Can't Wait For Saturday | Just outside the Top 25, Pitt gets some help in the backfield

Greetings from "Can't Wait For Saturday," your morning morsel of college football, courtesy of longtime Illini beat writer, AP Top 25 voter and Heisman state rep Bob Asmussen. He'll give you his views each day on the game he loves

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When I put together my Associated Press Tp 25 each week, I usually have a handful of teams ready to jump in if ranked teams lose. At the top of that list this week is Pitt. The Panthers are 4-0 and play a winnable game Saturday at struggling North Carolina.

Pitt's chance for success was enhanced this week with the decision to bring back running back Rodney Hammond Jr.. off the suspended list.

Hammond, the team's leading rusher in 2023, was suspended just before the start of the season. The folks in charge at Pitt didn't offer a reason and it seems unlikely we will hear one now.

Of course, if he has a big game on Saturday, reporters will want to talk to him and questions about his suspension will certainly come up.

Transparency is the solution. Or least a solution.

By bringing Hammond back, Pitt moves even higher up on my weekend radar. He will not stsart but is ready to go if needed.

Hammond has run for 1,500 yards at Pitt, a school that has produced plenty pf stars at tailback.