Rutgers has taken care of their end of things. The pasting they have put on Louisville was disturbingly brutal. Cards fans are having a hard time, as you would imagine. I have to say, that I agree with the philosophy that it is not running up the score when done in the first half. Louisville showed no heart as they gave up 49 first half points. In the second half, RU laid back and only scored 14. A 63-14 whupping that cements Steve Kragthorpe’s status as the worst coach in the Big East now that Greg Robinson is gone. Can’t coach, can’t motivate, has recruited for crap. Not much to endorse him other than the fact that a top flight AD still likes him.

Now, if Pitt wants to go to the Sun Bowl, it has to hold it’s end and finally beat UConn at the Rent. Then the Sun Bowl goes with Pitt.

Pitt has twice played in the Sun Bowl, beating Kansas in 1975 and Texas A&M in ’89, when the game was sponsored by John Hancock. Pitt tailback Tony Dorsett and quarterback Alex Van Pelt were selected to the Legends of the Sun Bowl 75th anniversary team, and Wannstedt’s name resonates in El Paso, Texas, because of his days as Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator when they won Super Bowl XXVIII.

The Sun Bowl will be played Dec. 31 and nationally televised on CBS.

“I think that would be our choice, if Rutgers wins,” said Sun Bowl executive director Bernie Olivas, who attended Pitt’s games at South Florida and Notre Dame and will be in East Hartford with chairman John Folmar. “They’ll be the highest-ranked team available to us. They’re a pretty good football team. They’ll be the highest-ranked team in the Big East. That’s important, as well.”

Sun Bowl 1989. The scene where Paul Hackett had the interim label removed and ushered the dark-90s. Urp.

The fallback if Pitt craps it against UConn becomes much more muddled and mixed-up.

Pitt could go to Charlotte for the Meineke Car Care Bowl and face UNC. But that would not be a lock. WVU could get the pick — depending in part on how they do in their finale against USF. UConn seems to be a heavy favorite for the International Bowl in Toronto. Rutgers seems stuck in Birmingham — they won’t get the Meineke Bowl because they already played UNC.

Honestly, I haven’t concerned myself too much with the bowl stuff because it has been so fluid up until the past week. It’s really hardened with after tonight. Most likely scenario:

Pitt goes to the Sun Bowl with a win over UConn and/or WVU loss. WVU to the Meineke Bowl.

Pitt goes to the Meineke Bowl with a loss to UConn and WVU win. WVU to the Sun Bowl.

Rutgers to Papajohns.com Bowl.

UConn to the International Bowl.

USF to the St. Petersburg Bowl.

Cinci to the Orange Bowl.

That is all.