The Bearcats do fall into my improved list for the 2006 season, but I'm not sure they'll have enough to keep the high-flying Panthers from storming Nippert Stadium and administering another Cincy beat down. It's just to early in the season. Cincy was a very young squad a year ago that suffered enormously in its first go round as a Big East member.
They gained confidence last week by shutting out the mighty Colonels of Eastern Kentucky (31-0), but tonight's opponent is an entirely different animal. Pitt comes off a complete thrashing of the Virginia Cavaliers that saw them succeed offensively, defensively, and via special teams.
QB Palko and the Panther offense had a much different swagger to them.
He finished 17 of 22 for 283 yards with three touchdowns including a pair of 70+ yard TD passes. Their rushing attack kept the Cavaliers defense honest by churning out 107 yards as well, and the Panthers balanced attack should be a major problem for the Bearcats to contend with. The defense clamped down on Virginia's attack as well limiting them to 52 yards rushing and a shade over 200 yards of offense overall.
From what I remember last year, Cincy QB Grutza loves to fling the pigskin all over the yard. That could spell doom tonight since the Panthers already proved their defense is capable of picking it and taking it for six the other way. I'm hoping last weeks effort vs. UVA wasn't a smokescreen and the Panthers don't revert to their road form of a year ago where they lost to Ohio SU as 2-TD road chalks. I don't think that will be the case, and I'm fairly confident they head home 2-0 with their first road win and cover of the season.
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Mike Rose: Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati
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