2021 Peach Bowl Preview: Pittsburgh vs. Michigan State

The first of the six New Year’s Six bowl games is played Thursday night in Atlanta at the Peach Bowl. This is a game people were really looking forward to when it first was announced as part of the bowl schedule, but one very obvious pair of decisions has caused this game to take on a very different and less substantial feel as kickoff time approaches.

Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Michigan State Spartans 
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 7:00 PM ET

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

CFB Odds: Michigan State -2.5

Pittsburgh Panthers

The Panthers produced a tremendous 2021 season, winning the ACC championship in a year when very few people were expecting that to happen. Pittsburgh was not even considered the preseason favorite in its own division, the ACC Coastal. North Carolina and Miami were the two favorites and the teams expected to challenge Clemson for the ACC championship. Clemson, though, never got untracked this season. The Tigers were a shell of their former selves. Pittsburgh climbed over Miami, North Carolina, and Clemson to take advantage of a huge opportunity. The Panthers beat Clemson in the regular season. They also defeated North Carolina in a close game. They lost to Miami but were able to bounce back after that home-field loss. Kenny Pickett had a memorable season for Pittsburgh, carrying the offense with his passing prowess plus an occasional ability to make big plays with his legs. The quarterback turned the Pitt offense into a juggernaut and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. He outdueled another elite ACC quarterback, Sam Hartman of Wake Forest, in the ACC Championship Game, to give Pittsburgh its first-ever ACC title in football. Pitt reached the ACC Championship Game in 2018 but was blown out by Clemson. This time, with the Tigers not in Charlotte to play for the ACC title, Pitt made the most of its opportunity. Coach Pat Narduzzi led the Panthers to an 11-2 season and the program’s first big January bowl game since the 2005 Fiesta Bowl against Utah.

Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans were not expected to be a particularly strong team, but they sent a message in a Week 1 blowout of Northwestern. They built on that win and continued to find ways to win close games, such as a late escape against Nebraska in a contest in which they trailed for much of the second half. Michigan State came back from a 16-point deficit to beat Jim Harbaugh and Michigan, 37-33, the only loss Michigan endured in the regular season. Michigan State was unbeaten entering November. It lost twice, but it still earned hard-fought wins against Maryland and Penn State to finish its season 10-2, good enough for a New Year’s Six bowl, a fantastic achievement. Running back Kenneth Walker was clearly the best running back in the country this season, though unlike Pickett, he did not receive an invitation to the Heisman Trophy ceremony as a finalist.

Outlook

Kenny Pickett of Pitt and Kenneth Walker of MSU, the best and most important players on each team, opted out of this game to prepare for the NFL draft. It takes a lot of the sizzle out of this game, but since quarterback is a more important position than running back, Pitt gets hurt in this exchange. Expect the Spartans to limit Pitt’s diminished offense.

Panthers vs. Spartans Prediction:

Spartans 26, Panthers 20