Pitt is the second-best rushing team in the Big East.

Syracuse has the conference's best defense against the run.

Clearly, when the two teams meet tomorrow at Heinz Field, something will have to give.

Or will it?

True, Pitt, under coach Dave Wannstedt, is a team that looks to establish the run first and uses it to set up the pass. But given the way the passing game -- and, more specifically, quarterback Bill Stull -- has performed this year, the Panthers seem far more equipped to win a game even if the opposition contains their running game.

Wannstedt said yesterday that in the past few years he didn't have enough confidence in the passing game to try to win a game passing the ball, but this year he does. And he said that if the Orange do stop the Panthers' running game he has full confidence in Stull and his receivers to get the job done.

" ... I know [the passing game] could win a game for us if it has to," Wannstedt said. "We go into every game wanting to be balanced, but if we can get the running game going we'll stick with it as we have done this year and in years past. But we've gone into some games early and had a tough time running the ball, and [Syracuse is] tough. It is not going to be easy at all.

"But like I said, I have enough confidence in our passing game now to make some plays throwing the ball. That is probably the difference in this year's team compared to what we've had in the past. I don't believe we are just one-dimensional anymore."

The Orange (3-5, 0-3 Big East) will try to force the Panthers (7-1, 4-0) to move the ball through the air, given a strong front seven that is anchored by one of the best run-stoppers in the nation -- defensive tackle Arthur Jones.

"Two years ago, we went for it on fourth down and he made a play to stop us, and we made a play to go for it on the goal line going in and he stopped us," Wannstedt said of Jones. "He is a heck of a player, he really is, but he is not a secret. Our players know who he is and we have a lot of respect for him."

Led by Jones, Syracuse has limited opponents to 88.9 yards rushing per game and 2.8 yards per carry. The longest run against Syracuse this year has been 33 yards. So it is clear the Orange have made a concerted effort to make teams one-dimensional.

Pitt fullback Henry Hynoski said that even though the Orange make it tough to run against them the Panthers still hope to have some success on the ground.

"They are really tough up front, they have a good guy in the middle," Wannstedt said. "They are a bunch of tough kids and play Pitt tough. But we're ready. We have to run the ball. Every week, we know we have to run the ball because it sets up the pass game, and we have to be physical and do what we do every week and not get out of our game plan.

"Now, I think the way Bill and our receivers are playing they are forced to play the pass game as well. Last year, teams focused more on the run, but now that Billy and the receivers are playing incredible they have to respect both."

Pitt tailback Dion Lewis, who leads the Big East in rushing (128.6 yards per game), has made a habit of breaking games open with long runs this season. He is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and has scored 11 touchdowns.

He said the key to this game is simple: Forget about his stats and concentrate on taking what the defense is giving. That might mean a day full of 3- and 4-yard runs, but if that is the case it is exactly the kind of day he is willing to have in order to help the Panthers win.

"If you watch [the Orange] on film, their safeties come up to support the run all the time," Lewis said. "So, we just have to stay patient and let the game come to us and not try to force anything in the run game. We just need to play smart. I just don't want to try and force anything and not worry about big plays. I just need to keep having faith in the blocking schemes and stick with it. It is a matter of letting things come to me."

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