With nearly 100 percent of the precincts having reported, this column is prepared to project a winner in the race between Pitt and Cincinnati to finish first in the Big East Conference.

It's Pitt.

OK, so we're only talking about two precincts. So what? There's a good reason the opinions of South Florida linebacker Kion Wilson and offensive coordinator Mike Canales weighed heavily in our declaration. Who knows Pitt and Cincinnati better? South Florida -- a Big East favorite not just before the season, but five games in when it was 5-0 and ranked No. 21 -- took a 41-14 licking from Pitt at Heinz Field yesterday, nine days after it was beaten at home by Cincinnati, 34-17.

"I would take Pitt," Wilson said when asked how the two teams match up. "Because of Pitt's diversity. They can run the ball and take time off the clock. They can pound the ball and pound the ball, which really fatigues a defense. Then, they can throw it at will."

Added Canales, "I can only speak for the defenses, but Pitt's defense seems to be much better ... I shouldn't say much better, but they seem to me to be more physical than Cincinnati's defense."

Pretty nice endorsements, right?

Better than pretty nice, actually, because Cincinnati figures to keep its gaudy No. 5 ranking after plastering Louisville, 41-10, yesterday.

I know, this kind of talk doesn't mean much on Oct. 25. Pitt and Cincinnati will have the final say on the matter when they play at Heinz Field Dec. 5. It's also true that much could happen before then. After Pitt's two consecutive bye weeks -- I consider the home game against Syracuse Nov. 7 to be a virtual bye -- it has tough games against Notre Dame and at West Virginia. Only a fool would discount the Mountaineers as a third contender in the Big East.

But it's hard not to be just as impressed as Wilson and Canales with this Pitt performance. It was the most complete Pitt performance in years and years, certainly of the Dave Wannstedt era. Please hold the e-mails; I didn't say it was more amazing or more significant than the 13-9 win in Morgantown Dec. 1, 2007. It will be a long time before something tops that, if it ever happens. But this win was nothing less than stunning because of Pitt's dominance.

"We got beat bad," South Florida coach Jim Leavitt said.

A team can't play better than Pitt did in the first half.

Its five possessions against a defense ranked first in the Big East coming in resulted in four touchdowns and a field goal. Quarterback Bill Stull completed his first 11 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Pitt was 6 for 6 on third-down conversions deep into the second quarter. Each of its playmakers made big plays. "We have 'em everywhere," Stull said. Tight end Dorin Dickerson had catches for 20 and 22 yards on the first touchdown drive. Wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin had a 40-yard touchdown catch to make it 14-0 and another 35-yard reception. Running back Dion Lewis scored on a 1-yard run to make it 21-7 and later had a 48-yard run.

"If we keep playing like that and keep improving, I won't say we'll be unstoppable, but we'll be a lot closer to doing some really great things," Stull said. "You can just feel it coming."

Defensively, Pitt forced four South Florida punts in that first half, three on three-and-outs. It allowed one touchdown drive, mostly because of one breakdown in the secondary that resulted in a 41-yard pass play. South Florida didn't score again until 10 seconds were left in the game.

Pitt was so good in the first half it didn't commit a penalty.

"I don't know how it could have come together any better than what happened today," Wannstedt said.

Although it's easy to rave about Stull, Baldwin, Dickerson and Lewis, the true stars were Pitt's big boys up front -- both on offense and defense. The lines were Pitt's most glaring weaknesses when Wannstedt took over after the 2004 season. Now, they are team strengths.

"They physically beat us at the line of scrimmage," Leavitt said.

As impressive as Pitt's defense was getting four sacks and three interceptions, the offense was even more remarkable, giving up just one late sack and having one turnover, a Stull interception in the third quarter. Wannstedt fretted before the game about the South Florida pass rush but gushed afterward, "Our offensive line was just unbelievable."

Added Stull, "Everything starts and ends up front."

All of it made for some happy homecoming for the Heinz Field crowd, but a thoroughly rotten day for Leavitt and his guys.

"They were a much better team than us today," he said. "I thought it was going to be a really good game. I really did. I'm surprised."

Impressed, too.

Justifiably impressed with a 7-1 Pitt team that is starting to look like the team to beat in the Big East.

Paul Zeise's "Pitt Stop" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.