.
Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh will have afternoon storm chances on Wednesday with gusty winds and lightning
It will be stormy this afternoon, and then cooler for the rest of the work week.
Temperatures then warm up with record-setting temperatures possible early next week. It’s going to be a busy stretch of weather. Let’s get right into it.
Rain chances today are low overall. The headline is the storm chance that occurs this afternoon. Gusty winds, frequent lightning, and isolated but intense downpours are expected as a narrow line of storms develops and rolls through Western Pennsylvania. The line of storms will be intensifying as it moves from the west to the east.
Right now, it looks like the storms will roll through between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
By the time you see this blog, our best chance for morning rain should have come and gone. Rain totals will not be very impressive today; most will see less than 0.05 inches of rain.
That excludes rain coming from afternoon storms.
Afternoon storms could add another fifth of an inch of rain for those who see the most ‘intense’ cells sliding through their areas. Temperatures in the morning are in the 50s. We will quickly rise up to the mid-60s for temperatures this afternoon ahead of storms. Temperatures will then dip back down to the 50s for the rest of the day, with brisk winds coming in from the northwest at around 15 mph.
Thursday highs will only hit the mid-50s.
We stay cool through Friday morning. We’d have to worry about frost on Friday if it wasn’t for the cloud cover that’s expected. Friday highs will be near 70°. Saturday and Sunday highs are expected to hit the low 80s both days.
A perfect ‘storm’ of low humidity levels, plenty of sunshine, and a strengthening sun angle will allow us to potentially see record highs early next week. I have high temperatures in the 90s on both Monday and Tuesday next week.
The record high for Monday is 91°, and that is what I am forecasting for a high.
-
Missouri2 minutes agoMissouri lawmakers pass bill requiring age verification for porn sites
-
Montana8 minutes agoEmergency travel only in northeast Montana (video)
-
Nebraska14 minutes agoNo. 1 Nebraska ready to open NCAA Tournament against Summit League Champion South Dakota
-
Nevada20 minutes agoNevada designates more than 119,000 voters inactive
-
New Hampshire26 minutes agoNotable New Hampshire Deaths: Funeral Director Eric Rochette
-
New Jersey32 minutes agoNew Jersey swim team left without pool after Wayne Community Center abruptly ends agreement
-
New Mexico38 minutes agoThe most popular baby names in New Mexico for 2025
-
North Carolina44 minutes agoBusinesses worry of potential impacts as Marion tightens water restrictions amid drought