By Dave Holt / Sports editor

5-1. It should be Pitt’s record when the Panthers face Cincinnati in mid-October. That gives Pitt three and a half weeks to learn how to win games by following head coach Dave Wannstedt’s mantra.

Run the football, play good defense.

Pitt’s next three games are against lesser teams—Connecticut, Virginia and Navy—teams that Pitt can beat by doing just that.

Last Saturday at Michigan State, the Panthers took a large step in the right direction.

Pitt finally found a running game (even if it was mainly out of the gimmick “wildcat” package) and more importantly a stout defense.

The Spartans had trouble with running back LeSean McCoy, especially in the “wildcat” formation, even when it was obvious he was going to run. He ran for 172 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. With more carries McCoy becomes more confident. As long as the offensive line continues to improve each week, McCoy will be a top five Heisman candidate for 2008.

Yes, he’s that good.

Pitt coaches have finally realized that their skilled players are the team’s best asset. Adding a few passes and reverses into the “wildcat” formation and some trick plays into the regular offense, anything to put points on the board until quarterback Bill Stull comes back, greatly increases Pitt’s chances of winning its next three games.

It’ll give the Panthers’ future opponents something to sweat over, too.

Also against Michigan State, Pitt’s defense showed that it can play just as well in the fourth quarter as in the first, something it couldn’t do last season. The Spartans ran 51 times and gained only 144 yards and managed only 10 points. Michigan State averaged 220 yards on the ground and 41 points in its first two games.

Another important stat is the six sacks Pitt registered—they were all from the defensive line. If the front four can continue to pressure the quarterback on a consistent basis, the Panthers can drop seven into coverage, and force incomplete passes and turnovers.

If Pitt’s defense plays at least as well as it did against Michigan State in every game, the Panthers can keep games close for more than a half against teams like Louisville and West Virginia.

When Pitt finds a quarterback that can manage the game, Pitt is capable of pulling off an upset or two in the second half of the season.