Pitt lost to Cincinnati by seven points in 2009 and by one point last year and, in both cases, that was the difference between winning the Big East Conference championship and finishing second.

"You lose a championship game by one point it hurts, but it motivates you all winter long," said Pitt safety Dom DeCicco. "Every time you get tired of working out in the winter or doing spring drills or working out in the offseason, you think about that one point, and that's really what has kept us motivated and it pushed us all to work just a little harder.

"Cincinnati is the defending champ. They have what we want, and everything we've done in the offseason will get us ready to go out and get it."

Fair or not, after getting close each of the past two seasons, the 2010 Panthers will be judged one way -- anything less than a Big East title will be considered a major disappointment and failure.

The good news for Pitt is that the Panthers appear to have the talent and depth to get over the hump. They have few holes.

Leading the way is a Heisman Trophy candidate, sophomore tailback Dion Lewis, who last year set numerous school and Big East freshman rushing records en route to a superb season. Lewis rushed 325 times for 1,799 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns and capped it by winning the MVP of the Meineke Car Care Bowl in the Panthers' 19-17 win against North Carolina.

Lewis has proven to be a durable, workhorse back -- he set a school record with 47 carries for 194 yards against Cincinnati -- but he also showed game-breaking ability with a bunch of runs 50 yards or longer.

If Lewis follows with another big year, the offense built around a power running game would ease the pressure on redshirt sophomore quarterback Tino Sunseri, a first-year starter.

Lewis will have help, though, as the Panthers also have one of the best blocking fullbacks in the country in Henry Hynoski, a stable of tight ends who are good run-blockers and a receiving corps that not only can make big plays but also enjoys blocking people in order to spring Lewis for long runs.

"All those records and everything are nice, but they are all team records because without my teammates I couldn't accomplish anything," Lewis said.

"And the only thing that matters is if we win. I got all those yards and stuff against Cincinnati, but it wasn't enough because we lost. We want to win them all."

The key question facing the Panthers is how well three new starters in the offensive line will do. Left guard Chris Jacobson has some experience and started and did extremely well in the bowl game last season, but right guard Greg Gaskins and center Alex Karabin have virtually no experience and both struggled at times with consistency throughout training camp.

"We're a work in progress," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said of the offensive line. "But it is a unit that will improve day to day and week to week."

While the offense should be good, the defense should be the team's strength. That is not surprising given Wannstedt's history. The line should lead the way.

Senior All-American candidate defensive ends Jabaal Sheard and Greg Romeus were a major reason the team led the nation in sacks last year and the Panthers likely will make a run at the sack title again.

Pitt also has two experienced safeties, two experienced linebackers and a first-year starter at middle linebacker, Dan Mason, who looks poised to become the Panthers' next great middle linebacker in the mold of Gerald Hayes, H.B. Blades and Scott McKillop.

Dan Hutchins is one of the most consistent kickers in the country (19 of 20 inside 40 yards last season) and that will serve the Panthers well as they figure to play a number of close games, especially in a Big East that should be as competitive as it has been since 2005.

And, if a few things bounce the right way early in non-conference games against Utah, Miami and Notre Dame, the Panthers could make a run at the BCS national championship game. That, however, would also require some help from other teams.

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