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PITT |
VATECH |
Pickett leads Pitt to 28-7 victory over Virginia Tech
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) Kenny Pickett threw two touchdown passes and rushed for a score to lead Pittsburgh to a 28-7 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Pickett threw touchdown passes of 8 yards to Gavin Bartholomew and 36 yards to Jared Wayne, and he scored on a 3-yard run - all in the first half - as the Panthers (5-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) won their third straight game. Pittsburgh, which won in Blacksburg for the first time since 2015, moved into sole possession of first place in the ACC's Coastal Division.
''I think every game is a statement (game),'' Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi said. ''We're not worried about the crowd or anything else. Just come out and execute and play Pitt football. That's what we came here to do - play Pitt football. We didn't care who was out there. We didn't care what the scoreboard looked like. Just play Pitt football.''
Pickett, arguably the leader for ACC Player of the Year at the season's halfway point, now has thrown 21 touchdown passes and just one interception. He completed 22 of 37 for 203 yards.
''It feels great,'' said Pickett, who won for the first time in three starts in Blacksburg. ''I had this one circled for sure. We had probably one of the worst offensive performances two years ago (a 28-0 loss). It meant a lot to everyone to come in here and get a win.''
Israel Abanikanda rushed for a career-high 140 yards for the Panthers, who finished with 411 yards offense.
Virginia Tech (3-3, 1-1) finished with a season-low 225 yards. The Hokies' lone score came on a 2-yard pass from Braxton Burmeister to Tayvion Robinson in the third quarter.
''It's my job to get us to play as good as we can play - whatever that level is,'' Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente said. ''At times, this season, we've hit that level. And really at no time today did we hit it. That's not play-calling, that's defensive scheme, that's not special teams, that's not players - that's the head coach's responsibility. I let them down, and I'm disappointed and mad at myself.''
THE TAKEAWAYS
Pittsburgh: The Panthers' offense gets all the attention, but Pittsburgh's defense deserves accolades as well. The Panthers have allowed just 35 points in the past three games and haven't allowed more than 100 yards rushing in those three. This is a good squad that is positioned perfectly heading into the second half of the season.
Virginia Tech: Once again, the Hokies were abysmal on offense. Poor quarterback play, dropped passes, and an inability to run the ball killed drive after drive. The performance was so shoddy that Virginia Tech's student section started leaving in the second quarter, and boos could be heard loudly throughout the game. Fuente, who entered the season on the hot seat, needs to find some answers quickly.
BIG DAY FOR IZZY
Abanikanda's previous career high was 75 yards, which came in the Panthers' blowout win over New Hampshire earlier this season. Pittsburgh leaned heavily on Abanikanda to put this game away, as 11 of his 21 carries and 63 of his yards came on a fourth-quarter drive that took 11:28 off the clock.
''It felt great,'' Abanikanda said. ''It felt like the coaches were confident in me to do stuff like that, and I'm confident in myself to do stuff like that as well. It just felt like I'm a part of the team.
UP NEXT
Pittsburgh: The Panthers play at home against Clemson next Saturday.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies host Syracuse next Saturday.
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K. Pickett
8 QB 203 PaYds, 2 PaTDs, 38 RuYds, RuTD |
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B. Burmeister
5 QB 134 PaYds, PaTD, INT, 19 RuYds |
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 22 | 13 |
Rushing | 10 | 5 |
Passing | 11 | 6 |
Penalty | 1 | 2 |
3rd Down Conv | 7-19 | 4-14 |
4th Down Conv | 3-4 | 0-2 |
Total Net Yards | 411 | 224 |
Total Plays | 81 | 60 |
Avg Gain | 5.1 | 3.7 |
Net Yards Rushing | 208 | 90 |
Rush Attempts | 44 | 28 |
Avg Rush Yards | 4.7 | 3.2 |
Yards Passing | 203 | 134 |
Comp. - Att. | 22-37 | 11-32 |
Yards Per Pass | 5.3 | 3.3 |
Penalties - Yards | 9-74 | 3-25 |
Touchdowns | 4 | 1 |
Rushing TDs | 2 | 0 |
Passing TDs | 2 | 1 |
Other | 0 | 0 |
Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. Thrown | 0 | 1 |
Punts - Avg | 8-38.6 | 8-38.5 |
Return Yards | 22 | 17 |
Punts - Returns | 2-22 | 3-17 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 1-0 | 0-0 |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
|
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
K. Pickett
8 QB
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K. Pickett | 22/37 | 203 | 2 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
I. Abanikanda
2 RB
|
I. Abanikanda | 21 | 140 | 0 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Pickett
8 QB
|
K. Pickett | 12 | 38 | 1 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||
V. Davis
22 RB
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V. Davis | 11 | 30 | 1 | 9 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Wayne
5 WR
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J. Wayne | 6 | 6 | 94 | 1 | 36 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Addison
3 WR
|
J. Addison | 7 | 5 | 62 | 0 | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
L. Krull
7 TE
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L. Krull | 4 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
G. Bartholomew
86 TE
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G. Bartholomew | 2 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Stovall
4 WR
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M. Stovall | 4 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Mack
11 WR
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T. Mack | 10 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
I. Abanikanda
2 RB
|
I. Abanikanda | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Jacques-Louis
18 WR
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S. Jacques-Louis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
V. Davis
22 RB
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V. Davis | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
C. Bright
38 LB
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C. Bright | 3-2 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Dennis
7 LB
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S. Dennis | 3-5 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Mathis
21 DB
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D. Mathis | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
H. Baldonado
87 DL
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H. Baldonado | 2-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Petrishen
0 LB
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J. Petrishen | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Brima
57 DL
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B. Brima | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Hallett II
31 DB
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E. Hallett II | 1-3 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Williams
14 DB
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M. Williams | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Kancey
8 DL
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C. Kancey | 1-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Danielson
95 DL
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D. Danielson | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Woods
25 DB
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A. Woods | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. George
30 LB
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B. George | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Alexandre
5 DL
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D. Alexandre | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Hayes
50 DL
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D. Hayes | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Bentley
92 DL
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T. Bentley | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Pine
36 LB
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C. Pine | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Hill
9 DB
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B. Hill | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Devonshire
12 DB
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M. Devonshire | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Tallandier
26 DB
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J. Tallandier | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Camp
10 DL
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K. Camp | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
W. Davis
20 LB
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W. Davis | 0-5 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
S. Scarton
91 K
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S. Scarton | 0/0 | 0 | 4/4 | 4 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
K. Christodoulou
98 P
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K. Christodoulou | 8 | 38.6 | 2 | 50 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
J. Barden
10 WR
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J. Barden | 1 | 23.0 | 23 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
J. Barden 10 WR
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J. Barden | 2 | 11.0 | 14 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
B. Burmeister
3 QB
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B. Burmeister | 11/32 | 134 | 1 | 1 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
M. Thomas
24 RB
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M. Thomas | 6 | 33 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Burmeister
3 QB
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B. Burmeister | 9 | 19 | 0 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Blackshear
5 RB
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R. Blackshear | 7 | 18 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Holston
0 RB
|
J. Holston | 5 | 18 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Robinson
9 WR
|
T. Robinson | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
T. Turner
11 WR
|
T. Turner | 11 | 3 | 73 | 0 | 47 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Lofton
18 WR
|
D. Lofton | 2 | 1 | 29 | 0 | 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Robinson
9 WR
|
T. Robinson | 10 | 5 | 20 | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Smith
80 WR
|
K. Smith | 5 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Blackshear
5 RB
|
R. Blackshear | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
N. Gallo
86 TE
|
N. Gallo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
T. Daley
17 S
|
T. Daley | 5-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Conner
1 DB
|
C. Conner | 5-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Barno
11 DL
|
A. Barno | 5-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Tisdale
34 LB
|
A. Tisdale | 4-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Strong
44 DB
|
D. Strong | 4-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. Peoples
31 DB
|
N. Peoples | 4-7 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Williams
12 DL
|
J. Williams | 2-4 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Artis
15 LB
|