PITTSBURGH — It seemed nothing more than bragging rights would be on the line for Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl against West Virginia.

Now a few weeks later, the Big East race is so jumbled that the Panthers have as good a chance as any team to win the league and go to the BCS.

“Obviously the winner of this game, I think, is sitting in the catbird seat as far as the conference championship,” coach Todd Graham said.

Pitt entered their game against Louisville on the outside of the title race looking in, fielding questions about playing the spoiler. Yet when Pitt beat the Cardinals and Cincinnati lost to WVU and Rutgers, it thrust the Panthers back into contention.

Five teams — the Panthers, Mountaineers, Scarlet Knights, Bearcats and Cardinals — have two conference losses. If Pitt wins out against WVU and Syracuse, it earns a share of the Big East title. If Connecticut beats Rutgers and Cincinnati loses to either UConn or Syracuse, the Panthers are the Big East’s BCS representative.

While the Panthers may be tempted to check the Big East scoreboard, safety Andrew Taglianetti said they must stay focused on the Mountaineers. That shouldn’t be a problem. Pitt will face the Big East’s top offense in both points and yards per game. Plus, the Panthers would love to dash the BCS hopes of their biggest rival.

“Just the fact that West Virginia’s in our way and we’re in West Virginia’s way at the same time, it’s really going to add to the emotions of the game,” he said. “The atmosphere down there is going to be so hostile and so volatile, we have to play smart and keep our cool and not let any of the external factors influence us the wrong way.”