Pittsburgh at North Carolina

Pitt has a potent, balanced offense with QB Nathan Peterman (six TDs, two INTS) and talented RB James Connor (281 yards, 4.5 yards per carry). After a slow start while coming back from a serious injury, Connor has topped 100 yards in each of the last two games, busting out last week against Oklahoma State with 111 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, this defense can't stop anyone, allowing 540 yards passing and 110 rushing in a 45-38 defeat. Oklahoma State WR James Washington pulled in nine receptions for 296 yards against the Pitt secondary -- the most in the nation by anyone so far this season. Cowboys QB Mason Rudolph had 372 yards passing and Washington 231 receiving in the first half alone, both OSU school records for one half. Pitt gave up 39 points and 332 yards passing the previous week to Penn State. First-year Pitt offensive coordinator Matt Canada's playbook is deep. Against Penn State, Canada used a variety of jet sweeps, shovel passes and play-action to get the ball to his playmakers. The Panthers ran for 359 yards and Pitt is 9-3 OVER the total against a winning team. They face a speedy North Carolina offense that has scored 24, 48 and 56 points. They scored 24 points against Georgia in the opener, a team that is eighth in the nation in points allowed (16.9 points per game) and seventh in yards allowed. Tar Heels QB Mitch Trubisky (five TDs, szero INTs) has 853 yards and is completing 73.6% of his passes, while RB Elijah Hood (266 yards) is averaging 6.2 ypc. North Carolina is ninth in the country in points (40.7 ppg) and #18 in total yards. The defense, though, is #95 in yards allowed (435.9 pg), plus #121 in rush defense, surrendering a whopping 247.4 yards per game. Don't look for any defense in this shootout. This one goes OVER.