Apparently losing to Pitt by around 21 points every year for the last 24 years is taking a toll on the psyche of Robert Morris.

The Pitt trip is a money-maker for Robert Morris. A short bus ride. No overnight stay involved. Perhaps another $40,000 in the bank to help fund RMU athletics.

But there are indications Robert Morris is restructuring its budget so that the Pitt game won’t be financially necessary any longer. Or the trip to play Iowa Dec. 22, for that matter.

“I’m not exactly saying we have to do it to fund our team,” RMU athletic director Craig Coleman said of the Pitt game. “It helps. It’s helpful to have that revenue. But there’s a limit. I wouldn’t say to Mark, ‘Let’s go out and play five or six of these games because that will bring in more revenue.’

“I don’t want to do anything that will be harmful to his program and his kids’ morale. I think you can make a case that a couple of those games a year is probably a good thing to do for reasons other than the revenue. Many more than that, I think, is probably a mistake.”

Last season, the Colonials played four “buy” games — for which they received money — against Ohio State, Virginia, Pitt and Northwestern. They lost all four by a total of 113 points.

Don’t believe it. RMU will keep playing this one. Guaranteed money and no travel expenses make this game too financially valuable to give up.

The Colonials are healthier for this game than their opening loss to St. Bonaventure.

Pitt is planning to go about as deep in rotating players as they did on in the previous game. Expect 10 or 11 players to see time.