The 2006 recruiting class was Dave Wannstedt's first full class as Pitt head coach, and it has been the foundation of the rise of the Panthers into Big East Conference contenders.

But members of that class came to Pitt with one goal in mind: Return the Panthers to the top of the Big East. Saturday, in their final game at Heinz Field, they have an opportunity to do just that.

Pitt (9-2, 5-1 Big East) will play host to Cincinnati (11-0, 6-0) in a battle for the Big East championship and the conference's automatic berth in the BCS.

And to the members of the senior class, it is this simple: Now that Pitt is this close to achieving the goal that these seniors set four years ago when they all first came to campus, it would be a huge disappointment if they don't get it done.

"When I came we were 6-6, then my sophomore year we were 5-7 and then we started to get the program rebuilt," Pitt senior tight end Nate Byham, a Franklin High School graduate, said. "The guys from my recruiting class started to get into the lineup and play key roles, and last season we were 9-3. And now we're back at 9-2 again.

"That's good, but that's not what we want. I will not be happy if we end up going 9-3 and go win a bowl game to get to 10-3. That is not good enough. We didn't come here to win just nine games."

Pitt senior guard John Malecki, a Franklin Regional graduate, said: "We all talked about turning this program around and winning championships when we got here. And to see where the program has grown from 6-6 and 5-7 to 9-3 and now to have the opportunity to win the Big East championship, it is a blessing to be able do what we talked about four years ago."

Despite what is at stake for the Panthers and the fact that it is such a huge game, however, the players say they are not going to let the pressure change who they are.

"We're not going to do anything we haven't done any other week," Byham said. "We're just going to work hard, watch film and get ready to play."

Technically, Saturday's game is not the Big East championship game because the Bearcats (11-0, 6-0) already have clinched at least a share of the championship. However, the winner of the game will win the Big East's automatic BCS berth, which, according to Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly, is the point of it all, anyway.

"We're not playing for co-championships," Kelly said Monday on his weekly teleconference. "[If Cincinnati loses and doesn't win the conference title outright,] you could put it any way you want. I mean, I'm sure it would go in the media guide that way, but I know this: We'd be extremely disappointed.

"There's only one thing that we go at relative to win a goal and that's to win a championship."

Kelly had one more zinger, this one aimed at the BCS system, when he was asked about whether he would lobby to get into the national title game if Cincinnati wins Saturday. The undefeated Bearcats are No. 5 in the BCS and their conquests include a non-conference win against Oregon State, which will play Oregon for the Pac-10 Conference championship this weekend.

"I think our record will speak for itself and the games that we've played," Kelly said. "Obviously, we'll be pulling hard for Oregon State to be the Pac-10 champions, certainly. Three Top 25 wins, a Big Ten win ... I don't know. But if you go 12-0 and you've beaten Pac-10 champion and don't get in, does that say something about the system?"

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