The 54-34 loss to Rutgers yesterday will have long-term ramifications beyond the Big East standings because the Panthers lost two starters to injury , one who likely will be out for the season.

Panthers starting quarterback Bill Stull was knocked out of the game in the third quarter with a neck injury when he was hit after throwing an incomplete pass and knocked out of the game. Stull wasn't able to walk off the field after the hit and had to be carted off on a stretcher, but he did raise his fist and give a "thumbs-up" as he was being rolled off the field. He was taken to Presbyterian Hospital and held over night.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said after the game that initial tests on Stull showed no serious injury and added that " it looks like he is going to be fine."

The news was not as good for starting center Robb Houser, who likely has a broken ankle, which happened also in the the third quarter. Houser will have an MRI today.

With Houser out Wannstedt will have to shuffle the offensive line as starting left tackle C.J. Davis will move to center and reserve Dom Williams will move to left guard.

Sophomore Pat Bostick likely will be the starting quarterback next week at Notre Dame but an official announcement of that will be made later in the week when the extent of Stull's injuries are determined.

Although yesterday's game was a losing effort, the Panthers got another stellar effort from standout tailback LeSean McCoy, who rushed 26 times for 146 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. It was the fourth game in a row he has rushed for 140 yards or more.

McCoy's four touchdowns also gave him 28 rushing touchdowns for his career, four more than legendary running back Tony Dorsett had compiled through his freshman and sophomore seasons. He also has 11 100-yard rushing games in his career and his 14 touchdowns for this season matches his total from last year.

Even though the two teams combined for 88 points and there was 928 yards of offense and countless shifts in momentum -- coaches and players from both teams conceded that one play stood out.

The Panthers pulled within 34-31 with 8:58 to play on a 1-yard touchdown run by McCoy, then forced the Scarlet Knights to go three-plays-and-out and punt the ball.

The momentum had shifted and Pitt was poised to take control of the game -- but punt returner Aaron Berry fumbled the punt and Rutgers recovered it at the Panthers' 36. One play later Mike Teel hit Tim Brown with a 36-yard touchdown pass, pushing the Panthers behind by 10 again, 41-31.

The play took all of the air out of a suddenly quiet stadium and also seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the Panthers, who never really recovered.

"The play to force the fumble on their punt return when we were up 34-31 was huge," Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. "I think when you're on the road, there are three or four times a game when the momentum can flip and start to get away from you. When you get into that situation you need someone to step up and make a play and fortunately we were able to get one on special teams."

Pitt has now joined Temple in this dubious club -- the Panthers and Owls are the only two Big East teams that Rutgers has beaten four times in a row. ... Rutgers also had not beaten a ranked team on the road since Sept. 24, 1988, when it won at Penn State. ... Pitt still leads the overall series against Rutgers, 19-7, but four of those seven losses have come in the past four seasons. ... Pitt also got stellar efforts from wide receivers T.J. Porter (4 catches, 109 yards) and freshman Jonathan Baldwin (5 catches, 81 yards). "[Baldwin] is already a tremendous player," Schiano said. "And he is only going to get better. It is a scary thing to think about for an opposing coach.". ... Before his injury, Stull had thrown for a career-high 279 yards. ... For the second consecutive game, redshirt sophomore safety Elijah Fields played sparingly. ...Defensive end Greg Romeus blocked two extra points giving the Panthers six blocked kicks for the season. ... Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel threw six touchdown passes yesterday, twice as many as he had thrown in the first seven games combined.