PITTSBURGH -- Southern California’s hopes for a shot at the national championship took a blow with the newest BCS standings released yesterday, courtesy of the Pitt Panthers. Despite a 45-27 loss to West Virginia on Thursday night and a losing 5-6 record, the Panthers vaulted to second place in the Bowl Championship Series standings released Sunday. A win this weekend against Louisville would cement their position for the national title game against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl on January 1. The Panthers’ #2 ranking comes just days after the appointment of former Allegheny County Sheriff Pete DeFazio as athletic director. Despite his lack of athletic department experience, DeFazio was recently hired for the Pitt post by Chancellor Mark Nordenberg, who cited DeFazio’s demonstrated ability to "form relationships" as the main factor in DeFazio’s hiring. In reacting to the news, AD Pete DeFazio said, "I think that the information packet I sent out to the pollsters was very helpful in raising their awareness of our program.”
