Couches are burning

This didn't take long. Glad to see the fans in Morgantown haven't forgotten how to celebrate a big win.

Thank you Tyler Bitancurt

Bill Stewart better give PK Tyler Bitancurt a big hug. If he doesn't I will.

Bitancurt's 43-yard FG with no time remaining gave West Virginia a 19-16 upset victory over Pitt in the 102nd annual Backyard Brawl in Morgantown.

Once Stewart is done showing his affection for his kicker he should then go around and thank his defensive unit and DC Jeff Casteel. That was easily the WVU defense's best performance of 2009. They actually made Pitt QB Bill Stull look like the incompetent player of 2007 and 2008.

This win doesn't erase the bad taste of losing to Pitt in 2007 because the Panthers can still win the Big East and go to the BCS. But it does give the Mountaineers a chance to finish second in the conference with a win over Rutgers next week and a Pitt loss to Cincinnati.

Hello Gator Bowl.

But more importantly it is finally a signature victory for Stewart since he had the interim tag removed following an emotional win over Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl.

AEAAE Top 25 (Week 9)

Thanks to Les Miles' poor game-day management LSU has plummeted in the rankings and Ole Miss is back in at No. 24. However, the top six are still the same, while Ohio State jumped Pitt and Georgia Tech after a so-so win against Michigan.

Team (LW) Record

1. Florida (1) 11-0
2. Texas (2) 11-0
3. Alabama (3) 11-0
4. Cincinnati (4) 10-0
5. TCU (5) 11-0
6. Boise State (6) 11-0
7. Ohio State (9) 10-2
8. Pittsburgh (8) 9-1
9. Georgia Tech (7) 11-1
10. Oregon (11) 9-2
11. Oklahoma State (12) 9-2
12. Iowa (15) 10-2
13. Penn State (13) 10-2
14. Clemson (17) 8-3
15. Oregon State (22) 8-3
16. BYU (18) 9-2
17. Virginia Tech (19) 8-3
18. Miami (23) 8-3
19. Utah (20) 9-2
20. California (NR) 8-3
21. USC (24) 8-3
22. North Carolina (25) 8-3
23. LSU (10) 8-3
24. Mississippi (NR) 8-3
25. Nebraska (NR) 8-3

Others receiving votes: West Virginia, Houston, Wisconsin, Stanford

Fans MIA at Pitt

Poor Pitt.

Look at that pitiful crowd during the Panthers Spring Game on Saturday. Look, spring games can be a lot of fun and they can also be boring.

But The Stache is trying to rebuild Pitt, which almost won the Big East last year. If LeSean McCoy had not left early for the NFL the Panthers might be the early favorite to win the conference in 2009.

This is just plain sad. I know Pittsburgh has so much more to follow than Pitt. The Steelers just won their sixth Super Bowl, the Penguins are playing well heading into the NHL playoffs, the Pirates have a winning record and Pitt basketball is much more fun to watch. So there just aren't enough fans to go around.

Even the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette didn't report on the annual Blue-Gold Game until Monday. One interesting note from the PG's coverage is the mention that Bill Stull appears to be the top quarterback for 2009. That's not good news for new OC Frank Cignetti Jr.

Sun Bowl highlights

You decide. Which one of these highlights of the Brut Sun Bowl highlights are more accurate?



Or this one?

If it's true ...

Then Pitt enters the 2009 season as the favorite in the Big East.

Panthers running LeSean McCoy, who is preparing for his second Backyard Brawl against WVU on Friday, told reporters on Tuesday that he is enjoying college and thinks he may need another year of seasoning before heading off to the riches of the NFL.

It has been widely suspected that McCoy, who has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in his two seasons at Pitt, would be a first-round selection if he came out early. "I'm the one who has to take all the hits," he was quoted as saying in a wire story. "I'm still a young kid. I think my size, I can get a little bigger and stronger, and I can become a better blocker. My knowledge of the game is coming on faster than I thought, and that's pretty good for me."

Honestly, McCoy is ready for the pros. But I always respect a guy who wants to stay in college longer and he's right. He knows if he's prepared better than anyone else.

Hey Wannstache, this is a third or fourth chance for you. At 7-3, your Panthers will play in their first bowl game in five seasons. Next year you'll return seven starters on offense with McCoy, something he claims he wants to be a part of.

So it's time to be a legitimate contender in the Big East. Now if McCoy has a change of heart in two months, all bets are off.