Despite the recent resurgence of the Pitt men’s basketball team in an upset win against… Despite the recent resurgence of the Pitt men’s basketball team in an upset win against Connecticut, I can’t help but keep my mind on Pitt football.

Whether it’s reading Matt Sortino’s 10 questions surrounding the team next year (which appeared in The Pitt News) or still drifting through articles chronicling the flawless football game that Urban Meyer’s Utah Utes turned in against our beloved Panthers on New Year’s Day, the smell of college football still lingers throughout my dorm room.

I have Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko to thank for that. Over the past season, Palko nearly single-handedly built up hype in a program that couldn’t have more desperately needed it.

With the team on his shoulders, Palko matured like no other quarterback — well, besides Ben Roethlisberger — and led Pitt to the so-called Promised Land of college football: a Bowl Championship Series bowl game — a game former head coach Walt Harris could only dream of before last season.

And how could I even go this far without mentioning that Dave Wannstedt will be in charge on the sidelines next season? That’s enough excitement for me to start the season right now.

Upon Wannstedt’s arrival, Pitt will also have filled the two other top head coaching positions in the organization, hiring Matt Cavanaugh as offensive coordinator and retaining Paul Rhoads as defensive coordinator.

Now, any time that I go to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Web coverage of Pitt sports, I see some small blurb on the latest recruit who has decided to join Wannstedt and his quest for a national championship.

The season opener on Sept. 3 down at Heinz Field seems like five years away.

However, it’s a shame that when that day comes, if I am in the stands as a fan, it will be hard for me to wish for victory in favor of the Panthers.

On Sept. 3, my Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team will make the six-hour trip to Pitt with revenge on its mind.

Notre Dame is in the same situation as Pitt. High hopes — even greater in South Bend, Ind., — have not been met by a recent coach, and now the Irish have handed their reins over to New England Patriots offensive coordinator and Notre Dame graduate Charlie Weis.

I hope that the Notre Dame players have watched the NFL playoffs this year and have become a little anxious to work with the man who dominated Pittsburgh’s No. 1-ranked defense in the league.

In my mind, this, the first game of the season, could be the most important one for both teams, as it will provide much-needed momentum for the rest of the year.

An opening loss for either team may destroy confidence in its coach, and I’m sure the media will be patiently waiting for an attempt to jump down either Weis or Wannstedt’s throat for not being able to get the job done.

My emotions will be torn, but the only advantage to witnessing a game between your two favorite teams is that, no matter the outcome, you will be happy.

It is just a question of which I will be happy for.

Come Sept. 4, only one of two new coaches who need opening wins for their programs will be satisfied. The other must regroup and be ready for the next weekend.

At stake will be a 1-0 record to start off the season, the support of critics right out of the gate, the fans’ enthusiasm for the season and a boost in confidence for an up-and-coming quarterback and his new coach.

It will have nothing to do with who will need it more but rather who will want it more:Wannstedt’s Pitt Panthers or Weis’ Notre Dame Fighting Irish?

Alan Smodic is a senior staff writer for The Pitt News, and he can be reached at [email protected].