GAME NOTES: A pair of Top 20 programs with Big East title aspirations clash at Nippert Stadium this weekend, as the 20th-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers square off against the 19th-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats.

The Bearcats enter the weekend atop the Big East standings at 4-1, but they are followed closely by both Pitt and West Virginia, who are 3-1 in the conference. Cincinnati comes into the contest on a roll, having won three straight and seven of its past eight outings. The team was last in action on Friday, when it wrapped up a two-game road trip with a 28-20 victory over Louisville.

"I thought both teams played really hard, and there was a lot of emotion in the game tonight," stated head coach Brian Kelly. "And that is the fitting of teams that are in the same conference 90 miles away. It was good, hard, physical, football. I think I was most proud of our second half performance by my seniors."

The win improved Cincinnati to 8-2 overall and more importantly kept the team in charge of its own destiny for a first-ever Big East title. With a win this weekend, the Bearcats would be in position to clinch at least a share of the Big East championship at home against Syracuse on November 29th.

As for Pitt, it too controls its own destiny for the Big East crown with West Virginia and Connecticut still remaining on its schedule. The Panthers will most likely need to win their remaining three games in order to claim that tile and that is certainly possible for this squad.

"It's exciting," head coach Dave Wannstedt stated about this weekend's bout that has Big East implications on the line." This will be a real challenge but it's going to be exciting. Our players will be ready for it. Emotion will not be a problem. The key is that we focus our energy and our attention on whats going to win the game for us and not on things that have no bearing on the outcome."

The Panthers had an extra week to prepare for this game, as they were last in action on November 8th, when they trounced Louisville by a 41-7 score. It was the second straight triumph for Pitt, which ran its overall mark to 7-2. The team has been especially tough on the road this season, going a perfect 4-0 thus far.

Speaking of perfect, Pitt has never lost to Cincinnati before, winning each of the seven prior encounters between the two programs. Last season at Heinz Field, the Panthers came away with 24-17 victory over the 23rd-ranked Bearcats.

Pitt's offense has gotten better as the season has worn on and the unit is now averaging 30.9 ppg and 381.8 total ypg. The team is throwing for a hardy 225.4 ypg, but its strength resides on the ground, rushing for 156.3 ypg and 24 of the offense's 30 total touchdowns. LeSean McCoy is the focal point of this team and the elite back has rushed for 1,043 yards and 16 touchdowns thus far. McCoy however, is coming off a disappointing performance in which he rushed for a career-low 39 yards and a touchdown in a 41-7 romp of Louisville. As a team, Pitt managed only 90 yards on the ground in that game and that put more of the pressure on quarterback Bill Stull, who responded by throwing for 216 yards and a touchdown. Stull is averaging a solid 222.2 passing ypg this season, but has thrown for just five touchdowns against the same amount of interceptions. Derek Kinder is the team's top target with 29 receptions, but Jonathan Baldwin is the big play threat, averaging 24.0 yards per catch.

The Panthers have also fared well on the defensive side of things this season, as they are holding opponents to just 118.3 ypg on the ground and 198.2 ypg through the air. The unit has done a good job in bringing down quarterbacks, posting 25 sacks, but could use a few more takeaways, notching only 13. Pitt, though, showed a big improvement in the turnover department last game, as it forced Louisville into five miscues. Scott McKillop even returned an interception 18 yards to paydirt for the Panthers, who limited Louisville to a mere 299 total yards of offense. McKillop finished the game with a team-high seven stops as well. He has been a machine this season, leading Pitt in tackles (125) and TFls (12.5) while also racking up four sacks.

The Bearcats are averaging 26.8 ppg and 374.9 total ypg and those numbers look even better when considering the team has had to overcome injuries at the quarterback position all season long. Tony Pike took over the starting job earlier this year when Dustin Grutza went down with a broken leg and he has fared well, throwing for 1,479 yards and 12 touchdowns despite missing time with his own injury. Last week, Pike threw for 250 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a win over Louisville, although he left with a bruised sternum. Grutza, who returned to the sidelines recently, limped in and finished the game for Pike, passing for 24 yards. Pike is listed as probably, so expect him to get the starting nod this weekend. Dominick Goodman and Mardy Gilyard haven't been bothered by the quarterback carousel, as they have combined for 111 catches, 1,560 yards and 14 touchdowns. Both players were a factor in the win over Louisville last week, with Goodman catching nine passes for 134 yards and a score and Gilyard notching five receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown. In the backfield, the Bearcats rely on the tandem of Jacob Ramsey and John Goebel, whom have accounted for 1,004 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Last weekend, Goebel toted 10 times for 77 yards and a touchdown, while Ramsey went for 47 yards and a score on 13 carries.

Defensively, Cincinnati has done a solid job in limiting its opponents to 331.4 total ypg, including only 112.0 ypg on the ground. The team is giving up just 20.7 ppg and that numbers is also a bit inflated considering the squad allowed a combined 92 points in its two losses. In a solid effort last week, the Bearcats limited Louisville to 324 total yards, with only 120 of those yards coming on the ground. The defense generated a pair of turnovers in the win and allowed Louisville to convert just 4-of-16 third down chances. Torry Cornett headed the charge with seven tackles and the team's lone sack, while Mike Mickens posted six stops and an interception. Mickens has been terrific for the Bearcats this season and he paces the squad with 65 tackles and four interceptions.

This is the biggest game of the season for both programs, as the winner will have the inside track to the Big East title. Pitt has never lost to Cincinnati before and with a big rebound game from McCoy, it should be able to continue that trend this weekend.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Pittsburgh 27, Cincinnati 21