Posted on December 27th, 2009 by David Whipkey

By David Whipkey

No, it wasn’t a win in a BCS bowl game, but the Pitt Panthers did indeed have their finest season since 1981.

Pitt’s hard-fought 19-17 win over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte gave the Panthers a 10-3 record, their best since Ronald Regan was in the Oval Office. Although the elusive Big East championship slipped through their fingers in a heart-wrenching 45-44 loss at home against Cincinnati earlier this month, the season was saved but a gutsy effort against a game Tar Heels squad geared to play the same smash-mouth style of football Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt enjoys.

“We really got down to business,” said Wannstedt. “I don’t think people really understand what 10-3 says about a program, even though nine wins is outstanding. Ten wins separates you and I don’t think that these guys know what they have accomplished here tonight and probably won’t for a few weeks or a month or however long.”

The usual suspects were at work for the Panthers against the Tar Heels. Freshman Dion Lewis again showed the nation he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Lewis gashed the nation’s No. 6 defense for 159 yards on 28 carries and one score. Wannstedt said he was surprised his prized running back did not get the ball even more.

“Compared to last time (a 47-carry, 194-yard performance against Cincinnati), he took the day off,” Wannstedt said jokingly. “He is clearly a difference maker.”

Pitt’s final drive was vintage smash-mouth football. The Panthers took nearly nine minutes to travel 79 yards. Of the drive’s 17 plays, Lewis carried the ball on 12 of them for 62 yards.

“That last series, there was no question that a lot of the yards he made were not easy,” said Wannstedt. “Every inch counts and that made the difference in the game today.”

Lewis, the game’s Most Valuable Player, said he was quite pleased with the coaching staff’s faith in him, even with a lost fumble in the first quarter.

“It’s great to know that the coaches trust me like that,” said Lewis. “They trust me in a tough situation to get me the ball. I just want to make them happy. My teammates trust me and everyone trusts me so I just have to go out there and go to work.”

Pitt’s defense, somewhat maligned after the loss to Cincinnati, stepped up large Saturday night.

The pass rush was consistent all night. Co-Defensive Big East Player of the Year Mick Williams notched two sacks. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard notched the team’s third of the night while his cohort Greg Romeus, the other half of the Big East Defensive Player of the Year tandem; was a disruptive force all night.

With the three sacks, Pitt notched 47 sacks for the season, good for No. 1 in the nation.

Freshman linebacker Dan Mason stopped one Tar Heels drive with an interception while Jarred Holley and Max Gruder teamed up for force another North Carolina turnover in the first quarter.

The formula Pitt used to win games this season, ball-control offense and opportunistic defense; was on display on Saturday night. It is a formula that has brought the Panthers back to prominence and will surely be used as a springboard for greater things in 2010.