Pittsburghers 'Turn It Blue' For Pitt

PITTSBURGH - THE PITTSBURGH CHANNEL.com

Most Pittsburghers are accustomed to wearing black and gold 365 days a year, but Mayor Luke Ravenstahl asked everyone to go blue for one day to support the University of Pittsburgh.

Ravenstahl named Friday "Turn It Blue Day" in Pittsburgh for the Pitt Panthers (8-1), who will play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-3) in a nationally televised football game Saturday night at Heinz Field. Fans are also encouraged to wear blue at the game.

Ranked No. 8 by the Associated Press and No. 9 in the USA Today coaches poll, Pitt enters the game with its best record since 1982, when the Panthers were led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.

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On WTAE Channel 4's weekly feature, "The Last Word With Dave Wannstedt," Pitt's football coach said that Notre Dame, led by quarterback Jimmy Clausen, is the best passing team that the Panthers have faced this year.

"By far, for a couple of reasons," Wannstedt said. "One, they know what they're doing. Charlie (Weis, the head coach) has got a real good scheme. And then you're talking about all No. 1 draft picks."

Wannstedt also thinks Notre Dame

will be more dangerous than usual

because the Irish are coming off a 23-21 home loss to Navy last week.

"We went up there last year after a tough, tough, Rutgers loss here at home against a team that we feel we should have beat. We went up to Notre Dame the next week, and nobody was giving us much of a chance, and we obviously

found a way to win the game

, so I think they're probably in that mindset," Wannstedt said.

Pitt is No. 12 in the BCS ratings, the highest-ever for the school. But the road to a BCS bowl won't be easy, because the Panthers' remaining schedule is the fourth-toughest in the country.

"Every game kind of takes on a life of its own, really," Wannstedt said. "This week, it's Notre Dame, and then we'll deal with West Virginia and (No. 5 ranked) Cincinnati when that time comes. I think you've got to separate it and just take each one on an individual basis."

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