Pitt Stuns #2 The “U”, 24-14

It was 20 years ago nearly today, Sgt. Peppers Band came to play. Ok it wasn’t exactly 20 years ago, but almost. On a Thursday night ESPN game on September 18, 1997 at old Pitt Stadium, the Pitt Panthers stunned the Miami Hurricanes for their only home win against the “U” since October 16, 1976.

Of course, the 1997 Miami Hurricanes would end up finishing 5-6 that year and were suspended from post-season play regardless. This time it was different.

Today, the 4-7 unranked Pitt Panthers stunned the #2 11-0 Miami Hurricanes at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The loss may have cost the Canes a chance at the National Championship.

It all started after the teams traded punts and Pitt took possession and started it second offensive series.

Pitt true freshman (Ocean, NJ) QB Kenny Pickett was named the starter for the final game of the year and he delivered a brilliant performance.

First, Pickett ran for 11 yards to the Miami 34 yard line, which was aided by a bad 35 yard punt from Miami punter Zach Feagles.

Pickett would miss on a pass to senior WR Jester Weah, who played his final game as a Pitt Panther, but then proceeded to hand the ball off to Pitt junior tailback Darrin Hall for runs of 4 and 2 yards.

Pitt sophomore placekicker Alex Kessman would boot a 46 yard field goal to open the game’s scoring. Pitt 3 Miami 0.

Despite forcing the Canes to punt on its next possession, Pitt would turn the rock right back over.

Pitt center Jimmy Morrissey sailed a snap over Pickett’s head, while he was in the shotgun, and the ball was recovered by Miami’s weakside LB Michael Pinckney. This was after Pitt drove 8 plays for 29 yards in a drive that lasted a little under 4 minutes.

The teams would then trade punts before the Canes found paydirt. On a 9 play, 80 yard drive, Miami redshirt junior QB Malik Rosier beat Pitt senior cornerback Avonte Maddox on a post route for a 23 yard TD pass to Ahmmon Richards. Miami 7 Pitt 3.

It looked like the game might get out of hand on Pitt’s very next series. That’s when Pickett threw a bullet to Pitt transfer (UCLA) TE Chris Clark for 20 yards on first down. However, Clark was popped by Hurricanes free safety Sheldrick Redwine, who simultaneously jarred the ball loose. The Pitt fumble was recovered by Miami’s nickelback Jaquan Johnson.

By instead of rolling over and allowing the Canes to capitalize, the Pitt defense stiffened and forced another Hurricanes 3 and out.

The inspired defensive effort fueled an 11 play, 68 yard Pitt drive on its ensuing series.

Pickett started the drive by completing a screen pass to Pitt junior WR Quadree Henderson for 8 yards to the Pitt 40 yard line.

Henderson then took a jet sweep on the next snap but lost 4 yards before Pickett took the rock himself for gains of 7 and 1 yard to the Pitt 44.

That’s when the Pickett to Weah show took over. Pickett connected on 3 straight passes to Weah of 6, 22 and 12 yards to the Canes 16 yard line.

Pickett then ran for 2 yards before trying to connect with Weah once again. However, Miami junior cornerback Michael Jackson was penalized for holding and this put the ball at the Canes 7 yard line.

Pickett would try to find redshirt sophomore WR Rafael Araujo-Lopes but overthrew him on 1st and goal. One the game’s eventual heros, junior tailback Qadree Ollison, instead tacked on a yard before Pickett rolled out and sprinted to the end zone. His leap was met with heavy contact but Pickett still managed to score. Pitt 10 Miami 7 at half.

The second half started with the teams trading punts twice and Pitt forcing yet another Miami 3 and out on its 3rd series of the 3rd Quarter. This set up Pitt’s next scoring drive and perhaps its most impressive offensive series of the year.

Pickett opened the historic drive with an incomplete pass to Weah but then Pickett tacked on a 2 yard run.

Instead of giving up, Pickett went back to the well and connected with Weah on a brilliant slant pass for 29 yards to the Miami 34 yard line.

Pickett then tossed a rare completion to seldom-used Panther sophomore WR Aaron Mathews for 9 yards to the Canes 25 yard line.

That’s when Pitt found gold in the running game with now converted junior fullback Qadree Ollison who punished the “U” with runs of 9, 6, and 7 yards before losing 2 yards at the Miami 5 yard line.

Pickett salted the drive 4 plus minute drive by tossing a now almost patented Pitt shovel pass to Ollison, who ran it to the goalline and stretched the ball just over. Pitt 17 Miami 7.

The teams would then trade 3 Miami punts for 2 Pitt punts before Pitt really stretched the lead.

Ollison opened up Pitt’s final scoring drive by punishing the Canes with runs of 13 and 1 yard before Pickett was stopped for no gain at the Pitt 24 yard line.

On what appeared to be a lucky bounce, Pickett completed a 3rd and 9 pass for 19 yards that was deflected into the hands of Henderson for a first down at the Panther 43 yard line.

Pitt went back to the ground. Ollison bruised for 7 yards and received some relief from Hall for 11 yards to the Miami 39 yard line.

Ollison was then brilliant on 3 more runs of 4, 9 and 3 yards to the Miami 23 yard line.

Although Ollison would lose a yard on the next step, he inched Pitt closer with a follow-up 2 yard run to the Canes 22 yard line. This set up a dramatic 4th and 6 play for Pitt.

Pitt called time-out. Pickett then marched onto the field and appeared to handoff to Ollison again but instead tucked the ball on a naked bootleg and sprinted 22 yards to the pylon and scored. Pitt 24 Miami 7.

The Canes would make things a little interesting on its next series when Rosier connected on an easy 39 yard TD toss to a wide open Miami WR Braxton Berrios. Why Pitt played man to man in that situation left many to wonder.

Miami then recovered the ensuing on-sides kick which appeared to show the Canes sophomore corner Malek Young out of bounds at the Miami 34 yard line. Nonetheless, two snaps later Rozier was stripped of the ball by Maddox, on a corner blitz, and the ball was recovered by Pitt junior transfer (Tennessee) DE Dewayne Hendrix.

Pitt 24 Miami 14 FINAL.

Notes:

• Pitt finished the 2017 football season 5-7 (3-5 in the ACC) and out of the post-season for the 1st time in 10 years. The extremely tough season was capped by a huge upset of #2 Miami.

• Pitt improved its record against Miami to 11-25-1 all-time.

• Pitt finally found a new permanent QB in Kenny Pickett, who finished the day 18 for 29 for 193 yards and 1 TD pass. He also scored 2 TDs on the ground in which he ran 13 times for 60 yards.