Dan Marino was a senior the previous time Pitt began a season 7-1, and that season, 1982, was also the tail end of the Panthers' run as one of college football's elite programs.

Pitt finished that regular season 9-2 and lost to Southern Methodist University in the Cotton Bowl. What followed was a span of 26 seasons of Pitt bouncing between mediocrity and being downright awful, unable to win nine regular-season games again until last year.

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Scouting report

• Matchup: No. 20 Pitt (6-1, 3-0 Big East) vs. South Florida (5-1, 1-1), noon today, Heinz Field. Pitt is favored by 61/2 points.
• TV/Radio: WTAE-TV; WWSW-FM (94.5) and WBGG-AM (970)
• Pitt: Has not been 7-1 since 1982. ... Never has beaten Connecticut, Rutgers and South Florida in same season. The Panthers already have beaten the Huskies and Scarlet Knights. ... Freshman tailback Dion Lewis has rushed 162 times for 918 yards and nine touchdowns and was named midseason All-American by SI.com. ... QB Bill Stull (114 of 171 for 1,409 yards, 14 touchdowns, 3 interceptions) is on midseason Manning Award watch list.
• South Florida: The series is tied 3-3, but the Bulls are 2-1 at Heinz Field. ... Freshman QB B.J. Daniels completed 47 of 88 passes for 810 yards for four interceptions and seven touchdowns. Daniels is also the team's leading rusher (64 rushes for 365 yards).
• Hidden stat: Pitt has 29 sacks and has given up six.

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But the 20th-ranked Panthers (6-1, 3-0 conference) play host to South Florida (5-1, 1-1) today in a pivotal Big East Conference game. A victory would push them back closer to the national conscience as they inch to the top 15 and likely end any doubts about the direction of the program under coach Dave Wannstedt.

It also would guarantee them a spot in a bowl game for the second consecutive season, something they have not done since 2003 and '04. And one other thing: A win would elevate them to 4-0 in the Big East for the first time since '03.

Clearly there is a lot riding on this game if Pitt wants to continue to be in the conversation for a Big East championship, a BCS bowl game and its first 10-win season since 1981.

In fact, it could be argued that this is the biggest -- and most meaningful -- game Pitt has played at Heinz Field since Nov. 25, 2004, when the Panthers beat West Virginia, 16-13, to clinch their first Big East title.

Since then, there have been big games at Heinz Field -- opening day 2005 against Notre Dame, last year against Iowa -- but none this late in the season that had the implications within the conference and nationally of this one.

"No doubt, it is a big game for us and for South Florida," Pitt senior linebacker Adam Gunn said. "But we can't get caught up in the moment. We have had some ups and downs over the years since I've been here, and this is a chance for us to win a big game in front of our fans. And that's something we haven't always done.

"South Florida is obviously going to come in here and be ready to play because they know they need to win this to stay in the Big East race since they lost last week. This is going to be a tough game, and we need to be focused on the things we need to do to win."

The Bulls are coming off a 34-17 loss last week to No. 5 Cincinnati. They also are looking for revenge from last year's game when the Panthers went into Raymond James Stadium and pulled a 26-21 upset.

Wannstedt has spent all week trying to shield his players from the hype surrounding the game and keep them focused on the Bulls and their explosive young quarterback, B.J. Daniels.

Even Wannstedt, however, couldn't deny that the Bulls, who are 2-1 at Heinz Field, will come in with a little extra something for the Panthers after what happened last year.

"We're expecting that," he said. "There's no question we're going to get their best game and their best effort, and we have to be able to do the same and up them one if we're going to win the game."

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