Big East title still not out of reach

The Panthers need to win their final four conference games to have a chance.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Maybe it's only their imagination, false hope or wishful thinking. Maybe a season that started badly for Pitt will also end that way for the Panthers.
But, in a remarkable twist for a team that lost to Ohio U. and Rutgers, the Big East title is not out of reach for Pittsburgh.
If the Panthers (3-4, 2-1 in Big East) win their remaining four conference games -- certainly, a scenario that remains improbable at best -- they could claim at least a share of the conference title.
Maybe it's too much to ask of a team that is still finding its way in new coach Dave Wannstedt's offensive system, or has yet to effectively blend a strong running game with quarterback Tyler Palko's passing for a sustained stretch.
But a strong finish seemed just as unlikely last year, when the Panthers beat Notre Dame and West Virginia while winning six of their final seven to end the regular season 8-3. The closing stretch was good enough to earn them the Big East's automatic BCS bowl bid, to the Fiesta Bowl.
"Just because things happened that way for us last year doesn't mean it will this year," Palko said. "Each season is different, each game is different. You'd like to think we could get on a roll and get hot and finish the year strong, but we can't get ahead of ourselves."
Rough start
Just like the 2004 team that started 2-2, these Panthers got off to a terrible start by losing their first three and four of five. But only one loss was in the conference, to Rutgers, and the Panthers still have Big East leader West Virginia (6-1, 3-0) and a former Top 10 team, Louisville (4-2, 0-2), to play.
The Panthers have won the first two games of a three-home stretch of home games that ends with Saturday's game against Syracuse, beating Cincinnati (38-20) and South Florida (31-17). Wannstedt said the successive wins had a visible effect on his team.
"I think they're a little more confident," Wannstedt said Monday.
That might be the result of Palko's improved play. After throwing four interceptions in the three season-opening losses, Palko has 11 touchdown passes and two interceptions in his last four games.
"You have to remember, I'm almost like a rookie after playing three years in a different system," said Palko, who was recruited to run former coach Walt Harris' West Coast offense. "I'm starting to settle in, though, so it won't be long before that guy you remember from last year is back."
Palko playing well
To Wannstedt, that guy is already back. Wannstedt said Palko couldn't have played much better while going 15-of-21 for 203 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions against South Florida.
"That's what Ben did for probably 13 games last season," Wannstedt said, referring to Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "If you have those numbers, and you're not throwing interceptions, you're doing a heck of a job managing the team and doing what it takes to win."
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