Pitt win in ’07 turned around program

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Coach Dave Wannstedt didn’t need much time following Pittsburgh’s improbable upset of then-No. 2 West Virginia two seasons ago to understand what the victory might mean to a program that had been in decline.

It meant everything.

Within days after Pitt’s 13-9 road victory prevented West Virginia from playing for the national championship, Pitt received eight commitments from recruits — some of whom had considered both schools.

On the first day of offseason workouts in January, Wannstedt sensed the kind of let’s-go-play excitement generally seen only when training camp begins.

“We had as much enthusiasm, from a team standpoint, to get started and to try to build on that for the next year,” Wannstedt said. “It was the turning point since I’ve been here, without a doubt.”

With the No. 8 Panthers (9-1, 5-0 in Big East) readying to go back to Morgantown on Friday for the first time since pulling off arguably the biggest upset in school history, it’s difficult to overstate what that one single victory has meant to Pitt.

And, too, how it changed the shape of West Virginia football.

Before beating West Virginia, the Panthers had lost seven of nine, 12 of 16 and were 15-19 under Wannstedt, a major downgrade from the 25-13 record during former coach Walt Harris’ final three seasons from 2002-04. If they hadn’t won, the Panthers would have ended the season 4-8.

West Virginia, by contrast, was 10-1 that season and 32-4 over three seasons under native son Rich Rodriguez.

Suddenly, in one night, Pitt caught up.

Since then, the Panthers have won 19 of 24. They’re ranked in the top 10 this late in a season for the first time since 1982. If they can beat No. 5 Cincinnati next week, they will play in the BCS.

West Virginia regrouped from that loss to surprise Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, but only after a disruptive upheaval in which a disillusioned Rodriguez left for Michigan before the bowl game — a move that probably would not have occurred if the Mountaineers had beaten Pitt. The anti-Rodriguez faction in West Virginia was loud, angry and vindictive, and even Gov. Joe Manchin wasn’t happy with the messy departure.