Pittsburgh @ Duke preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 1, 2014 ) Duke 51, Pittsburgh 48

If the last two seasons are any indication, the scoreboard will be lighting up Saturday when Pittsburgh visits ACC rival Duke. The Blue Devils outlasted Pitt 51-48 in two overtimes last season despite allowing 594 yards and the Panthers took a 58-55 decision in 2013 when then-freshman Tyler Boyd hauled in three touchdown passes.

A few weeks ago it appeared that this year's game might decide the ACC Coastal Division title, but both teams have dropped two straight contests. Pittsburgh fell 26-19 to North Carolina in a battle of ACC unbeatens on Oct. 29 before falling to independent Notre Dame 42-30 last weekend. Duke had a win against Miami on Oct. 29 taken away by poor officiating when the Hurricanes scored on the final play of the game, and the Blue Devils didn't have anything last week for No. 17 North Carolina, getting blasted 66-31. “I think the most important thing I’ve learned over the years is to react and correct, win or lose, but never to overreact,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe told reporters. “You don’t go changing everything we’ve done. We’re working back in the right direction – one day at a time.”

TV: Noon ET, ESPNews. LINE: Duke - 3.5

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (6-3, 4-1 ACC): Nate Peterman is completing 63.2 percent of his passes with 11 TDs and four interceptions while freshman Qadree Ollison leads the team with 748 yards rushing and eight scores. Freshman safety Jordan Whitehead, who leads the team in tackles, was given snaps at running back last week and gained 27 yards on four carries with two TDs. “He makes a ton of plays (on defense) and if we don’t have him back there, I wonder what the yardage looks like, I wonder what the points look like,” Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi told the media. “He’s a guy that can do a little bit of both, or a lot of defense and a little bit of offense.”

ABOUT DUKE (6-3, 3-2): Quarterback Thomas Sirk, who is completing 58.7 percent of his passes for 1,979 yards with 12 TDs against five interceptions, also leads the team with 559 yards rushing and five scores. Shaquille Powell has run for 449 yards and a 4.6 average while Max McCaffrey paces the Blue Devils with 38 receptions, 475 yards and is tied for the team lead with three receiving scores. Linebacker Jeremy Cash has been outstanding, notching team highs of 80 tackles, 16.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks, but the defense has just 15 sacks and forced 11 turnovers all season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Pittsburgh has yielded 6.2 yards per carry over its last four games while Duke is coming off a 327-yard rushing performance against North Carolina, its best output since Week 3 of 2014 against Kansas (331).

2. Saturday will be the final home game for 23 Duke seniors, who have won 31 games over their four years, making them the winningest class in school history.

3. Boyd, only a junior and Pitt's all-time leader in receptions (229) and receiving yards (3,097), tops the ACC in catches per game (8.3) and yards (82.8).

PREDICTION: Duke 38, Pittsburgh 31