Long shots: Pitt 6.1% (up 2.1%), Virginia Tech 3.0% (up 0.1%).
Pitt indeed jumped to 23rd in SP+ following a pummeling of Syracuse on Thursday. But the Panthers still have only a 4.0% chance of reaching 12-0 thanks to a tricky home stretch. They must play at SMU in Week 10 and Louisville in Week 13, and they host Clemson in between. They're projected underdogs in all three games, though that probably won't bother Pitt fans much: They're 3-0 as projected underdogs this season.
Biggest remaining games: Pitt at SMU (Nov. 2), Clemson at Virginia Tech (Nov. 9), Clemson at Pitt (Nov. 16).
The Pitt-SMU winner becomes the de facto No. 3 conference favorite, and if Pitt does the deed and remains unbeaten, the Panthers' odds of sneaking out an at-large playoff bid in the absence of a conference title rise a good amount too.
Pitt indeed jumped to 23rd in SP+ following a pummeling of Syracuse on Thursday. But the Panthers still have only a 4.0% chance of reaching 12-0 thanks to a tricky home stretch. They must play at SMU in Week 10 and Louisville in Week 13, and they host Clemson in between. They're projected underdogs in all three games, though that probably won't bother Pitt fans much: They're 3-0 as projected underdogs this season.
Biggest remaining games: Pitt at SMU (Nov. 2), Clemson at Virginia Tech (Nov. 9), Clemson at Pitt (Nov. 16).
The Pitt-SMU winner becomes the de facto No. 3 conference favorite, and if Pitt does the deed and remains unbeaten, the Panthers' odds of sneaking out an at-large playoff bid in the absence of a conference title rise a good amount too.
