Game Points

Who: Pitt (2-4) vs. No. 23 Cincinnati (6-1) When: Saturday, noon Where: Heinz Field TV: WTAE,… Who: Pitt (2-4) vs. No. 23 Cincinnati (6-1) When: Saturday, noon Where: Heinz Field TV: WTAE, ESPN Regional Radio: 94.5 FM, 92.1 FM, Pitt ISP Sports Network, ESPN Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio channel 143

The Panthers hope homecoming weekend can light a spark as they try to bounce back from a heartbreaking double-overtime 48-45 loss to Navy last week. The Panthers have now lost four straight as they host the Cincinnati Bearcats for the seventh meeting of the “River City Rivalry.”

Head coach Dave Wannstedt will coach from the press box on Saturday after having surgery to repair his torn left Achilles tendon, which he hurt on Tuesday. Offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh will move his play-calling to the sideline.

Cincinnati dropped its first meeting of the season last week to Louisville, 28-24.

Pitt is 6-0 all-time against the Bearcats and defeated them last season 33-15.

Wannstedt describes the Bearcats as “one of the more explosive teams in the country,” as they average more than 40 points per game and have tallied 38 touchdowns on the year.

Freshman quarterback Pat Bostick will start behind center for the third consecutive game after going 20-28 for 191 yards and a touchdown against Navy.

LeSean McCoy is just three scores away from tying Tony Dorsett’s record of 12 rushing touchdowns by a freshman. McCoy rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns last week, and averages 111.3 yards a game.

Junior linebacker Scott McKillop leads the Big East in tackling and ranks third in the nation with 11.8 per game.

Lou Groza Award candidate Conor Lee has now converted 65 straight extra points – a school-record. Lee, a junior, has not missed an extra-point attempt in his Pitt career and has missed just three field goals.

The Panthers are 8-2 in their last 10 October games.