Not only have I yet to find anyone picking Pitt in this game, I’m not sure I’ve found anyone willing to simply pick Pitt against the 21 point spread. In USA Today, they predict a 45-20 Louisville win.

Bruce Feldman on his ESPN.com blog (Insider Subs.) is virtually identical.

Louisville 45, Pitt 21: Only Syracuse has a worst run D in the Big East than Pitt, that should make the Cardinal RBs very happy.

This is the first prediction that actually has taken notice of this issue. More than the passing attack of Louisville, this concerns me. What killed Pitt’s defense in the Rutgers game, wasn’t the passing game. It was not being able to stop the run — especially at key points. They’d get Rutgers in a 3rd and long, and if they ran you knew they were going to get it. I like Pitt’s secondary against the Louisville receivers, especially with Urrutia not in the game to help stretch the field. Pitt is going to have to put men in the box to stop Michael Bush and Kolby Smith.

Louisville DE Elvis Dumervil gets a piece in USA Today.