There's a significant degree of drama surrounding the football game tonight between Pitt and Virginia as the Panthers attempt to reverse a season rapidly turning ugly while on the road against an opponent that is a six-point favorite.

But there's more to this game than that. It also offers a steamy subplot concerning a coach attempting to salvage his career.

It's a big game for Pitt. It might be a bigger game for Dave Wannstedt.

Pitt, 2-2, is reeling following a 20-point loss at home to lightly regarded Connecticut, a defeat that put the prospect of a three-win season into the realm of possibility. Only Navy on Oct. 10 figures to be a certain win for Pitt. All of the remaining opponents -- Cincinnati, Louisville, Syracuse, Rutgers, South Florida and West Virginia -- have the capability of beating Pitt, although that is not to say they should or will.

Overlooked in Pitt's struggles is the future of Wannstedt. Pitt was pleased to be able to land Wannstedt when Walt Harris was allowed to leave to take the Stanford job after the 2004 season. Not only was Wannstedt a Pitt man and a Pittsburgh guy, he brought impressive, if somewhat flawed, credentials. He had been head coach of the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins and a top lieutenant to Jimmy Johnson during a college championship season at Miami and a Super Bowl win with the Dallas Cowboys.

Things have not worked out as expected. Although Wannstedt has been credited with recruiting successes, they have not -- as yet -- translated into enough victories. He was 5-6 his first season, including a loss to Ohio University -- not Ohio State -- and 6-6 last year, when a season of promise dissolved when the Panthers lost their final five games.

Four games into his third season, Wannstedt is 13-14, which isn't good. What's worse is he's 10-14 against Division I opponents, 7-13 against teams belonging to conferences involved in the Bowl Championship Series and 6-9 in the Big East.

To put those numbers in perspective, in the final three years of Harris' tenure, Pitt was 25-13 overall, 24-13 against Division I opponents, 15-12 against teams currently in BCS conferences and 14-6 in the Big East.

That's a steep decline and not one necessarily caused, as Wannstedt apologists will claim, by a lack of talent when he took over.

It's enough of a decline to raise legitimate speculation about Wannstedt's future. In normal circumstances, regardless of what happened the remainder of this season, it would make sense to allow Wannstedt to coach next season with a roster full of his own players. But the circumstances of college football might dictate otherwise.

Wannstedt signed a five-year contract when he replaced Harris. After this season, he will have two years remaining. It is rare, if not almost unheard of, for coaches to have so little time left on their contracts. The reason for that is recruiting. High school players want to know the coach recruiting them will be around for all of their careers. The best way for a coach to prove that is to have at least three and preferably four or more years remaining on his contract.

That's one of the reasons West Virginia recently extended the contract of coach Rich Rodriguez through 2013.

When Pitt refused in 2004 to extend Harris with two years remaining on his contract, he was regarded by everyone as a lame duck. The situation was so unusual Harris' agent in mid-season suggested Pitt should fire his client.

In less than two months, Wannstedt will have two years remaining on his contract and be in circumstances similar to Harris. That's the dilemma for Pitt. Does it give Wannstedt a vote of confidence and help his recruiting by extending his contract? Or does it wait for Wannstedt to prove himself a winner?

Both choices have drawbacks.

If Pitt extends the contract and the football team continues to lose, it could owe Wannstedt millions. If the contract is not extended, Wannstedt will have the look of a lame duck and recruits will hesitate to sign with Pitt and thus reduce the chance of winning in the future.

To further complicate the situation, Pitt is searching for a new athletic director. If it wants to lure someone who has been in a position of success, that person might want to have full say, with no interference from the upper administration, on the football-coaching situation. Which is to say, it's entirely possible the new AD would not want to be stuck with Wannstedt.

In any circumstance, it is not a positive outlook for Wannstedt, which makes tonight's game at least as important for him as it is for the Pitt program.