John Beale, Post-Gazette
	Fans will likely know how the Pitt line is doing tomorrow by how Raymond Kirkley is doing.

Pitt left tackle Rob Petitti had flashbacks of one of the Panthers' lowest points last season when he watched film of Nebraska's famed Blackshirt defense.

"They remind me a lot of Notre Dame," Petitti said. "Nebraska is just real physical, their program has been great for so many years and they have so much pride.

"They come right after you, and everyone seems to get to the right gaps. They just fire blitzes at you all game. It is going to be a physical test."

The Notre Dame comparison doesn't bode well for Pitt because the Panthers' offensive line was overwhelmed by a strong defensive front. Of course, Petitti's comparison also means this game will be an excellent gauge of whether Pitt's offensive line is better than last year's.

The Irish held Pitt's high-powered attack to nine first downs and 27 yards rushing.

The Panthers were held to a season-low 167 yards overall, and quarterback Rod Rutherford spent the entire game either on the ground -- he was sacked eight times and hit almost every time he dropped back to pass -- or running for his life.

That game essentially provided the blueprint for stopping the Panthers' offense -- pressure, pressure and more pressure.

It seemed the more pressure the Panthers faced, the more their offensive line wilted under it.

Pitt's coaches and players insist this line is better, even if it is less experienced. and many players have credited first-year strength coach Mike Kent with providing an offseason program that has gotten them in top shape. They say they are stronger and eager to prove last year was a fluke.

Nebraska's defensive front might be the best Pitt will face this year, but Petitti believes the Panthers are up to the challenge.

"I guess we will really see how much stronger we actually got since last year," he said.

"They are going to come ready to play coming off a loss last week. They are quick, they do a lot of moving around and play hard and all seem to get to the right gaps, so nobody is slacking around. They are big and they are physical guys and they play with heart. We know what we are up against, but we're ready."

Petitti is the veteran of tthe unit. An All-American candidate, he is a four-year starter and has started 39 consecutive games. He was lauded by Pitt coach Walt Harris for his performance against Ohio, but the rest of the line is a work in progress.

Matt Maiers likely will make his second consecutive start at right guard (the third of his career) in place of injured starter John Simonitis, and Charles Spencer and Dale Williams will make their second start at left guard and right tackle, respectively.

Spencer and Maiers played every snap against Ohio. Williams shared time with redshirt freshman Mike McGlynn. Harris said he was pleased with the way all four played against the Bobcats, but knows they'll need to improve tomorrow.

"We're not going to be perfect in our first game," said Maiers. "We made some mistakes, but the key is to make the improvement and correct those things.

"Overall, though, it was a good outing. We haven't played a lot together obviously, so just getting on the field, I felt like we got better as the game wore on.

"But now that we have the first one under our belt, we are expected to step it up. This is a much bigger challenge for us."

NOTES -- There are still several thousand tickets left for the game. They are $45 each and available at the Pitt ticket office or by calling 1-800-643-7488.