Pitt Beats Syracuse 23-20

Winning at the Carrier Dome has never been easy. Pitt’s last two visits there were decided by a single point. Yesterday was practically no different as the game came down to Chris Blewitt’s winning Field Goal just as time expired which lifted the Panthers over The Orange 23-20 in dramatic fashion.

Despite Blewitt’s winning kick for the second consecutive week, the game’s true hero was Pitt’s Punter Ryan Winslow.

Things didn’t start off very well for the Panthers. After Pitt starting QB Nate Peterman found junior superstar WR Tyler Boyd for 4 yards, true freshman tailback Qadree Ollison ran the ball for 5 and 2 yards. Peterman then ran a QB keeper for 8 yards before Boyd himself threw a halfback pass to junior WR Dontez Ford for 38 yards to the Syracuse 21 yard line.

Peterman was then sacked by Syracuse sophmore LB Zaire Franklin for an 8 yard loss before finding Boyd on a 9 yard passing play. Ollison tacked on an additional yard to set up a 33 yard Chris Blewitt field goal. Pitt led Syracuse, 3-0.

The Orange wasted no time answering back. Syracuse tailback Jordan Fredericks burst for 55 yards before true freshman QB Eric Dungey found halfback Ervin Philips for a 20 yard TD strike. In two plays, Syracuse 7 Pitt 3.

Both teams then traded punts before Pitt’s junior placekicker Chris Blewitt missed a 50 yard Field Goal.

Syracuse’s placekicker Cole Murphy, though, would boot the rock through the uprights from 23 yards out to cap a 17 play, 62 yard drive to open the 2nd quarter. Syracuse 10 Pitt 3.

On the next series, Pitt capped a long drive of their own with a score.

After Boyd ran for 11 yards on a sweep play, Peterman found Boyd again on a 10 yard slant passing play before getting sacked again by Franklin.

Sophmore Chris James made his presence known by scampering 17 yards before Ollison tacked on a 3 yard run of his own. This led to Peterman finding Pitt senior Tight End JP Holtz while rolling to his left and throwing across his body for 14 yards to the Orange 23 yard line.

Peterman went back to the well again and deposited the rock into Boyd’s hands for 7 yards before Boyd took an additional handoff 5 more yards to the Syracuse 11 yard line.

Ollison burst for 9 yards before finishing the drive off with a 2 yard off-tackle TD run to tie the score at 10.

The Orange, though, weren’t done scoring before half.

Dungey first connected with WR Brisly Estime for 8 yards, before Fredericks ran hard for 2 more yards. Dungey then found WR Steve Ishmael for 8 more yards, Estime for 7 yards and then Ishmal again for 40 yards to the Pitt 10 yard line.

Ishamel would finish the game with 7 catches for 114 and 1 TD.

Phillips gained half the distance to pay dirt for the Orange with a 5 yard run before Dungey added an additional yard. Finally, on 3rd down and goal, Dungey flipped the ball into Ishamel’s hands for a 4 yard TD pass to give the Orange the 17-10 lead over Pitt.

On its final series before halftime, Pitt went right back to work. Aided by a 15 yard personal foul penalty on Syracuse’s Ryan Norton, Peterman ran the QB keeper 13 yards. He then found his favorite target, Tyler Boyd, on a 17 yard out pattern just before Blewitt kicked a 30 yard field goal. Syracuse 17 Pitt 13 at the half.

The second half was marked by improved defense on both sides.

Both teams traded punts twice before Pitt’s defense took control of the game.

First, Dungey was popped hard by Pitt junior linebacker Nicholas Grigsby and laid motionless on the turf for a few seconds with what looked like a concussion.

Duney next pass was intercepted by Pitt’s junior LB Matt Galambos, who tipped the ball to himeself and returned it 2 yards to the Panther 41 yard line. Pitt, though, failed to capitalize on the turnover and punted.

On the next Orange series, the Grigsby hit paid dividends.

Dungey threw an aimless pass into Pitt senior CB Lafayette Pitts’ hands who returned it 17 yards to the Syracuse 44 yard line.

Ollison then ran it for 3 and 9 yards in between the ever consistent Peterman to Boyd pass connection of 7 yards.

Boyd would finish the game with 12 catches for 93 yards while Peterman went 19 for 25 and 189 yards passing.

Ollison, though, wasn’t done. He took over the game with rushes of 6, 18 and 1 yard to pay dirt. He would finish the day with 23 carries, 103 yards and 2 TDs. Pitt led 20-17 early in the final frame.

Syracuse thought it had the game prepared for overtime after finishing a 10 play, 55 yard drive of their own which resulted in a Cole Murphy 37 yard field goal. The game was tied at 20.

In fact, it set up Pitt for the final decisive drive that included a play call for the ages.

With 9 minutes left, the Panthers were determined to milk the clock and set up Blewitt for the game-winning field goal.

Starting from their own 5 yard line, Pitt handed the ball off to Boyd for 5 yards before he got stuffed for no gain. On 3rd down, Peterman threw a strike to junior WR and one-time Syracuse-transfer Dontez Ford for 17 yards.

After James added a yard of his own, Peterman threw a bullet to junior TE Scott Orndoff for 17 yards. Boyd then ran for 6 yards, Peterman for 2 more yards, when finally Peterman got nearly intercepted on a 3rd down play to Boyd. This set up the dramatics on 4th down and 7 yards at the Pitt 48 yard line.

Pitt lined up to punt but head coach Pat Narduzzi called a trick play and it worked to perfection. Redshirt sophmore punter Ryan Winslow, a former high school QB, instead scrambled out of the pocket and tossed a 12 yard pretty pass to junior LB Matt Galambos for the Pitt first down. Pitt’s first fake punt in many years.

James ran for 9 yards on 2 plays and put the rest of the game into Ollison’s hands.

Ollison bruised his way on 6 plays for 25 yards to the Orange 6 yard line that ended when Blewitt punched home the game-winning field goal as time expired. Pitt defeated Syracuse 23-20.

Notes: Pitt improved to 37-31-3 against Syracuse all-time. The Panthers are 12-2 versus Syracuse since 2002 after the Orange went 16-1-1 (including 11 straight) against Pitt from 1984-2001.

Next up: North Carolina (6-1 overall; 3-0 in the ACC) vs Pitt (6-1 overall; 4-0 in the ACC)
TV: ESPN, 7pm EST

Pitt is 3-6 all-time vs North Carolina including 0-2 in the ACC.