Paul Zeise’s chat this afternoon has him unimpressed with Bulls fans.

Brian: Tonight we will likely see a very rabid fan base in Tampa. Why is it so difficult for Pitt fans to get in their seats prior to kick-off?

Paul Zeise: Well because Pitt fans like to tailgate, have some fun in the parking lot — get wild and crazy then make a grand entrance. I have to be honest, I have been down here twice for games and this atmosphere both times was very similar to going to a game at, well, Temple only with sun and better looking, um, well, “students … “

I hope he checked into his hotel under an assumed name. No one wants to draw comparisons to Temple when it comes to anything related to football.

Zeise in his Q&A also touches on McCoy just hitting the hole tonight as being vital.

Q: I believe Pitt can beat South Florida tonight if Bill Stull runs a little more, the secondary plays together and Oderick Turner doesn’t see the field. What are your thoughts on the game?

ZEISE: I think if ever Pitt needs LeSean McCoy to come up with a big-time performance it is tonight. Forget about all of the other stuff for a minute — if Pitt isn’t able to line up and move the chains with a power run game, I can’t see how it can win. McCoy needs to understand he is playing against fast guys, so all of that dancing and trying to break big runs is useless. They will catch him. He needs to hit the hole hard and fast and move the pile and get those four-, five- and six-yard runs with consistency and regularity and allow the Panthers offense to be in good down and distance situations all night long. If Pitt is lining up in third-and-longs all night, it will be a very, very long night. And the defensive line needs to show up before the fourth quarter, and be disciplined enough to keep Bulls quarterback Matt Grothe contained in the pocket. If they can keep Grothe from running around and making those sandlot plays he is so good at, they have a chance because I’m not sure that offense is disciplined enough to or capable of moving up and down the field without getting a number of “big chunk” plays. The big plays from their quarterback really are back breakers. As for Oderick Turner, I couldn’t agree more, I think it is time for the “experiment” of making him the go-to, big-play receiver — an experiment which has now lasted three seasons — to finally jump the shark. He’s an enigma who is clearly too inconsistent catching the ball to be a reliable weapon. It is definitely Baldwin time.

Brian Bennett at ESPN.com has his 10 things to watch in the Big East.

1. Pittsburgh’s running game vs. the South Florida defensive front: For the Panthers to have any chance in this game, they need this matchup to go in their favor. South Florida is allowing fewer than 60 yards per game on the ground, but the Bulls haven’t seen a team as committed to the run or with as talented a backfield as Pitt. LeSean McCoy was held to a season-low 55 yards last year by South Florida at Heinz Field (though he did score three times). If he doesn’t do more than that, his team won’t put up much of a threat.

2. Matt Grothe vs. Pittsburgh’s defense: Pitt is averaging more than three sacks per game this season and ranks seventh in the country at taking the quarterback down. But if the Panthers pressure Grothe, they’d better wrap him up, because he is adept at making plays on the move. He proved that last year by ripping off an 80-yard touchdown run at Heinz Field. Grothe has been the best quarterback in the Big East so far this season and will pick apart the Pittsburgh secondary if given adequate time.

3. Special teams and tomfoolery in Tampa: One area where Pittsburgh seems to have a clear advantage is on special teams, as it boasts the Big East’s most automatic kicker in Conor Lee. This might also be a place where the normally-conservative Dave Wannstedt could dial up some trick plays or fakes in order to give his team another edge. Wannstedt has shown a proclivity for going for it on fourth down the past two weeks, so maybe he’s got more of a riverboat gambler side than anyone can see.

I have to point this out because the first two echoes what I wrote as keys to the game tonight. Not these weren’t obvious things or anything.

And since Conor Lee gets a mention, it’s a good place to shoe-horn the puff piece on Lee from earlier this week.