Pitt Beats Akron 24-7, Prepares For Iowa

Thunder, rain and Tyrique Jarrett. Perhaps in that order. In a game in which Pitt largely dominated, the Panthers found a new star at Quarterback, a rising stud in the secondary and the ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Week in a 24-7 victory over Akron on Saturday night.

Jarrett, a junior from Alderdice High School in Pittsburgh, had 3 tackles for loss and 5 stops on a defense that held the Zips to 100 total yards rushing. In doing so, he received the ACC honor.

Things didn’t start off as smooth as Pitt had hoped. After taking the early 3-0 first quarter lead, the Panthers misread a simple dive play and watched Akron RB Conor Hundley rush almost untouched enroute to a 32 yard touchdown with 6:24 left in the half. The Zips led 7-3.

Hundley would finish the day with 11 carries for 59 yards.

Pitt would answer though. Redshirt Junior QB Nate Peterman spelled starting QB Chad Voytik and engineered an 8 play 73 yard drive that was capped by an 18 yard TD toss to TE JP Holtz. The Panthers led 10-7 at half.

Peterman would end the day with 12 for 17 passing, 148 yards and 1 TD.

As the torrential downpour continued, the third quarter was rather uneventful until Pitt redshirt freshman RB Qadree Ollison rushed for a 2 yard touchdown following a 5 play 51 yard drive. Pitt led 17-7.

Akron failed to move the ball much at all and a big part of the reason was the play of starting boundary corner Avonte Maddox who covered Zip WR Jerome Lane (son of the Pitt Panther basketball legend with the same name) stride for stride throughout the game.

The Panthers sealed the 24-7 victory in the final frame after true freshman RB Darrin Hall ran tote the rock for a 5 yard touchdown with 2:51 remaining on a series that took 10 plays and 67 yards.

Note: While he didn’t reach the endzone, Pitt junior star WR Tyler Boyd saw his first action of the year after missing the opening game following a 1 game suspension for an off-the-field incident during the off-season. He didn’t disappoint with 11 grabs and 95 yards.

Next up: At Iowa, 8pm EST, TV – Big 10 Network