Panthers, Spartans face big game

Despite the fact that Pitt’s 35-15 victory over its “River City Rival,” Cincinnati, leaves… Despite the fact that Pitt’s 35-15 victory over its “River City Rival,” Cincinnati, leaves the team undefeated, the Panthers have no time to celebrate.

Sure, the victory was the Panthers’ first road win since head coach Dave Wannstedt took over, but the competition only grows stronger this week as the Panthers take on Michigan State. The Spartans are their first Big Ten opponent since defeating Penn State 12-0 at Three Rivers Stadium in 2000.

“Michigan State obviously will be our biggest challenge thus far this season,” Wannstedt said. “We’ve watched them on tape and it’s real obvious they’re off to a good start this year.”

The game is significant for both unbeaten teams who have the opportunity to show a national audience what they are capable of achieving this year, seeing as the game will be aired at noon on ABC.

Pitt seeks a 3-0 start for the first time since 2000, but will face a determined Michigan State squad who looks to improve upon their 5-6 record from last year, identical to Pitt’s. The Spartans opened last year with a bang, winning their first four games including a thrilling 44-41 overtime victory at Notre Dame. The team climbed to 11th in the Associated Press poll before an overtime loss to Michigan (34-31) sent the Spartans into a tailspin, losing five of its last six regular season games.

“I’m not discouraged, I’m encouraged about the future of this football program,” Spartan head coach John L. Smith told MSUSpartans.com. “There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll be a better all around football team in 2006, perhaps a team good enough to compete for a championship.”

Despite the dismal finish to their season, the Spartans ranked among the NCAA leaders in all four offensive categories: 20th in rushing offense, 11th in passing offense, fifth in total offense and 18th in scoring offense. That kind of production was largely because of the play of quarterback Drew Stanton, a 2005 Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist. Michigan State will build its 2006 offense around Stanton, who accounted for a Spartan single-season record 3,415 total yards and 26 touchdowns last season.

“Drew Stanton is becoming a coach on the field. He’s matured a lot in this offense over the last three years, and now he’s showing the patience to allow the offense to work for him,” Smith said.

The Panthers’ head coach also acknowledged the threat Stanton poses to defenses. “I think we all know about Stanton,” Wannstedt said. “He is an excellent player and surrounded by a real good cast of skill players.”

This could not have been more evident than in the Spartans’ first two games of the 2006 season. In the opener, Stanton threw for 225 yards and a touchdown to lead his team to a 27-17 win over Idaho. In a 52-20 victory against Eastern Michigan last weekend, Stanton had 24-of-32 passing for 254 yards while also throwing three touchdown passes and running for two more. His playmaking receiver, Matt Trannon, also had a big game, catching 14 passes for 151 yards receiving, including two touchdowns, while also throwing a 35-yard scoring pass to AJ Jimmerson.

Even with Stanton’s early success, the toughest challenge on offense will continue to be the retooling of an offensive line that lost three starters from a year ago – the identical predicament from which their defensive line also suffers. Despite their apparent inexperience, the Spartans’ offensive line is enormous, averaging a height of 6-foot-5, 310 pounds. This is in contrast to Pitt’s defensive line, which averages 6-foot-3, 267 pounds. Even further, Pitt’s heaviest defensive lineman, 290-pound Rashaad Duncan, would be the smallest on the Spartans. Traditionally, teams with this advantage have had their way with Pitt, yet Wannstedt feels his team is better equipped this season.

“I know Virginia had good size, but they weren’t quite as big as these guys,” Wannstedt said. “We’ll have to rely on our speed and quickness and our athletic ability, there’s no question about that.”

Nonetheless, the Panthers eagerly await the opportunity. “It’s exciting, it’s another opportunity for our football team to play a quality opponent and Michigan State has a great reputation in the Big Ten, great tradition and great history up there,” Wannstedt said.

Like the Spartans, the Panthers have also looked impressive in their first two wins of the season. The offensive line and overall play of the defense has been much improved from a season ago, and the Panthers are getting big plays out of their established stars – Darrelle Revis, Tyler Palko and Clint Session – as well as emerging ones like Derek Kinder.

In the win against Virginia, Palko threw a pair of touchdown passes longer than 70 yards and added another, finishing with 283 yards passing in the team’s rout against Virginia. The aforementioned Revis and Session also contributed on defense, both returning interceptions for touchdowns.

In the victory against Cincinnati, wide receiver Derek Kinder established himself as Palko’s primary target, catching three passes for 172 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Palko looked sharp yet again, going 11 of 21 for 267 yards and throwing three touchdowns for the second straight game. Revis, the defensive star, contributed again by adding another “pick-six.”

In spite of the seemingly lopsided victory, penalties and turnovers allowed the Bearcats to climb back into the game, something the Panthers must limit this week against a better opponent.

The running game continues to be an issue, and coach Wannstedt has stressed that he needs to receive more production from his backs. The Panthers were without tailback LaRod Stephens-Howling in their game against Cincinnati because of an ankle injury, and though his return this week should provide a boost, there’s room for improvement.

“We haven’t scratched the surface of where I see a real running game, but we’re still running it 35 times a game,” Wannstedt said. “There’s something about still running the ball. We’d like to be making five or six yards a carry but we’re not, we’re making two or three. I think we’re still benefiting as a team by running the ball.”

The Panthers last played Michigan State at Pitt Stadium in 1960 and fought their way to a 7-7 tie. The Spartans are undefeated against the Panthers with a 4-0-1 all-time record. Pitt has the opportunity to gain national respect with a strong showing Saturday and could very feasibly crack the top 25 with a win. As it stands, the Panthers are already on the cusp, having received 11 votes in the latest AP poll to place 33rd, and 20 in the USA Today poll to place 31st.

“Michigan State is a big, physical football team,” Wannstedt said. “It will be a challenge for us. We’ll get tested in all phases of the game, there’s no question about that. We have to get ready for the challenge.”