Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Pittsburgh Panthers Prediction - 11/15/2025
Updated July 9, 2026
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Pittsburgh Panthers will do battle in a game that carries major implications for both sides. Both teams sit at 7-2 and are in the top 25 of the College Football Playoff rankings. This is more or less an elimination game for the playoff hopes of both of these teams. Before this important contest begins in Pittsburgh, you can find my Notre Dame vs Pitt prediction below.
One of the big narratives going into this game is playoff positioning. Notre Dame is ranked ninth in the country. They have bounced back from a 0-2 start and now sit firmly in the playoff conversation. Pitt is ranked inside of the top 25 and this game is a huge chance for them to spruce up their playoff resume. The series history favors the Irish and Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi is 0-4 against Notre Dame. But the Panthers will try to pull off an upset in spite of the historical trends entering this game.
The question for both of these teams is whether or not they can get enough stops on defense. The Fighting Irish struggled mightily on defense against Miami and Texas A&M earlier in the season. They have settled in nicely against weaker opponents, but Pitt's high-powered passing offense could cause the Irish some headaches.
Pitt's defense has also struggled against quality competition this year. They gave up 34 points to Louisville in their lone loss during ACC play so far this season. They could give up even more against a Notre Dame offense that can hurt its opposition both through the air and on the ground.
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr has emerged as an elite quarterback in college football. He ranks first in yards per pass attempt (10.11) and third in pass efficiency among FBS quarterbacks. He has 2,275 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. Pitt signal-caller Mason Heintschel is a true freshman who has thrown for over 300 yards in four games and has stepped in admirably after injuries changed Pitt's quarterback situation early in the season.
Score Projection: Notre Dame 38 – Pittsburgh 24
Win Probability: Notre Dame 65%, Pittsburgh 35%
My best bet for this contest in college football is for the over to cash. Both of these teams have seen the majority of their games go over their respective totals. That trend should continue as Notre Dame's running game and Pitt's passing attack should both have success at Acrisure Stadium.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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