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The Pitt football team is getting a second chance to make a first impression.
The Panthers will have their final tuneup before Big East competition when they visit Notre Dame at 3:30 p.m. today before a national audience on NBC.
Pitt (2-2) is looking to build momentum heading into conference play and leave behind the bitter aftertaste of its most recent national TV game, a 31-3 loss to Miami two weeks ago at Heinz Field.
"If we're going to be a contender in the Big East," coach Dave Wannstedt said, "we've got to step forward."
Pitt opens Big East play next week at Syracuse. That's when the Panthers begin their main quest: a conference title and the BCS bowl bid that comes with it. Pitt was the prohibitive preseason favorite in the conference, garnering 22 of 24 first-place votes.
"We've got a win against FIU," said defensive end Jabaal Sheard, referring to last week's 44-17 rout of winless Florida International. "Just another win and continuing to win, it builds our confidence and helps us grow as a team."
This is Pitt's first road game since a 27-24 overtime loss to Utah in the Sept. 2 season opener. Since then, Pitt has changed starters — because of injury or performance — at seven positions.
Right guard Lucas Nix, right tackle Jordan Gibbs, right defensive end Brandon Lindsey, middle linebacker Max Gruder, strongside linebacker Greg Williams, weakside linebacker Dom DeCicco and strong safety Jason Hendricks didn't start at those positions at Utah.
"We have a lot of things going on right now with our football team and, once we get them worked out, we've got a lot of upside," Wannstedt said. "We eliminate the penalties and the turnovers, have a few guys make some plays and we are going to look like a completely different football team. Now, that has to happen. Me standing here talking about it doesn't mean much. We've got to go out and do it, but our kids are aware of it, and we are pushing this thing forward to get that done."
The Pitt ground game, aided by a reshuffled offensive line, had its best showing of the season last week, when Ray Graham rushed for 277 yards. Graham is the nation's leader in all-purpose yards, averaging 236 per game.
Fellow sophomore Dion Lewis, a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate, is averaging only 3.0 yards per carry. But he rushed for 152 in a win against Notre Dame last season and a career-best 194 yards on 47 carries in a losing effort against Cincinnati, which then was directed by first-year Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly.
"I know a lot about Dion Lewis from last year, and of course Ray Graham this year has been the featured player," Kelly said. "Having both those backs obviously presents a great challenge."
Notre Dame (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 31-13 victory at Boston College last week.
"This is as talented as a team that we will play in our conference," Wannstedt said. "Being it's on the road in front of 80,000 people, it will challenge us from that standpoint. It will be good."
