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Q: I know you've written that Pitt is in a better position if Cincinnati beats WVU tonight but with Cincinnati, Pitt, and WVU still in contention for the Big East title -- if West Virginia wins the game could you explain what the Big East title tie breakers are?

R.J., Fairfax, Va.

ZEISE: Well, OK, like I wrote yesterday -- it is easy if West Virginia loses -- then the only game that matters is the Pitt-Cincinnati game on Dec. 5th. And frankly, it is still easy to figure out even if West Virginia wins, though it would mean Pitt would have to win both remaining conference games to win the conference. Because Pitt and Cincinnati both have already played the other five teams and because WVU has a conference loss already to South Florida -- there is no way there can be a three-way tie. It is impossible for both Pitt and Cincinnati to finish with two conference losses. So with that knowledge, it will really come down to head-to-head no matter what happens.

I mean, if West Virginia wins, the Mountaineers could then win the Big East with wins over Pitt and Rutgers because that would leave WVU and the Cincinnati-Pitt winner tied at 6-1 in the conference and WVU would obviously hold the tie-breaker over either. Now, say WVU wins tonight and beats Pitt???.then loses to Rutgers on Dec. 5th -- that would be their second conference loss and that would mean the Pitt-Cincinnati winner would win the conference at 6-1. Now, say WVU wins tonight and loses to Pitt (it would be the Mountaineers second conference loss) -- Pitt would then still have to beat Cincinnati to win the conference outright because Pitt and Cincinnati would enter that game like this -- Pitt would be 6-0, Cincinnati would be 5-11. Thus if Cincinnati wins it they would be tied at 6-1 and the Bearcats would hold the head-to-head advantage.

Q: Has the coaching staff considering lining Henry Hynoski up at tailback and putting a fullback, like Kevin Collier, in front of him, or maybe even a TE, like Mike Cruz or Dorin Dickerson down on the goal line?

Brian McPeak, Oxford, Pa.

ZEISE: We've seen this a few times but I don't think on the goal line. But it has been Dickerson or Cruz and not another fullback. I don't think we'll see this much because the coaches believe in Dion Lewis and don't want to take him off the field in these situations. He has scored like 12 or 13 touchdowns this year so it isn't like he doesn't find the end zone and frankly, the best blocking running back Pitt has is probably Hynoski, so he is well suited for the role of leading the way. And when they do run Hynoski they like it to be that belly/fullback dive/fullback blast kind of play and he hammers it in there.

Q: Would you say that Henry Hynoski is an improvement over Conredge Collins at fullback? They both are/were good blockers but it seems like Hynoski is a better short-yardage back. Also, is Neil Diamond God's gift to the University of Pittsburgh?

John, Washington, Pa.

ZEISE: Henry Hynoski is an upgrade over Conredge Collins as a blocker but Collins was a good short yardage running back who didn't have the benefit of a good passing game, an improved offensive line and a good package of plays designed to get him the ball. I think overall Hynoski is also better for this reason: He embraces and loves his role and his position whereas Collins wanted to be a tailback. I give Collins a lot of credit; he kept his mouth shut and did what he was supposed to do but he was clearly never happy with his role and thus I don't think he really became as good as he could have been. I always thought they needed to use him more than they did running the ball but it was hard because LeSean McCoy was so good.

As for Neil Diamond, I don't know if he is God's gift to Pitt but I've said it before, I'm not big on marketing gimmicks but there is no question that when that song plays at the end of the third quarter, there seems to be a little bit of an energy charge going through the stadium. And it is pretty funny watching how the players react to it because they've clearly made it their rallying cry.

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