Questions abound for Pitt as it heads into what will be the season-defining stretch of its schedule.

That stretch begins today when the Panthers (5-2) play at Notre Dame (5-2) in their final non-conference game before four games against Big East opponents, all in contention for the conference title.

"We know what is out there ahead of us; we can still achieve our goals," Pitt linebacker Scott McKillop said. "We can still win the Big East, we can still do a lot of things, but we can't get ahead of ourselves. We need to focus and play and practice and prepare one week at a time."

The "one game at a time" theme was common for the Panthers this week because they spent plenty of their time answering for a 54-34 loss to Rutgers a week ago.

Before that game, the Panthers had a five-game winning streak; they had climbed into the top 20 in all of the polls, including the Bowl Championship Series; and they were fast becoming the popular pick to win the Big East title.

Now, the same questions that have dogged the Panthers for three-plus years under Dave Wannstedt have begun to creep up, because it was 2004 when the Panthers previously played in a bowl game. Can they finish a season? Can they get to a bowl? Can Wannstedt lead them to the "next level"? Is Wannstedt the right guy for the job?

The previous bowl appearance was the year before Wannstedt arrived, and it was a fifth consecutive season the Panthers had gone to a bowl, which is why this stretch is so crucial for him and the team.

But Wannstedt, like his players, insists the big picture is not his focus because each week presents a unique challenge.

"That stuff is not the focus," Wannstedt said when asked if he had talked to his team about winning the Big East or getting back into the rankings after the Rutgers loss.

"I did not address that with the team. I told them the same thing I'm telling you now: We can take this thing as far as we want to take it but what and how is really insignificant. We're totally focused on Notre Dame and playing this game this week.

"We're trying to find a way to get win number six. What everybody else does or how it all plays out -- there's a lot of football left."

There is a lot of football to be played, but the Panthers, 2-1 in conference, don't appear to have an easy game on their schedule. After the Irish, they will play host to suddenly formidable Louisville (5-2, 1-1), travel to Cincinnati (6-2, 2-1), play host to a resurgent West Virginia (5-2, 2-0) and then finish at Connecticut (6-2, 2-0).

On the other side of the ball, the Irish also are trying to get bowl-eligible and appear to have turned things around from last season's 3-9 disaster.

Unlike Wannstedt, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis isn't afraid to talk about the significance of getting that sixth win and the importance of continuing to try to improve the Irish's postseason chances. He said he'd like to take things one game at a time but that's not realistic, especially when dealing with college-aged athletes.

"The players, I give them enough common sense to realize that the magnitude, if they win this one -- they already know they're in," Weis said. "I'd like them to be thinking along the lines, let's beat Pittsburgh and then we'll worry about Boston College, and let's beat Boston College then we'll worry about Navy. I like to stay the course, but they know the ramifications of each game.

"And one thing is being bowl-eligible and the other one is how good a bowl. So one thing is just getting in, getting in the tournament. And the other one is how high are you going to get seeded.

"So I think that first things first, you want to get in where you know you're going to go somewhere. Right now I'm just playing one game at a time to try to get as many of those [wins] as you can to put yourself in the best position come the end of the year."

Weis and Wannstedt are often compared because both came to their current jobs after long stints in the NFL, both are graduates of their respective universities and both were asked to invigorate their programs.

They were hired in the same year and the two met in their first game at their current stop -- a 42-21 Notre Dame win in 2005 at Heinz Field.

Both entered this season on hot seats because they have recruited well but neither has orchestrated a bowl victory in three seasons and both are coming off losing seasons.

Weis, a former offensive coordinator who had plenty of battles against Wannstedt in the NFL, said the Panthers will likely come into Notre Dame as a desperate team in search of a victory.

"[A loss] is usually a very good rallying cry, especially when you're going on the road," Weis said. "So talking about Pittsburgh, I can feel pretty confident that Dave right now knows that this team is 3-0 on the road. He knows that Rutgers hit them with some big plays in the game. So, I mean, they just hit them on that day.

"And I think they kind of -- they'll take an us-against-the-world mentality -- 'We have to show everyone we're going to Notre Dame, it's on national TV, let's go get our respect back that we've got knocked down a little bit after the Rutgers game.' "

Matchup: Pitt (5-2) vs. Notre Dame (5-2), 2:30 p.m. today, Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, Ind. Notre Dame is favored by 5.

TV/Radio: WPXI; WWSW-FM (94.5), WBGG-AM and SIRIUS satellite radio channel 125.

Pitt: Defeated the Irish, 41-38, the last trip to Notre Dame in 2004, but are 3-7 all time in road games vs. Notre Dame. ... RB LeSean McCoy leads the NCAA in scoring, averaging 12 points per game ... Needs one more win to become bowl-eligible.

Notre Dame: Leads all-time series 19-9, including most recent meeting, 42-21, in 2005 at Heinz Field. ...WR Tate Golden leads the Irish in receiving yards (565) and has eight catches of 30 or more yards.

Hidden stat: Notre Dame has made only 4 of 10 field-goal attempts.