Pitt Panthers Reading Room

Hey, Iowa has a football game Saturday. Against Pittsburgh. That's not Tennessee Tech or Louisiana-Monroe. It's a real opponent.

Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette held a live chat Thursday. Here are a few bullet points:

* Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri is on a short leash. If he doesn't play well in the first half, he is likely to be subbed out for freshman Trey Anderson.

* The Panthers' offensive line hasn't been good against two teams (Buffalo and Maine) it should have dominated.

* Pitt wasn't expected to beat Iowa in 2008, but did. The Panthers didn't look all that focused in their first two games that season, against Bowling Green and Buffalo.

* Zeise picks Pitt, 24-21, but says it's strictly a guess.

Pittsburgh doesn't have quite as many players in the NFL as Iowa (21 to 32 if my math is right), but wow, does the school ever have a rich history of producing great pros.

Tony Dorsett. Dan Marino. Mike Ditka.

Jimbo Covert, Chris Doleman, Hugh Green, Bill Fralic.

Eleven Panthers have been taken in the first 10 picks of NFL drafts.

How about those currently in The League? You have the best cornerback in Darrelle Revis. One of the best receivers in Larry Fitzgerald. And one of the best running backs in LeSean McCoy.

There was some running back talent on Heinz Field's field in 2008 when the Hawkeyes played the Panthers. McCoy rushed 18 times for 78 yards and a touchdown. Iowa's Shonn Greene carried 23 times for 147 yards and a TD. McCoy also had 2 catches for 33 yards in his team's 21-20 win. McCoy's 27-yard TD run in the fourth quarter was the game-decider.

Two Iowa tight ends that caught passes that day, Tony Moeaki and Brandon Myers, currently reside in the NFL.

By the way, the Hawkeyes outgained Pitt, 361 yards to 259, and Pitt had one more turnover than Iowa.

Pitt's two games this season drew crowds of 48,359 and 41,230. The Steelers won't have an unbought seat Sunday for their 2011 home-opener against Seattle.