The “holy s**t, this game is actually meaningful” meme continues its national run with this AP article.

Rutgers and Pittsburgh are two of the East’s oldest college football programs. Rutgers played in the very first game against Princeton in 1869, and Pittsburgh has regularly fielded nationally ranked teams since taking up the sport in 1890.

Despite their long histories, Rutgers and Pitt have never played a game against each other as important as their contest on Saturday. Or one that’s been remotely close to this one.

The article says the game could be bigger for Rutgers, because with a win they could move into the top 15. It would also be the first time in Rutgers history to be ranked for more than 4 weeks in a season.

Pitt gets a nice story in USA Today about the turnaround from last year,

“We have a great senior class of guys,” Wannstedt says, “It’s not a big class. We have 12 seniors, but from Jan. 1 until today, those kids have been committed. They’ve done whatever has been asked of them.”

Two in leadership positions are quarterback Tyler Palko and linebacker H.B. Blades.

Palko leads the nation in passing efficiency, having completed 70.8% of his throws for 1,661 yards and 17 touchdowns with three interceptions. Blades leads the team in tackles with 78, pacing a defense that is tied for first nationally with 20 turnovers forced.

“Everybody asks the question (as to what’s responsible for the turnaround), but it really comes down to hard work and guys putting in the effort and believing in the system,” Palko says.

“We’re not trying to do too much; we’re just trying not to beat ourselves and do what we can. Probably one of the main reasons for the losing last year is we were turning the ball over and putting ourselves in bad position.”

One of the more galling setbacks came at Rutgers, where the Scarlet Knights used a 37-29 victory to help propel themselves to their first bowl game since 1978.

“They whipped our tails last year in the first half,” remembers Palko, whose team trailed 27-0 at halftime. “It’s not like we took anything for granted. We just didn’t play well, and they played extremely well. They embarrassed us on national TV, and we hope that doesn’t happen again. But they’re better this year, and we need to stay in the game.”

I am getting more nervous, the more I see Pitt being picked against Rutgers. It reminds me too much of what was leading up to the Michigan State game.

Another story talking up the relationship between Wannstedt and Schiano. It’s worth pointing this one out because they do a nice job on pointing out the similarites of the two in many ways.

Schiano and Wannstedt have remained close friends since, so it is no surprise their coaching philosophies are similar.

So are their personalities.

Wannstedt grew up eight miles from the Pitt campus, where he went on to block for All-America running back Tony Dorsett. He was drafted into the NFL by Green Bay but an injury ended his career in 1974.

Thirty years later when introduced at a press conference, Wannstedt said, “Pittsburgh never really left me. It’s always been a special place in my heart.”

Schiano, a Jersey guy, reached All-East Coast Conference status at Bucknell. Thirteen years later at his initial Rutgers press conference he was saying, “This is where I started; this is where I was striving to get back to.”

Of course, the question for Schiano is will he be staying after this season. Rutgers fans may be expressing confidence, but there will be a lot of sniffing after him.