And it’s even worse when you have to go on the road and play a top-15 team coming off their own loss.

I was probably more upset by the loss to Rutgers in basketball than the BBVA Bowl game. I was conditioned to expect bad things in Birmingham. Just did not expect to see that mess in Piscataway.

Unlike the other two losses, Pitt didn’t blow it in the second half. No, they made it happen in the first half. Did Rutgers come out extremely hot shooting? Yes. Was Pitt cold? Yes. That still doesn’t explain the horrid first half. About the only explanation that made sense was this:

One cannot expect any Pitt student to perform before noon on a Saturday. Panthers Basketball included.

— Souf Oaklin fo’ Life (@Souf_Oaklin) January 5, 2013

Other than that, your guess is as good as mine.

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Thank goodness Tyler Boyd verballed to Pitt on Saturday. Otherwise I don’t want to think about how angst-ridden we Pitt fans would have been Saturday night. As it was, it wasn’t pretty.

Starting with some football. Because, at least it means the season is officially finished.

Let’s face it, the signs and portents were there from the start. Doakes being suspended to make an already weak link spot on a weak O-line that much worse. With Ray Graham and a couple others unable to go, it was even less promising. I know Graham would never have done it, but if I were Graham and watching the O-line during the week. I might have been grabbing my hamstring and gimping up to avoid any stupid chances in this game.

And on the fifth play, the interception-free streak of Sunseri came to an end to at least try and snuff out hope early.

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Hopefully there won’t be much overlap between the end of Pitt-Rutgers basketball on ESPN2 and the BBBVA Compass Bowl game of Pitt-Ole Miss on ESPN at 1pm. And if there is overlap, it would be nice if it was the end of a Pitt blowout of the Scarlet Knights.

Good news! Pitt will play with 11 players on offense despite Arthur Doakes suspension. Coach Chryst says so.

Pitt coach Paul Chryst refused Thursday to name a replacement at right guard for redshirt sophomore Arthur Doakes, who has been suspended for violating a team rule and won‘t play in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Saturday against Ole Miss.

“We have a plan,” he said. “We are going to line up with 11 (players). I promise that.”

The plan involves shifting the line a little.

Chryst will deal with the loss of right guard Arthur Doakes by juggling the offensive line. Matt Rotheram, who has played right tackle all season, will move to guard, his natural position when he was recruited in 2010 from North Olmstead (Ohio) High School. Zenel Demhasaj will get the first start of his Pitt career at right tackle. Demhasaj, a redshirt junior who is not returning next season, has been at Pitt for the past two years after transferring from Nassau (N.Y.) Community College.

So, plugging in someone new and shifting one of the linemen from where he played all year. What could go wrong? Not saying there’s much of a choice. Just saying, that I’m not optimistic about what to expect from the line.

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Five or six hours of Pitt kicks off at 11 am with Pitt-Rutgers on ESPN2.

Last year, the team put forth what was probably their worst effort under Jamie Dixon. Something best not mentioned. Forgotten? No. Discussed? No.

Like Pitt, Rutgers is looking for their first win in conference play. They have already had a strange season. Their head coach has been suspended for several games by the school for his antics on the sideline and in practices. Being so out of control at times that his behavior has the school considering his future. To the point where the rumors are that anything short of making the NCAA Tournament could mean his job.

Pitt meanwhile is looking for their own answers. Starting with the inability to shoot.

Not only did the No. 24 Panthers produce their worst 3-point shooting showing in school history, but paired it with a poor performance at the free-throw line.

Pitt went 0 for 10 from beyond the arc and made 15 of 25 free throws in the 70-61 loss to the Bearcats on New Year‘s Eve.

“You‘ve got to make some, and you can‘t get beat from the free-throw line and make no 3s,” Dixon said. “That‘s not a recipe for success.”

Then there is the lack of production from the frontcourt — outside of Talib Zanna. Some of that help has to come from Steven Adams.

I’m hoping that Pitt comes out angry after the loss. It will also be their first real road game. Granted at an odd time, and kids still coming back from their winter break.

It’s been a while since I wrote anything about the football team (okay, it’s been a while since I had some time to write much of anything). So, time to hit the links.

Cam Saddler is back with the team and down in Birmingham. Arthur Doakes, however, is not.

Pitt redshirt sophomore Arthur Doakes , who started the final four games of the regular season at right guard, was suspended for at least one game for violating team policy, a university spokesman said Wednesday. Doakes won‘t play in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Saturday against Ole Miss, but coach Paul Chryst hasn‘t named a replacement. Redshirt sophomore Shane Johnson , who never has started a game in three seasons at Pitt, is listed behind Doakes on the team‘s two-man depth chart. Doakes, 6-foot-6, 340 pounds, had replaced regular starting right guard Ryan Schlieper , who suffered a season-ending ankle injury Oct. 27 against Temple. Doakes is the second Pitt offensive lineman suspended this season. Redshirt junior Juantez Hollins was suspended for the season before the start of training camp.

Nothing to worry about there. Why the last time there was a last-minute loss of an offensive lineman before a bowl game with little to no help behind him it was only the Sun Bowl. No reason to panic. None at all.

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Part of me couldn’t help but feel that it was fitting for Pitt to lose the final game of 2012. Overall, it wasn’t a good year for Pitt. So much crap. So much that went wrong. How else could that year end, but with a loss?

That didn’t help my mood. A bit fouler than I wanted the rest of the evening.

Cinci made this a brutal game. And I say that in a complimentary way. They are not a particularly skilled team. They struggle on offense, and win by making the game ugly. They play defense extremely tough. They will force the officials to call fouls. They painfully reminded many Pitt fans of the Ben Howland and beginning of the Jamie Dixon time.

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