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Good signs for Pitt football

My friend from high school e-mailed me two weeks ago with free tickets to the Pitt-Connecticut football game at Heinz Field.


Nah, I thought. I wasn't ready to see Pitt this season. I wanted to wait. I wasn't convinced the team was as good as its record was at that point.


Then there was the team's struggles against UConn, and my mind was made up.


At halftime, I still was pretty sure I made the right decision on that game.


Pitt proved me wrong that week with a strong second half and a win over the Huskies.


On Saturday, they got the attention of the national media with a win over Rutgers that vaulted the program into the Top 25 this season.

There still are tough tests ahead, with South Florida, West Virginia and Cincinnati still on the schedule, but this team looks special, largely because of running back Dion Lewis.

This kid has the goods.

He finished that Connecticut game with 158 yards rushing. He followed it up with a 180-yard, two-touchdown performance against Rutgers.

Lewis alone is reason enough to go see the Panthers.

He has 918 yards rushing (second in the country) and nine touchdowns this season. He projects to finish with about 1,500 yards.

And he's only a freshman.

Things certainly are looking up.

And, hopefully, I'll get another offer for a ticket this season. Somehow, I don't think they'll be free much longer.
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