Playing The Odds is your weekly look at the Vegas betting lines for our Pittsburgh-area football teams. Playing The Odds is offered solely for entertainment purposes. SB Nation Pittsburgh does not promote gambling, unless Pitt and Penn State start playing yearly games again. Then all bets are on. All lines are accurate as of Tuesday morning of each week. Feel free to use the comments to tell us who you think will be victorious.
Thursday, November 11
7:30pm – Pitt Panthers (-6.5) @ Connecticut Huskies
What We Said: Pitt continues to control its own destiny in the Big East, and a win over UConn will keep them at least two games ahead of any other challenger. The Panthers should take care of the Huskies, unless the Pitt team that showed up against a weak Notre Dame or overrated Miami team shows up to play. Greg Romeus is listed as probable.
What Happened: The "other" Pitt team showed up, riding a poor special teams showing to a 30-28 loss in Connecticut.
Saturday, November 13
12:00pm – West Virginia Mountaineers (-6.5) vs. Cincinnati Bearcats
What We Said: West Virginia should snap a two game Bearcat winning streak in this game, but don’t be surprised if Cincinnati QB Zach Collaros, who missed last week’s game against Syracuse, returns with something to prove.
What Happened: Collaros returned, but had a poor showing (two interceptions) that helped the Mountaineers glide to a 27-point victory.
3:30pm – Penn State Nittany Lions (+17.5) @ Ohio State Buckeyes
What We Said: The Nittany Lions are coming off three straight wins and are peaking at the right time in the season, but the Buckeyes will be tough to beat in Columbus, featuring a very tough defense. Like the last time these two met in Ohio, expect a close game.
What Happened: After throwing for the first two passing touchdowns in Ohio Stadium under Joe Paterno, Matt McGloin had two passes returned for touchdowns in the second half en route to a 24 point loss.
Sunday, November 14
8:20pm – Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5) vs. New England Patriots
What We Said: In their third marquee matchup in a row, the Steelers try to keep pace in both their division and the AFC. Both teams come in at 6-2, but a Sunday night game at Heinz Field is a difficult place to play for any team.
What Happened: Heinz Field may be a difficult place to play for most, but Tom Brady made it look easy during the Patriots' 13-point victory.