Maybe. We’ll see. Wow. I don’t know.

This could be big.

Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh, two bedrock members of the Big East Conference, are engaged in talks about joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, according to a source with direct knowledge of the talks.

No one from Pittsburgh, Syracuse or the A.C.C. denied the conversations were taking place. Officials from all three entities declined to comment on the matter.

The person with knowledge of the talks declined to speculate on a timetable or the seriousness of the discussions. But in this delicate time for conferences and their futures, the discussions between the 12-team A.C.C. and two Big East members is significant.

The discussions show how the creeping trend toward 16-team super conferences that has concerned so many college athletics officials appears to be inching closer to reality.

As always, who knows for sure. But, wow. This would be huge. No question Pitt and Syracuse would and should go if the invite happens.

Not enough details, though, in the story to say much about it other than, “that would be swell.”

The question is whether the frustration will be on the Hawkeye or Panther side of things. The styles of play may not be similar, but the talent level, expectations and concerns by the fans sure seem to run parallel.

If you want to stereotype Big Ten football, perhaps even moreso than Ohio State, Iowa under Kirk Ferentz has been the conservative, physical poster child of Big Ten football.\

“They’re not going to panic,” Graham said. “I think the key in this game is going to be playing hard-nosed, smash-mouth. A 3-yard gain is a positive gain for them. That doesn’t bother them one bit. They’ll line up and do it again and again and again and again. And you’re going to have to stop the run.

“This is going to be the best offensive line we’ve played. They’re very big, physical, and grind it out. Their center [James Ferentz] is an outstanding player, left tackle [Riley Reiff] is an outstanding player.”

Pitt defensive coordinator Keith Patterson said that the key against a team like Iowa that has a big, physical offensive line and employs a vanilla, pro-style system is playing physical.

He also said they can’t be lulled to sleep by the Hawkeyes offense and must understand that, in what likely will be a close game, every snap matters.

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All the things that have been discussed this week, the conversation keeps coming back to Tino Sunseri. Is he going to get better? Is he regressing? Will things finally click after a couple games? Is this the best he will be? All  he will be?

I don’t know. None of us actually know. There are plenty of opinions. Many of them quite hardened by this point. Not after simply the first couple games in a new system, but based also on what was seen last season.

What we really do not know, though, is what Todd Graham is thinking. He’s stated that Sunseri is still his starter. That he hasn’t lost faith in him, and that he believes in him. At the same time he didn’t mince words about what Sunseri is doing wrong and that it can’t continue. Is it a threat? A public challenge?

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