So does Pitt's game against Cincinnati really matter? I mean, really? Well, to be honest, I've had a hard time getting up for this game all week. It hasn't really entered my consciousness, even though Pitt still has a very slim chance at going to the BCS. I'm going to be at the basketball game on Saturday against lowly Rider, so you can see where my priorities are.
At any rate, Pitt's game Saturday does indeed matter, even if most of us might not think it does.
For starters, Pitt is 6-5 and while bowl eligible, Pitt isn't guaranteed to go to a bowl. Think about that for a second - Pitt could end up in the BCS or not in any bowl at all - pretty amazing.Even if it loses, I think Pitt will go to a bowl, but like I said, it's not guaranteed as the Panthers will be forced to basically shop themselves around. So a win on Saturday would put the Panthers at 7-5 and essentially guarantee them a bowl. And as disappointing as this season has been, if Pitt can win a bowl (even a lowly one) 8-5 sounds a lot better than 6-6, doesn't it?
Pitt also could use the extra time of staying in the spotlight with a bowl. The team is going to have a hard enough time selling tickets next season as it is, but if it can end with wins against Cincinnati and a bowl team to even build a bit of momentum, that will help.