Pittsburgh @ Duke preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 19, 2016 ) Duke 14, Pittsburgh 56

Teams in search of a much-needed win and better quarterback play meet Saturday when Pittsburgh meets Duke in an ACC Coastal Division matchup. The Panthers have dropped five of six since an opening-week victory over FCS foe Youngstown State, while the Blue Devils have dropped three straight conference games after opening the season with four wins by a combined 101 points.

Pittsburgh routed Duke 56-14 last season behind 237 yards passing and three touchdowns from current Buffalo Bills backup quarterback Nathan Peterman, but the Panthers have not received consistent play from either injured Max Browne or sophomore Ben DiNucci this season. The two have combined for just eight touchdown passes and 1,609 yards passing, opening the door for freshman Kenny Pickett to play in the second half of last week’s 35-17 loss to North Carolina State. During the Blue Devils’ season-opening four-game winning streak, sophomore Daniel Jones completed 62 percent of his passes for an average of 226 yards per game with five touchdowns against two interceptions. In the last three contests, the 6-5 signal-caller has completed just 48.3 percent of his passes for an average of 165 yards per game with one TD against three picks.

TV: 12:20 p.m. ET, ACC Network. LINE: Duke -8.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (2-5, 0-3 ACC): With Browne out for the season with a shoulder injury, DiNucci (55-of-97, 612 yards, three TDs, three interceptions) will remain the starter against the Blue Devils, but Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi knows the sophomore needs help. The Panthers have rushed for a combined total of 433 yards in their last five games after breaking out for 363 yards in the first two games of the season. “It's not just quarterbacks. We've got to help (Ben) out with some run game," Narduzzi told the media this week. “We talk way too much about the quarterback. There's some other things that we should be talking about, too. We've got to find a way to rush for 150 this week to have an opportunity to win the football game. We've got to go back to basics and we've got to get it.”

ABOUT DUKE (4-3, 1-3): With Jones struggling, the Blue Devils may want to use senior running back Shaun Wilson more, as the senior has averaged 5.4 yards per rush during the losing skid but has toted the ball on average less than 10 times per game. Sophomore defensive back Mark Gilbert leads the team with four interceptions - tied for fifth in FBS - and the team’s total of 12 is two more than they registered in the entire 2016 campaign and tied for second in FBS. The defense ranks 19th in FBS in total defense (313 yards per game), including 16th against the run (108), so Narduzzi may have a hard time reaching his goal of 150 yards rushing Saturday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 12-9.

2. During the game, former Duke coach and Heisman Trophy winner Steve Spurrier will be honored on the field in recognition of his upcoming enshrinement as a coach into the College Football Hall of Fame.

3. Among the 22 starting positions listed in Pitt's probable lineup, only six are occupied by seniors (four on offense and two defense).

PREDICTION: Duke 24, Pittsburgh 13