Lots of scheduling news today. How about the future non-con.

Pitt athletic director Jeff Long announced today future non-conference games with Iowa, Miami (Fla.), NC State, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

“Our future non-conference schedules reflect our efforts to compete against some of the nation’s finest programs,” Long said. “It also reflects the importance of constructing a balanced non-conference schedule that provides quality opponents and prepares us for our Big East schedule. It is particularly exciting for our fans who will be able to see national-caliber intersectional games at Heinz Field.”

In addition to these future non-conference games, Pitt announced last November an eight-year, home-and-home deal with Notre Dame that runs from 2008-15.

Pitt and Iowa have signed a four-year, home-and-home agreement. The Panthers and Hawkeyes will meet in 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016. The Panthers will host the ’08 and ’16 games.

Iowa is one of two Big 10 teams to appear on Pitt’s future non-conference schedules. Under a previously signed agreement, the Panthers will play Michigan State in 2006 (at Pittsburgh) and 2007 (away). Pitt last played a Big 10 foe in 2000 when it shut out Penn State, 12-0.

Never miss a chance to mention that shutout. The last time Pitt played Iowa was in 1952 (Pitt won).

As for the other teams and years:

Virginia: 2006 (Heinz Field) and 2007 (Charlottesville)
NC State: 2009 (Raleigh) and 2013 (Heinz Field)
Miami: 2010 (Heinz Field)
VT: 2012 (Heniz Field) and 2013 (Blacksburg)

I rip Pitt basketball’s non-con pretty hard, and get bent when I see teams like YSU on the football team’s schedule. So it’s time to give some props to what Pitt is doing with it’s football non-con. It is scheduling some quality teams, as it should, to give itself some real credibility.

Next year Pitt’s non-con (pdf, pg. 20) will be UVA, Mich. St., Bowling Green, Toledo and @ Navy.

Well done.