Notre Dame-Pittsburgh
Saturday, Nov. 15
12:05 p.m. Eastern, 9:05 a.m. Pacific
ABC
Notre Dame-Pittsburgh is one of the biggest games on the board in Week 12. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have arrived at the game which could easily define their 2025 season. Notre Dame is trying to win out and get to 10-2, which will – at the very least – guarantee that Notre Dame is at the center of the playoff discussion in early December. It’s not a lock that ND will get in at 10-2, but it’s probable, since so many other teams are going to lose games in the coming weeks, and since the Big 12 and ACC are probably looking at one bid apiece for the playoff.
The Pittsburgh Panthers are a fascinating team to look at right now. They are in the ACC championship chase, so they are still alive for a playoff berth of their own. They have to make and win the ACC Championship Game in order for that to happen, but it’s a realistic path. Pitt is such an important team in college football because the Panthers are playing Notre Dame this week and will play Miami later on. Pitt could knock two primary contenders out of the playoff, or it could allow those two teams to play their way in. A ton of teams on the College Football Playoff bubble are rooting very hard for Pitt in November.
Notre Dame-Pittsburgh will measure the Irish’s defense
Fighting Irish need to prove they have evolved
This game is interesting for reasons which go beyond the playoff dramas attached to it. Notre Dame has gotten better over the course of the season. The real question is, “By how much?” Notre Dame was the better team than USC a month ago, but one could reasonably say that Trojan mistakes more than Irish big plays decided that game. Notre Dame’s defense is better than it was in September when the unit was a total mess, but is this unit ready to deliver a big-time game on the road against a hungry opponent? It’s hard to know for certain just how good Notre Dame is. It’s worth noting that since the Irish hosted Texas A&M and USC, their only really daunting road game to this point in the season was the opener in Miami back on Labor Day weekend. Two and a half months later, is Notre Dame ready to play a high-level road game with everyone watching?
Notre Dame Fighting Irish-Pittsburgh Panthers Odds
Hear TJ Rives and Jason Powers break down this game on the 3Dog Thursday Podcast by clicking Play below:
Spread: Notre Dame -12.5 (-110), Pittsburgh +12.5 (-110)
Total: 54.5 (Over -115, Under -105)
Underdog moneyline: Pittsburgh +350
Pittsburgh is a double-digit underdog at home. The money has been flowing to Notre Dame all week. Pitt has to love being in this situation. The Panthers have derailed opposing teams’ seasons before, Clemson and Miami being recent examples. This is a major national game, and a Pitt team which is still in the ACC race is not merely playing spoiler; it is playing for its own high stakes.
The initial lean here is toward Pitt as a huge home underdog, but if Notre Dame gets a quick 7-0 or 10-0 lead, you could get Pitt plus 17.5 or even 19.5 points as a live in-game bet. Maybe make a small pregame play on Pitt but look for an even bigger underdog point-spread bet 10-15 minutes into the game, especially if Notre Dame gets the early lead.