Well, it’s certainly looking like Pitt football is turning the season around, just like they… Well, it’s certainly looking like Pitt football is turning the season around, just like they did last year.

You can notice this in two ways: first with back-to-back wins against Big East opponents by scoring more than 30 points, and second, with this week’s questions not being so negative toward the team.

Bouncing back after the slow start against South Florida really said a lot about this Panther team, and trust me, they’re still searching for another Big East Championship.

With that in mind, let’s tackle this week’s questions.

Q: How legitimate are the chances that Pitt wins the Big East with Louisville 0-2 and Pitt 2-1?

A: About as legitimate as they were last year, and if I remember correctly, Pitt won the Big East last season and advanced to the Fiesta Bowl.

All you need is a chance, and they have that chance. You can’t assume they don’t have a chance and give up. Everyone gave up on the Panthers last year and they ran off six of seven games for victories – that’s why you play the game.

But, I think the real worry isn’t with Louisville, but with West Virginia.

Louisville right now has a lot of work to do in order to win a championship in its inaugural Big East season, but the Mountaineers, on the other hand, are in the best shape imaginable.

WVU is the only team in the conference with an undefeated Big East record and just needs to win out to secure a title. This year’s version of the Thanksgiving Day Backyard Brawl could be very interesting, with more on the line than last season’s.

Q: Is there any threat of Pitt losing to Syracuse this weekend?

A: Of course there is.

Remember, a lot of people didn’t think much of the Orange when Pitt traveled to the Carrier Dome last season, but the Panthers ended up losing in double overtime, which nearly cost them the Big East.

This year, however, Syracuse isn’t as good a team, but the second you start looking past someone to the next game is the second you start to lose again.

Syracuse does not possess a passing game. Starting quarterback Perry Patterson Jr. has more interceptions (four) than touchdown passes (three). They do, though, still hold a threat in the backfield.

Damien Rhodes, who scored for the Orange in the second overtime last year, rushed for 870 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago, and that was while splitting time with Walter Reyes, who also rushed for more than 800 yards.

Now as the lone starting back, Rhodes is averaging more than 90 yards a game, with five touchdowns and 559 total yards. He’s also a receiving threat, currently second on the team in receptions and reception yards.

If Pitt can stop Rhodes, then the outcome will be in favor of the Panthers.

Q: How is Pitt’s pass defense ranked No. 12 in the nation? Are they really that good?

A: Yes they are, but this is a matter of two things.

Pitt has Bernard “Josh” Lay and Darrelle Revis starting at cornerbacks, and they are both NFL-caliber players. Add to them an experienced safety in Tez Morris and you’ve got the makings of a defensive backfield that not many teams can rival.

Helping them along the way, though, has been a lack of pass-efficient teams.

Currently, the Panthers have played two teams (Ohio and South Florida) who rank in the bottom seven of 117 teams of the NCAA Division I-A in passing offense. Nebraska and Cincinnati sit at 78 and 83, respectively.

Youngstown State isn’t even a Division I-A team, and left on the Pitt schedule is Syracuse (105), Connecticut (107) and West Virginia (114).

Notre Dame (9) and Rutgers (51) are the only teams Pitt has played that can boast at least a decent passing game, and Pitt lost both games, but neither team exploded with yardage from the quarterback.

If you want to see how good the Pitt defensive backs are, then watch the Louisville game. Loaded with a No. 13-ranked passing offense, the Cardinals will be the last true test for Lay and Revis.

So, yes, they are pretty good – the strong point of the team actually – but the passing offenses they’ve faced, with the exception of one or two, have been lackluster.

Have a question for Alan? Send it to [email protected] and it may appear in next Thursday’s edition of “Q’A with Alan Smodic.”