If the Panthers had ended Miami’s massive winning streak Thursday night, they would be… If the Panthers had ended Miami’s massive winning streak Thursday night, they would be guaranteed a seat at the top of the Big East conference and an invitation to a bowl game that doesn’t end in “.com.” Even though the team didn’t pull off the win, the players gave Miami its biggest challenge of the season; a performance we can be proud of.

Pitt’s bowl options are no longer as wide as they were a week ago, but the possibility of securing a coveted game on New Year’s Day is still very real. The only obstacle that now stands between the Panthers and their goals is their backyard rival, West Virginia.

Unfortunately, this game takes place Saturday, catching the tail end of Thanksgiving Break. The obvious concern is that students – entrenched in Thanksgiving leftovers – will choose to stay at home until Sunday rather than returning to campus for the game.

If this were any ordinary, run-of-the-mill game without serious bowl repercussions, low student attendance might be excusable. But this game is huge – the culmination of a successful Pitt season that few were able to anticipate. The team has been stunning at home this year, losing only once – by two points and under some questionable officiating – and their play is deserving of serious fan support.

To add to the importance of this game, consider the opponent: West Virginia is close by, little more than a brief hike over the river and through the banjo-twanging woods. The Mountaineers have had a respectable season, and they will be coming to town with plenty of their own fans in tow.

After defeating the tattered remains of Virginia Tech Wednesday – two weeks after Pitt broke the seemly invincible Hokie spirit – West Virginia fans rioted, overturned cars and burned the better part of Morgantown. So it seems high attendance by Pitt fans may also be necessary for safety reasons – to assist police in keeping our crazy, backwoods neighbors away from vulnerable Port Authority buses.

If there is any chance at all that you will be physically capable of going to Saturday’s game, do it. If there is no way to make it happen, donate your ticket to help get other people there. To ensure that no student tickets go to waste, a box should be placed in the William Pitt Union to accept tickets that would not be used otherwise. Those with a student ID could then pick up a ticket for free. If Union officials are accepting of the idea, The Pitt News will even go so far as to supply a box.

Saturday’s game against West Virginia is the final game of the year. The Pitt season has been sparkling, and this will be your last chance to see the team in action until 2003, when they kick off the year in their brand new bowl game – acquired at West Virginia’s expense.