UCF Knights at Pittsburgh Panthers

Pittsburgh squares off against UCF in Week 2

UCF (1-0) at Pittsburgh (1-0), Sept. 12 at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

Opening Line: Pittsburgh by 7. Against the spread: Pittsburgh 1-0, UCF 1-0.

How to watch: ESPN2

Key stats

Pittsburgh Offense

Overall: 646 yards per game (8th in FBS)

Passing: 480 yards per game (1st)

Rushing: 166 yards per game (65th)

Scoring: 59 points per game (13th)

Pittsburgh Defense

Overall: 289 yards per game (62nd in FBS)

Passing: 261 yards per game (107th)

Rushing: 28 yards per game (9th)

Scoring: 14 points per game (56th)

UCF Offense

Overall: 560 yards per game (20th in FBS)

Passing: 200 yards per game (91st)

Rushing: 360 yards per game (7th)

Scoring: 73 points per game (2nd)

UCF Defense

Overall: 181 yards per game (25th in FBS)

Passing: 74 yards per game (8th)

Rushing: 107 yards per game (68th)

Scoring: 6 points per game (21st)

Both teams perform well on third down. Pittsburgh ranks 16th in the FBS, converting 63.6% of the time. UCF ranks 18th, converting 62.5%.

Pittsburgh is 59th in FBS in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on 100% of trips. UCF's red zone offense ranks 1st, scoring on 100% of red zone opportunities.

UCF ranks 102nd in the FBS with an average time of possession of 28:05, compared to Pittsburgh's 31st-ranked average of 33:56.

Team leaders

Pittsburgh

Passing: Mason Heintschel, 453 yards, 7 TDs, 0 INTs, 75.6 completion percentage

Rushing: Justin Cook, 50 yards on 1 carry, 1 TD

Receiving: Cataurus Hicks, 114 yards on 5 catches, 1 TD

UCF

Passing: Alonza Barnett III, 158 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 61.1 completion percentage

Rushing: Duke Watson, 110 yards on 7 carries, 1 TD

Receiving: Josh Derry, 45 yards on 3 catches, 0 TDs

Last game

Pittsburgh won 59-14 over Miami (OH) on Sept. 5. Heintschel led Pittsburgh with 453 yards on 31-of-41 passing (75.6%) for seven touchdowns and no interceptions. He also carried the ball five times for 23 yards. Cook had 50 rushing yards on one carry and one touchdown, adding one reception for seven yards. Hicks had five receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown.

UCF beat Bethune-Cookman 73-6 on Sept. 3. Barnett threw for 158 yards on 11-of-18 attempts (61.1%) with one touchdown and one interception. He also carried the ball five times for 9 yards and one rushing touchdown. Watson had 110 rushing yards on seven carries and one touchdown. Derry had three receptions for 45 yards.

Next game

Pittsburgh hosts Syracuse on Sept. 17. UCF hosts Georgia State on Sept. 19.

Matchup Prediction