College Football Picks: No. 25 (AP) Pitt Panthers vs. Bowling Green Falcons; Betting Line, Pitt -13 (total 53 ½); television ESPNU; kickoff 12:05 PM ET; Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Penn; Betting Lines provided by SBGglobal.com. Pitt, ranked No. 25 by Associated Press, opens the 2008 season at Heinz Field against Bowling Green of the Mid-American Conference. Pitt has won 10 of its last 11 season openers and is 25-5 in opening contests over the last 30 years. Pitt has played Bowling Green just twice before and is 2-0 in those contests, winning 34-16 on the road in 2000 and 30-10 at Pitt Stadium in 1999. Pitt is 25-2 all-time versus the Mid-American Conference with both losses occurring on the road. The Panthers are 8-0 against the MAC in season-opening contests.
Expectations are soaring at Pitt entering the 2008 campaign. The team is returning all the key ingredients from last years team. Returning to start at quarterback is junior Bill Stull who emerged as the named starter following heavy competition in August camp. Look for Pitt to be almost unstoppable on the ground with the punishing running of Heisman candidate LeSean McCoy leading the way. McCoy and Larod Stephens-Howling give the Panthers a potential 2000 yard backfield.
The Bowling Green has been picked as the East Division favorites in the 2008 MAC News Media Association poll. After finishing 4-8 overall and 3-5 in MAC play in 2006, the BGSU football team had a bounce back year in 2007, going 8-5 overall and 6-2 in conference, capturing a share of the MAC East Championship. The Falcons also advanced to the GMAC Bowl, their third bowl game in the last five year.
Offensively the Falcons finished at or near the top of nearly every offensive MAC category, including scoring (30.2, 5th), passing (278.8, 2nd), total offense (402.5, 4th), pass efficiency (134.9, third) and first downs (299, 2nd).
On the defensive side of the ball the Falcons finished third in pass defense (216.6), fourth in sacks (24) and second in redzone defense (74.6%).
Online oddsmakers at online sportsbook SBGglobal.com have installed the Panthers as -13 points favorites with a 53 ½ total.
The Pick: With a potent Bowling Green passing attack combined with an unstoppable running game of Pitt, the total 53 is almost guaranteed to go OVER.
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