Pittsburgh vs Utah 2010 College Football Predictions, College Football Picks & College Football Odds: The 2010 college football season kicks off tomorrow night with a full slate of games. The highest profile matchup, though, is a meeting between the Big East's Pittsburgh Panthers and the Mountain West's Utah Utes. The two squads are scheduled to take the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium at 8:30pm ET; the game will be broadcast live on Versus. 2010 College Football Predictions, Picks & Odds at Sportsbook.com have the Utes listed as a -3 against the spread home favorite and the Over/Under set at 49.
The 2009 Panthers were the best of the Dave Wannstedt era as they finished second in the Big East with a 5-2 conference 
record and 10-3 overall after beating North Carolina in the Car Care Bowl. The solid season has created high expectations in the Steel City for this year's squad, which retains 11 starters from last season's double digit winning team.
Wannstedt will have a new signal caller in sophomore Tino Sunseri, who replaces an efficient Bill Stull; however, the Panthers will continue to emphasize the run, which accounted for 180 yards per game in 2009. Pittsburgh will, no doubt, lean heavily on second team All American running back Dion Lewis against the Utes tomorrow night.
The Utes, which are set to join the Pac 10 next year, need a strong start to the season to keep pace with TCU and BYU in the Mountain West race. With Utah welcoming 12 starters and 49 lettermen back from last year's 10-3 team, it should keep itself in the thick of the conference battle.
Head Coach Kyle Whittingham, who has presided over five consecutive bowl wins, will also push the run tomorrow in hopes of neutralizing the Panthers formidable pass rush. Pittsburgh produced 47 sacks last season, including eight by first team Big East performer Greg Romeus (DE).
The key matchup in this contest will be the Utes offensive line, which returns four starters, against Pitt's front seven, a group that allowed a mere 3.3 yards per carry last season. Utah should have the advantage playing at home, where the ground game, led by running back Eddie Wide (1069 yards, 12 touchdowns), averaged 189 yards per game in 2009.
2010 College Football Picks Betting Trend: Pittsburgh is 0-4 straight up the last five years playing as a road dog in the month of September. Utah is 6-1 straight up the last five years playing as a home favorite in weeks one through four.
Sportsbook.com Pittsburgh vs Utah 2010 College Football Predictions, Picks & Odds:
Pittsburgh Panthers +3 (-110), Over 49 (-110), +135 (Moneyline)
Utah Utes -3 (-110), Under 49 (-110), -155 (Moneyline)
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