Football: Panthers will try to run over Kentucky, no matter who coaches

A January bowl against an SEC team sounded like a mission accomplished for the Panthers in… A January bowl against an SEC team sounded like a mission accomplished for the Panthers in August.

But instead of a Sugar Bowl or BCS National Championship against an SEC team, Pitt will head to the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., to face 6-6 Kentucky on Jan. 8.

Although disappointing considering the preseason hype, the Panthers will have a chance to beat a Kentucky team that hails from what many consider the best conference in the nation.

“What a tremendous opportunity our football program has,” former Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt said in a news release. “I know our team is excited about the challenge. We appreciate the invitation to play in Birmingham and look forward to a great experience on and off the field.”

It’s uncertain at this point whether Wannstedt, who recently resigned, will coach the game. At a press conference announcing the resignation last Tuesday, athletic director Steve Pederson said Wannstedt would have the option to coach the game and see the season through.

Defensive coordinator Phil Bennett told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Wannstedt will coach, but Pitt’s director of media relations E.J. Borghetti said the final decision must come from Wannstedt himself.

The BBVA Compass Bowl will be held at the historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. It was previously called the Birmingham Bowl and the PapaJohns.com Bowl. South Florida, Cincinnati, Rutgers and Connecticut previously represented the conference in the game, and the Big East carries a perfect 4-0 record in it.

“The city of Birmingham has done an exceptional job growing this game into a great event,” Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson said. “We look forward to some tremendous southern hospitality and the chance to square off against an SEC opponent.”

The Panthers finished the regular season at 7-5 (5-2 Big East). The bowl game gives this young team almost a month to prepare for the game and a chance to cap off an otherwise disappointing season.

A win could propel Pitt to finish strong on the recruiting trail and head into the spring on a positive note.

But the Panthers have to stop Kentucky’s junior wide receiver Randall Cobb. He leads the Wildcats in receiving with 955 on 79 catches and is second in rushing with 423 yards on 52 carries. He was selected as a first team SEC all-purpose player, and was named to the second team as a wide receiver.

Cobb will look to stretch the field against a Pitt secondary that has struggled this season, and the Panthers’ offense will try to continue its  success against Cincinnati. The Bearcats were unable to slow sophomore running back Dion Lewis, as he carried the ball 42 times for 261 yards and four touchdowns, all career highs, in the game on Dec. 4.

“It will be a huge challenge and an exciting time for our football program to play in the BBVA Compass Bowl,” Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips said. “I’ve had a chance to watch Pitt numerous times. Their running attack is very strong and their quarterback [Tino Sunseri] has completed more than 65 percent of his passes.”

Kentucky ranked next to last in the SEC against the run. The Wildcats allowed an average of 170.1 yards per game. The Panthers hope to exploit that.

“Whenever you are able to get the ball a lot of times, you have a chance to figure some things out with the defense and you get more comfortable,” Lewis said after the last regular season contest. “I just have to stay patient.”