ACR Contributing Writer Heidi Swanson

Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images | Ray Graham, the Panthers' star back, is out

The 2011 Pittsburgh Panthers’ football season has been full of ups and downs and there are still four games remaining, which could result in the ultimate rush or a pie in the face.  The most recent game, on October 26 against Big East opponent Connecticut, resulted in the Panthers yet again chugging toward the top of the roller coaster with a 35-20 victory on the national television. 

The Panthers offense, which has been the main source of the up and down season, was hitting on all cylinders led by redshirt junior quarterback Tino Sunseri’s best game. He set a Heinz Field record with 419 yards passing, completed 29 of 42 passes with two touchdowns, and rushed for another.  This performance comes in the wake of the past two games, where Sunseri was taken out in favor of Trey Anderson. With Sunseri established as the undisputed starter, his numbers made coach Todd Graham seem like things are on the right track, but the best offensive player for the Panthers this year, running back Ray Graham, sustained perhaps a season ending knee injury on the first series of the game when he took the handoff from Sunseri, tried to hit the hole, and just crumbled to the ground. 

Graham was putting up All-American numbers, averaging 134 yards per game with 939 total yards, but it could all be for naught.  Another injury to the offensive line (who just had Lucas Nix return to lineup), guard Matt Rotheram, once again means the Panthers will have a different starting five offensive lineman for their next game against current Big East top team, Cincinnati.

The defense limited Connecticut to just over 300 yards of total offense and forced the Huskies to punt the ball eight times, ensuring that Connecticut was never really going to pose a serious threat to securing a win.

The Panthers record is 4-4 overall and 2-1 in the Big East play, and they are currently tied for second (with the rest of the conference yet to play).  The Panthers upcoming schedule could be difficult or it could be easy, you just don’t know how to read this squad. 

The schedule is: November 5 at home against Cincinnati, November 12 at Louisville, November 25 at West Virginia (the Backyard Brawl) and December 3 at home against Syracuse.  If the Panthers win out, they will win the Big East and receive the automatic bid to a BCS game, but how likely is that scenario when Pitt is more likely to have an awful game against Cincinnati because that is how their season has played out? Now add the fact that more injuries have befallen the offensive line and of course the loss of star running back Ray Graham. I can only see the roller coaster flying back down the tracks with only a few upward dips the remainder of the season.