Pitt, which finished the regular season with a 28-10 win at Cincinnati on Saturday, accepted an invitation to play Kentucky (6-6) in the BBVA Compass Bowl at noon Jan. 8 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.
The Panthers (7-5), who earned a share of the Big East title with Connecticut and West Virginia, are making their third consecutive postseason appearance and 27th overall. Pitt defeated North Carolina in last year's Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.
"We are obviously excited, and it gives our kids one last chance to play as a team and get another win," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. "It'll be a very competitive game. We look forward to a great experience on and off the field."
For only the third time in 35 years, the Panthers are making their third straight bowl-game appearance. It's an accomplishment, Wannstedt said, that indicates the program's progress during his six-year tenure.
"It's something to build on, but you're always building," said Wannstedt, who's 42-31 at his alma mater. "It's a journey.
"You're always looking for something a little more positive than last year. This year, we're Big East champs, and that's a little more positive than we were a year ago, except the number of wins. We've built a little something year after year after year; that's where we're at right now."
Pitt lost out on a chance to play in a BCS bowl game by falling to Connecticut and West Virginia. UConn defeated South Florida on Saturday to earn its first BCS bowl bid by winning the tiebreaker among the three teams.
The BBVA Compass Bowl will be the first meeting between the Panthers and Wildcats.
It has a projected $600,000 payout, the second lowest of any bowl game. And only the Fight Hunger Bowl on Jan. 9 and the BCS championship Jan. 10 follow the Compass Bowl, which will be televised nationally on ESPN.
"We are extremely pleased to host the University of Pittsburgh in this year's game," BBVA Compass Bowl executive director Mark Meadows said. "We congratulate coach Wannstedt and his team on winning a share of the Big East championship."
Pitt was considered a candidate for the Meineke Car Care Bowl on Dec. 31. But it played in that game last year, leaving South Florida with the bid after Louisville and Southern Mississippi agreed to meet in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl.
The Panthers last faced an opponent from the SEC in 1983, when they defeated Tennessee -- and former Pitt coach John Majors -- 13-3, in Knoxville, Tenn.
The team representing the Big East has won all four previous bowl games held in Birmingham, including last year's 20-7 victory by Connecticut over South Carolina.
Pitt is scheduled to begin postseason practice Dec. 12. The Panthers are allowed 10 practices, including four before the holiday break.
"The players' spirits were good after the win at Cincinnati," Wannstedt said. "It's not like the game is going to happen in a week or two. They can really focus on the academics, then we begin our bowl preparation."
Wannstedt, who's 1-1 in bowl games, said he doesn't expect the long five-week break to affect his team's performance. However, the Panthers were 0-2 (against Miami and Connecticut) in games after a two-week break this season.
"It's going to be a little different," Wannstedt said. "We'll come back probably Jan. 2, but I don't anticipate them having problems getting ready for the game."
Wannstedt said the biggest challenge facing his coaching staff is getting caught up with recruiting, which began Nov. 29.
"There were coaches who were not playing, so they were on the road to get a jump on recruiting," Wannstedt said. "We've got a big recruiting week coming up this weekend, and we have 10 or 12 kids coming in for official visits."
Additional Information:BBVA Compass Bowl
Who: Pitt vs. Kentucky
When: Noon Jan. 8, Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala.
TV/radio: ESPN/KDKA-FM (93.7), Pitt Radio Network
Records: Pitt 7-5, Kentucky 6-6
Favorite: NA
Payout : $600,000
Series: First meeting
Scouting Kentucky: The Wildcats rank third in the SEC in total offense, averaging 437.2 yards and 33 points per game. ... WR Randall Cobb was first in the conference in all-purpose yards, averaging 182.7 per game. ... QB Mike Hartline completed 268 of 405 passes for 3,178 yards and 23 touchdowns. ... Kentucky's defense gave up 28.5 points per game.
Ticket information: Call the Panthers Ticket Office at 1-800-643-PITT or visit 'Bowl Central' at www.PittsburghPanthers.com .
