Believe it or not, just two wins away

When you make a mistake, the best thing you can do is own up to it, and move on.

A little… When you make a mistake, the best thing you can do is own up to it, and move on.

A little more than two weeks ago, I gave Pitt’s football team some pretty harsh criticism. It was a few days after the Panthers nearly lost to Temple, and almost everyone in the city thought that this season was headed for disaster.

“This week, the Panthers take on Boston College,” I wrote. “The Golden Eagles flew past UConn 27-7, and, unless Pitt can shore up its offensive line and its defense in a week, the Panthers could be in for a spanking Saturday at Heinz Field.”

But now it looks like I’m the one who deserves the spanking.

That was the same week that the heat was really turned up on head coach Walt Harris, whose agent, Bob LaMonte, demanded a vote of confidence from Pitt that was never given.

All Harris and the Panthers have done since that week is win — and win big. The Panthers were 10-point underdogs against Boston College. And who would’ve predicted that Pitt would force five turnovers and put up 41 points against Rutgers?

This Pitt football team appears to be hitting on all cylinders at the perfect time. After this week’s bye, the Panthers travel to the Carrier Dome for a game that will likely decide their season.

A win at Syracuse is never easy, but if the Panthers can pull it off, the Thanksgiving night “Backyard Brawl” with West Virginia will likely be played for the Big East Conference Championship.

There’s still plenty of football to be played, but the Panthers are in the driver’s seat. Believe it or not, Pitt is only two wins away from a BCS Bowl bid — most likely the Sugar Bowl.

West Virginia is currently undefeated in league play, with a game at Rutgers, followed by home games against Temple and Boston College, before traveling to Heinz Field on Thanksgiving.

Even if the Mountaineers enter the Backyard Brawl with a perfect conference record, the Panthers would get the tiebreaker with a win — providing that they win at the Carrier Dome Nov. 6.

It may seem like this season is a long way from being decided, but since Notre Dame is independent, and South Florida won’t be a member of the Big East until next season, there are really only two games that will determine Pitt’s post-season hopes.

West Virginia is still the odds-on favorite to win the conference, but don’t count this Pitt team out.

I made that mistake once. And after the past two performances, I won’t do it again.

Ryan Walker is the sports editor of The Pitt News and can be reached at