A great offense might be the best defense Pitt can provide Saturday when the Panthers encounter high-powered Cincinnati at Heinz Field with the Big East Conference championship and a berth in the BCS on the line.

The undefeated Bearcats pretty much have had their way with their 11 opponents this season.

But even though the Panthers are better on offense than they have been in the past few years, there are still some serious questions about whether they are equipped to win a shootout, particularly if it involves trading scores with a team as explosive as Cincinnati.

That's especially true when you consider this: Pitt, under coach Dave Wannstedt, has not won a game in which the opposition has scored more than 27 points in regulation.

Only one time -- last year in a 36-33, four-overtime win against Notre Dame (the score at the end of regulation was 24-24) -- have Wannstedt's Panthers beaten a team that has scored more than 27 points. In addition, Pitt, under Wannstedt, is only 1-17 when the opposition scores 27 or more points in regulation.

That number -- 27 -- is significant because Cincinnati has been held to 27 points or fewer only one time this season -- a 24-21 win against West Virginia. And the Bearcats have scored more than 30 points in seven of 11 games.

Also, the Wannstedt-led Panthers have been in only four shootout games -- all losses: last year against Rutgers (54-34), 2007 against Navy (48-45, in two overtimes), 2006 against West Virginia (45-27) and 2006 against Connecticut (46-45, in two overtimes).

One other game that could belong in that category is the Panthers' 38-31 loss to North Carolina State this year because, as has been the case, they couldn't keep up the pace once the Wolfpack started scoring almost at will in the second half.

Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said yesterday that if the game turns into a points fest, the Panthers are more than equipped to win it. And while he admits it wouldn't be his first choice on how the game will unfold, he said his players are comfortable with trying to outscore their opponent.

"This offense is equipped for every contingency," Cignetti said. "Whether we are ahead or behind, whatever type of game it becomes, we're ready and prepared for it. But you never know what is going to happen come Saturday.

"I know this: We have an outstanding defense and an outstanding front four, and my anticipation is that we score one more point than Cincinnati. It might be 17, it might be 24 -- whatever that number is, we have to get our job done... ."

Many of the players from the 15th-ranked Panthers (9-2, 5-1 Big East) agree that they will need to find a way to outscore the fifth-ranked Bearcats (11-0, 6-0), but most say a quick-strike game with a lot of points doesn't play to their strengths.

In fact, the opposite is true: The Panthers' best chance to win is to control the line of scrimmage, let Dion Lewis run for a lot of yards, control the clock and allow their defense to rest as much as possible between series.

"We're going to have to be ready for a shootout if that is what it comes to," said quarterback Bill Stull. "But the way that our offense is, we're going to run the ball and then we are going to take our shots down the field off of running the ball, with play action and things like that. We'll be ready for [a shootout], but I don't see it happening, given the way our defense has been playing, but we have to be prepared for it.

"The way we've scored points is having long drives, establishing the run game, use those 12-play, eight-minute drives. And that is who we are and what we are going to try to do. And we have to play mistake-free football."

Cignetti echoed those sentiments and said that Cincinnati's explosiveness and potential to score a lot of points will not change what the Panthers do or have an effect on his game plan.

One person who said he has no interest in watching a shootout is Pitt defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, who said his job is to find a way to make sure Cincinnati isn't scoring at will.

"We have to start the game strong and prove we can play with them," Bennett said. "And I think our kids feel like we can stop them. And when I say stop them, I mean stop them. They will make some plays and you have to get where they aren't crucial plays."

NOTES -- Defensive end Greg Romeus has been named as one of the seven finalists for the Ted Hendricks defensive end of the year award. ... Saheed Imoru, a cornerback at Navarro College, made a verbal commitment to Pitt. Imoru (5-9, 190 pounds), who will enroll next month after finishing up at the two-year school in Corsicana, Texas, chose Pitt over Iowa State, New Mexico and North Texas.

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