Best Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia Player Prop Bets: College Football Week 3 Odds & Expert Picks
Pittsburgh and West Virginia play the 108th edition of the “Backyard Brawl” from Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown this weekend, and I break down one of the best regional rivalries in college football with my best Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia player props as part of our college football picks.
Kickoff for this 3:30 p.m. matchup airs on ESPN and is part of our college football predictions for Week 3. With the threat of one quarterback being benched in this game, I back the Under on his passing attempts total, while confidently supporting the opposing signal-caller.
🏈 Best Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia player props: Week 3
College football player prop bets made Thursday; odds subject to change.
- Nicco Marchiol Under 25.5 passing attempts (-110 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Kenny Johnson Over 42.5 receiving yards (-114 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Eli Holstein to throw 3+ passing touchdowns (+164 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐
💰 Best Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia player prop bets
Our college football player prop odds tool shows the best odds for every market across legal sportsbooks in your area.
⬇️ Nicco Marchiol Under 25.5 passing attempts (-110) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This total for Mountaineers quarterback Nicco Marchiol’s passing yards is conveniently set at 25.5 after he attempted 26 passes during a loss to Ohio last week.
Over backers will likely justify their stance while pointing at West Virginia’s game last week finishing with just 27 points even though the projected total was 60.5, meaning there's room for Marchiol to regress positively.
The case for the Under is that Marchiol is on thin ice with head coach Rich Rodriguez after backup quarterback Jaylen Henderson received some playing time last week.
“I’m not naming (a starting quarterback) because we got a long week of evaluating guys,” Rodriguez said. That's not exactly a vote of confidence in support of Marchiol. A slow start to this game could result in him getting yanked early, if there isn’t a plan to play multiple quarterbacks already.
This is a five-star play on a prop that comes with a 52.38% implied probability at one of the best sports betting sites, and a $10 winning wager would net $9.09 in profits.
⬆️ Kenny Johnson Over 42.5 receiving yards (-114) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pittsburgh returned its quarterback, top running back, three leading receivers, and three starting offensive linemen from a year ago, and the team is unsurprisingly off to a roaring start with 106 points through two games.
Raphael Williams Jr. has been Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein’s favorite target, hauling in a team-high seven catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns. While 16 different Panthers have caught passes this year and seven have already posted four-plus grabs in a game, their rotation of receivers should tighten up considerably against the team's rival.
Despite a 101-yard discrepancy between Williams Jr. and Johnson, the latter's total compared to his teammate’s is just six yards different. Johnson eclipsed this total in four games last year, and he should do so again while likely lined up against one of two Group of 5 transfer cornerbacks in Michael Coats Jr. (Nevada) or Fred Perry (Jacksonville State).
We're getting much better value on this number now than earlier in the week when Johnson’s O/U was at 48.5 through the best sports betting apps. There's now a more appealing total for us of 44.5 with a 53.49% implied probability of cashing the Over. So I'm taking advantage of the best number and price at FanDuel, where a $10 winning wager would net $8.77 in profit.
🔥 Eli Holstein to throw 3+ passing touchdowns (+164) ⭐⭐⭐
Holstein has logged four passing touchdowns through each of the first two games. While West Virginia’s defense is a step up from what he faced against Duquesne and Central Michigan, Pat Narduzzi’s team is very willing to throw in the red zone.
Six of Holstein’s eight passing touchdowns have come in the red zone, and three have been from four or fewer yards away.
Both teams play at lightning-fast tempos, so the Panthers should earn plenty of opportunities for Holstein to go over this alternate passing touchdowns total.
The Over on 1.5 for Holstein’s passing touchdowns comes with a 67.74% implied probability through FanDuel’s -210 odds. Instead, I'm backing the 37.88% implied probability on his alternate passing touchdowns total and hoping to net $16.40 in profit with a winning $10 wager.
📺 Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia game info
- When: Saturday, Sept. 13
- Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Milan Puskar Stadium (Morgantown, W. Va.)
- How to watch: ESPN
❓ Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia FAQs
What are the best Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia player props?
My best Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia player props based on our college football odds include the Under on Nicco Marchiol’s passing attempts, the Over on Kenny Johnson’s receiving yards, and Eli Holstein throwing for at least three touchdowns.
When is the Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia game?
The Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, airing on ESPN.
How do college football player props work?
Player props are wagers on individual performances rather than the outcome of the game. Common props include passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards, and touchdown scorers. For example, if a QB’s passing yards line is set at 250.5, you can bet the Over (251-plus yards) or Under (250 or fewer yards). You can also bet on if a specific player will score a touchdown in the entire game, the first or last touchdown, and more college football odds markets.
You can determine the payouts and implied probabilities for any wager - or convert odds to different formats - with our odds converter.
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