A closer look…

The Teams: Looking to bounce back from a 38-23 defeat at the hands of Michigan State… The Teams: Looking to bounce back from a 38-23 defeat at the hands of Michigan State last weekend, the Pitt Panthers (2-1 overall, 1-0 Big East) welcome Division I-AA foe The Citadel (0-2) to Heinz Field for a 1:30 p.m. contest tomorrow.

Broadcast: ESPN 360, a customized broadband service from ESPN that allows users complete access to live games, will pick up the action on www.espn360.com, while SIRIUS Satellite Radio will air the contest on channel 153.

There’s a First Time for Everything: The teams have never met before. Pitt, however, is 5-0 all-time against I-AA opponents.

Let’s Count It: For the first time, per new NCAA rules, victories over I-AA teams will count for a team in terms of wins needed to become bowl eligible. With a win on Saturday, Pitt would be halfway toward getting the six wins needed to become bowl eligible. It would also be Pitt’s first 3-1 start since 2003.

Close and Not-So-Close Calls: This will be the third-straight year Pitt will welcome a I-AA squad to Heinz Field. Last year, the Panthers blasted Youngstown State 41-0, but two years ago, Furman came in with its spread offense and built a big lead on the Panthers. Pitt rallied with three fourth-quarter touchdowns before winning it on an overtime field goal.

Rough Starts: The Citadel has dropped its first two contests and will play a Division I-A team for the second time this season. The Bulldogs opened the season in College Station, Texas, dropping a 35-3 decision to the Aggies of Texas A’M. Last week, they returned home and fell to Charleston Southern, 38-35. In that game, The Citadel trailed 28-14 before scoring two touchdowns in a 5-minute span to force overtime, where the Buccaneers would prevail.

Crunch Time: Should tomorrow’s contest get close, recent history would appear to be on the Panthers’ side. Since 2001, Pitt is 9-6 in games decided by seven points or fewer while The Citadel is only 6-10 in those games.

The Rule of 40: Teams that score 40 points aren’t necessarily guaranteed a victory in college football, but that hasn’t been the case for the Panthers. Over the last five years, Pitt is a perfect 10-0 when hitting the 40-point mark. The Bulldogs are also unbeaten at 4-0 and are 2-0 when scoring more than 50 points. Pitt hasn’t had a 50-point contest in that span.

Running with the Big Boys: Tomorrow’s visit to Pittsburgh will make this the third-straight season in which the Bulldogs will play multiple I-A teams. The Citadel also succeeded in its goal of scheduling at least one team from the six major BCS conferences for the next five seasons.