Syracuse visits Pitt on Thursday, September 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, the standalone Thursday night game and the first ACC action of Week 3. Both teams come in off very different Week 2 results.
Odds and Spread
Betting lines for this game are not posted yet. This table fills in automatically once books release them.
Pitt is favored at home by more than a touchdown. Thursday night games between unranked conference rivals tend to be closer than the number, partly because the short week flattens preparation for both sides. Pitt holding UCF to seven points is the reason the line is this wide.
Start Time, TV Channel and How to Watch
| Date | Thursday, September 17, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
| Streaming | ESPN app and ESPN Unlimited with a TV provider login, or Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Sling Orange |
| Rankings | Both teams unranked |
| Stadium | Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
How Both Teams Got Here
Pitt is 2-0. The Panthers beat Miami (Ohio) 59-14 in Week 1 behind seven touchdown passes from Mason Heintschel, then ground out a 12-7 win over UCF in the rain, a game that said more about the defense than the offense.
Syracuse is 1-1. The Orange beat New Hampshire in the opener, holding them to three points, then lost 21-18 at home to Cal on a late pick six. Their defense has been the strength, ranking 12th nationally in total defense at 204 yards allowed per game.
The Rivalry
Syracuse and Pitt have been playing since 1916 and spent decades together in the old Big East before both landed in the ACC. The series has never needed a trophy to feel personal, and a Thursday night standalone window on ESPN gives it the whole national audience to itself.
What to Watch
Both defenses are the story. Pitt has the best rushing defense in the ACC, allowing 23.5 yards per game, and held UCF to seven points. Syracuse ranks 12th nationally in total defense and gave up 17 points across two games. Something has to give, and it probably will not be many points.
The quarterback gap is where Pitt has the edge. Heintschel has thrown for 665 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions and leads the ACC in completions. Syracuse’s Steve Angeli threw three interceptions against Cal, including the pick six that decided it. Syracuse did put up 437 yards in that game, so the Orange can move the ball; they have to stop giving it away.
Related
ACC standings · Pitt football score · Syracuse football score · ACC scores · College football scores
The Bottom Line
Syracuse at Pitt kicks off Thursday, September 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN from Acrisure Stadium. Pitt is 2-0 with the best rushing defense in the ACC; Syracuse is 1-1 after a three point home loss to Cal. The live odds table above updates automatically.