One loss does not wreck the season. Even a disappointing, lopsided one like this.

I’d say the most frustrating thing about this kind of loss is how it deflated the excitement.

With a night game to kick off the season, that meant an opportunity for a lot of people to get to campus, before any tailgating or going to the game. This included me. I left for Pitt from Cleveland a little early so I could meet some friends on campus and just soak it in a bit.

It’s one of the perks of the first game of the season being an evening start. I’d been down on campus a couple years before the season opener, and I know some of the guys had been to Oakland the year before. Since Pitt has started playing their games over at Heinz Field, I have never seen the Campus so alive on game day.

I got in about 1, and the place was teeming. The Pitt Stop — the outdoor street vendors were looking mobbed. The Pitt Shop had a line of people out the door — I have never seen that. All the restaurants were packed. People made the pilgrimage. It was amazing.

There was such excitement and anticipation.

Following that kind of loss… I don’t want to say lost yet. But it’s going to take something special to get it back this year.

This is nothing against Coach Wannstedt, the team, anything like that. This is about energy and fandom.

At the moment, it is back down to “show me” levels. Pitt has its next 2 games on the road. Both games will be nationally televised. As down as I’ve been feeling, it’s not too late to get it back.