By BRETT HUSTON
STATS Writer

Syracuse (3-5) at No. 13 Pittsburgh (7-1), 12:00 p.m. EDT

The nation's third-rated passer and fourth-leading rusher have
helped Pittsburgh cruise to its best start in 27 years, but Bill
Stull and Dion Lewis are hardly the only two players carrying
coach Dave Wannstedt's team.

The 14th-ranked Panthers lead the nation in sacks, and the
defense should have another chance to shine Saturday afternoon
at Heinz Field against Syracuse, which will try to revive its
struggling offense after star receiver Mike Williams
unexpectedly left the team.

Pittsburgh (7-1, 4-0 Big East) figured to have a tough time
replacing the production of tailback LeSean McCoy, who entered
the NFL draft after running for 1,488 yards last season as a
redshirt sophomore. Instead, Lewis has delivered in his freshman
season, averaging 128.6 yards per game and running for 11
touchdowns.

Stull's ascension has been an even bigger surprise. The Big
East's fifth-rated passer (119.9) as a junior in 2008 when he
threw more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (10), Stull is
now third in the nation in passer rating (161.1) and has thrown
16 touchdowns and four interceptions.

"A defense cannot serve two masters," Stull said. "If you try to
stop our running game, we're going to be able to make some big
plays through the air and vice versa."

While the offense has done its best to be mistake-free - its
eight turnovers are tied for ninth-fewest in the nation and
Stull's seven sacks are the 10th-fewest - the defense has forced
opponents into trouble. Pitt's 33 sacks are equal to its total
from 13 games last season.

The Panthers had four in a 41-14 rout of South Florida on Oct.
24 in which they outgained the Bulls 486-212.

"Very few (sacks) are from blitzes. We don't blitz much,"
Wannstedt said. "I bet you we only blitzed 10 times in the past
five weeks. A lot of those sacks are coverage sacks. If we can
get two guys back there covering one, the quarterback is going
to have to hold the ball."

Pitt hasn't been 8-1 since Dan Marino's senior season in 1982.

The Panthers' secondary should have a much easier time this week
considering the Orange (3-5, 0-3) will be missing one of the
nation's most dangerous receivers. Williams leads the Big East
with 106.6 yards per game but quit the team Monday, two days
after being held to four catches for 34 yards in a 28-7 home
loss to then-No. 5 Cincinnati.

Williams was recently named as one of 10 finalists for the
Biletnikoff Award, presented to the nation's top wide receiver,
but he's had his share of off-the-field issues. The junior was
suspended in June 2008 for violating the university's academic
integrity policy and missed all of last season before being
readmitted in January.

He has 746 receiving yards - 562 more than second-leading
receiver Donte Davis - despite being suspended for a win against
Akron on Oct. 24 for violating team rules.

"He walked up to me and voluntarily took himself off the team.
That's it," said coach Doug Marrone, who has seen 20 scholarship
players exit the team since taking over in December. "I'm not
going to discuss the conversation from my end."

On Tuesday, Marrone suspended tailback Antwon Bailey, defensive
end Torrey Ball and offensive guard Andrew Tiller for violating
team rules. Bailey is second on the team this season with 184
rushing yards

Williams' departure, though, leaves a major void in the Orange's
offense - 106th in the nation with 312.6 yards per game - and
quarterback Greg Paulus has regressed since conference play
began. After completing 68.7 percent of his passes, throwing
seven TDs against four interceptions and compiling a 143.9
passer rating in five non-conference games, Paulus has seen his
completion percentage (58.3) drop off, his rating (97.4) plummet
and his interceptions (seven) skyrocket in Big East play.

That inconsistency has prompted Marrone to give redshirt
freshman Ryan Nassib, more of a threat to run, some time under
center.

"He's kind of their wildcat guy," Wannstedt said. "Paulus is
more in control of things out there, but we're going to see
both. We could see Nassib a lot more."

Wannstedt's toughest task this week, though, may be making sure
his team isn't looking ahead. Pitt's first nine opponents have a
combined record of 38-35, but its last three - Notre Dame, West
Virginia and Cincinnati - are 20-4, and those games will
determine whether it plays in a BCS bowl.

"Syracuse is a conference game, and it is a priority," Wannstedt
said. "We used to talk in the NFL that, until this point, it's
all talk whether you're a contender or a pretender. I think our
guys now should get a taste that we could be a contender."

Pitt has won the past four meetings in the series, while the
Orange have lost eight straight to ranked opponents.