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Newsstand: What the spread opened as for the Notre Dame vs. Pittsburgh football game

Kyle Kellyby: Kyle Kelly10/23/23ByKyleKelly
Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman. (Chad Weaver/Blue & Gold)

Circa Sports unveiled its betting lines for Week 9 of the college football season. Notre Dame opened as a 19-point favorite for Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh.

The Irish (6-2) are coming off the first of two bye weeks this season. In Week 7, Notre Dame most recently defeated Southern California, 48-20, on Oct. Notre Dame covered a three-point spread in that game. 

Notre Dame is 4-2-1 against the spread this season, including 2-1-1 at home. The Irish did not cover a 34.5-point spread in a 41-17 win against Central Michigan on Sept. 16. Their 17-14 loss to Ohio State (+3) registered as a push. 

Pittsburgh poses a 2-5 overall record and a 2-5 mark against the spread. The Panthers were 2.5-point favorites last Saturday against Wake Forest. They lost outright 21-17. 

Notre Dame is 48-21 against Pittsburgh and has won the series’ last three games. The Irish last faced the Panthers in South Bend on Oct. 24, 2020. Notre Dame won that game 45-3. The Irish have a 26-11 record at home in the series. They have not lost to Pittsburgh in Notre Dame Stadium since Nov. 1, 2008. 

Saturday’s game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. EDT on NBC.

Notre Dame Posts of the Weekend

Former Irish offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley is all about blocking until the whistle. The Baltimore Ravens selected Stanley No. 6 overall out of Notre Dame in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Irish 2024 five-star wide receiver commit Cam Williams attended his offensive coordinator at Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard South John Aister’s son football game. 

The Irish have a 65% blue chip ratio in their 2024 recruiting class.

Notre Dame Quote of the Weekend

“I see the potential to be a great team. One of the greatest ever. I want to go out there and win the national championship. That’s going to be hard, but that’s my vision.”

— 2025 four-star tight end James Flanigan on his decision to verbally commit to the Fighting Irish. 

Notre Dame Headlines of the Weekend