Looks like Pitt could be moving up its road game against a potentially tough mid-major.

The Panthers have reached a tentative deal to play at Central Florida next season instead of 2008. The non-conference schedule next season will include home games against Virginia (Sept. 2), Toledo (Sept. 9) and Michigan State (Sept. 16) and the trip to the Central Florida.

The Panthers, who have three Big East Conference homes games, are still in search of a fifth non-conference game, which will be at home against a Division I-AA opponent, likely The Citadel, a Southern Conference team. But the athletic department is still holding out hope that it will find a Division I-A foe to fill the schedule.

Also, the Virginia game, which is the opener, is likely to be moved to Aug. 31 (Thursday) or Sept. 3 (Sunday) and be nationally televised. The Toledo game also might be moved to later in the season to break up consecutive road games and a conference away game would move into that earlier date.

UCF under George O’Leary has engineered a surprising turnaround this season. From coming in with one of the longest losing streaks to being bowl eligible. I would not consider this game a gimmee next season.

The piece also notes that a bluish-chip recruit, Jovani Chappel, will make an official visit to Pitt this weekend along with others. Chappel is considered anywhere from #31 to #43 in rankings of Cornerbacks in the country despite being only 5′ 8″. Rivals.com also has him listed as the 20th best recruit in Ohio. He has already given a “soft” verbal to Purdue, so it is unclear how interested he actually is in Pitt.