STORRS, Conn. - Pittsburgh's close call against Division I-AA Furman last weekend proved one thing to Connecticut quarterback Dan Orlovsky.

"They were down 14 points and they came back and that's not easy to do," Orlovsky said."

The Panthers (2-1) open Big East play Thursday night at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. It's the first time Pittsburgh has played a game in the state of Connecticut and marks the first night game at the year-old stadium. The Panthers are coming off a 41-38 overtime win against Furman, escaping the upset on Josh Cumming's 37-yard field goal.

The Huskies (3-1, 0-1 Big East) are the conference newcomers, and are playing their fifth game in 25 days. There's a bit of a breather ahead, but Orlovsky and his teammates can't focus on that now.

"We need to realize that (Pittsburgh) has the ability to come back. They came away win a win. That was most important," Orlovsky said.

Orlovsky will be matched up against a young Pittsburgh secondary. Panthers coach Walt Harris starts redshirt freshmen Mike Phillips and freshman Darrelle Revis at the corners and realizes they'll be challenged by Orlovsky, the leading passer in the league.

The UConn senior is averaging 288.2 passing yards a game and is the only signal-caller in the Big East with more than 1,000 passing yards.

"He's a big-time football player," Harris said. "When you're playing against a veteran quarterback who doesn't turn the ball over, that's a big challenge especially when you're playing on the road."

Pittsburgh quarterback Tyler Palko continues to develop for the Panthers. The sophomore was 6 of 19 for 49 yards against Ohio, but completed to 30 of 36 for 380 yards and three touchdowns against Furman.

"You can just see the improvement from week to week," UConn coach Randy Edsall said of Palko. "He's a competitor. He can throw the ball, he can move around the pocket."

A big part of Palko's protection is left tackle Rob Petitti, a 6-foot-6, 335-pound pro prospect. A conference first-team all-star the last two years, Petitti has never missed a start at Pitt. UConn defensive end Tyler King has watched plenty of film on Petitti.

"We're going to have our work cut out for us," said King, who leads the Huskies in tackles for a loss with seven. "He's rated very highly. I think very highly of him. I'm going to have to play my A-game against him."

Both Harris and Edsall have had a short week to prepare. For UConn, that meant practicing on Sunday, a day after the Huskies routed Army 40-3.

"The one thing you didn't get is your normal routine," Edsall said. "Basically you have to take four days of preparation and really put it into three. You also have to be smart in terms of making sure your kids' bodies are ready to come off that short week and come out and play, which I think they will be."