• def. North Carolina, 19-17, in Meineke Bowl

6th Season • W-L: 35-26

SEPTEMBER

2: at Utah, 8:30 p.m.; 11: vs. New Hampshire, 1 p.m.; 23: vs. Miami (Fla.), 7:30 p.m.

OCTOBER

2: vs. Florida International, TBA; 9: at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m.; 16: at Syracuse, TBA; 23: vs. Rutgers, TBA; 30: vs. Louisville, TBA.

NOVEMBER

11: at Connecticut, 7:30 p.m.; 20: at South Florida, TBA; 26: vs. West Virginia.

DECEMBER

4: at Cincinnati, TBA.

Nov. 26: vs. West Virginia at Heinz Field. ... Of course, it is the Backyard Brawl every year so it is an important game annually, but this season it very well could determine the Big East championship so the stakes could be much higher.

Defensive end Greg Romeus; Defensive end Jabaal Sheard; Strong safety Dom DeCicco; Left tackle Jason Pinkston; Wide receiver Jon Baldwin; Tailback Dion Lewis.

The Panthers will go as far as their offensive line can take them because that is one of the few areas that causes concerns and raises questions. That's because the team is a veteran group which features a number of legitimate superstars but must replace three starters along the offensive line. If the line comes together and becomes a cohesive unit, there is no reason the Panthers should not win the Big East and perhaps make a run at winning all 12 games. The star power is easy to see, though, starting with Heisman Trophy candidate Dion Lewis, who rushed for 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns. Pitt also has a legitimate Biletnikoff Award candidate in Jon Baldwin (pictured left) and an old-school fullback in Henry Hynoski. The strength, however, is on defense, starting with ends Jabaal Sheard and Greg Romeus and all-conference safety Dom DeCicco.

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