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PITT |
UVA |
Pair of pick 6s set early tone as Pitt beats Virginia, 37-7
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) M.J. Devonshire and Marquis Williams returned interceptions for touchdowns on the first two plays from scrimmage and Pittsburgh reached bowl eligibility with a 37-7 victory at Virginia on Saturday.
Devonshire's interception of Brennan Armstrong and 29-yard return gave the Panthers (6-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) a 7-0 lead after just 5 seconds. After a touchback, Armstrong tried to throw deeper, but Williams intercepted and went 39 yard for the TD.
''We thought they'd possibly come out and do what they did on that first play and we had a great defense called for it,'' Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi said of Devonshire's interception. ''And, you know, I think it made Armstrong think a little bit, at least for the first half and maybe even the third quarter.''
The Cavaliers (3-6, 1-6), who needed a victory to remain in contention for a bowl berth, trailed 28-0 by the end of the first quarter. Many in the sparse crowd that booed them as they left the field at halftime then seemingly also left on a sunny, warm fall afternoon.
''Obviously, not results any of us want, not the start any of us wanted,'' offensive coordinator Des Kitchings said. ''We got a group of kids in there hurting, coaches are hurting because we've been making progress and today just took a step back with the start of that game.''
Israel Abanikanda added to his nation-leading touchdown total with a 1-yard run on Pitts' first offensive possession, and Kedon Slovis hit Jared Wayne with a 31-yard scoring pass on the next, putting the Panthers ahead 28-0 with 2:33 left in the opening quarter.
Ben Sauls kicked three second-half field goals and the outcome was never in doubt as Pitt won for the sixth time in the last seven meetings with the Cavaliers. The Panthers outgained Virginia 397-144 and held the home team to minus 8 rushing yards.
Armstrong, playing without his top three receivers for the second week in a row, hit Malachi Fields from nine yards for the Cavaliers' lone score late in the third quarter.
THE TAKEAWAY
Pitt: The Panthers not only hurt Armstrong with the interceptions, but also kept Virginia's leading rusher bottled up in the backfield. He was sacked eight times for minus 69 yards and had just a pair of positive runs totaling 23 yards.
''I think the first two plays bothered him a lot. But, you know, our guys did a good job. We got a pretty good D-line and the linebackers are doing their job,'' Narduzzi said.
Virginia: Armstrong's decision to return after a huge junior season was cause for celebration at Virginia. He threw for 4,449 yards last season with 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. This season, a more balanced offense with less opportunity for freelancing hasn't gone as well. His TD pass was his seventh against 12 interceptions this season.
UP NEXT
The Panthers return home to face Duke next Saturday.
The Cavaliers wrap up their four-game homestand against Coastal Carolina.
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I. Abanikanda
2 RB 121 RuYds, RuTD, 8 ReYds, REC |
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M. Fields
8 WR 58 ReYds, ReTD, 5 RECs |
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 19 | 13 |
Rushing | 12 | 5 |
Passing | 7 | 7 |
Penalty | 0 | 1 |
3rd Down Conv | 6-15 | 2-13 |
4th Down Conv | 1-1 | 1-2 |
Total Net Yards | 397 | 144 |
Total Plays | 72 | 56 |
Avg Gain | 5.5 | 2.6 |
Net Yards Rushing | 189 | -8 |
Rush Attempts | 48 | 24 |
Avg Rush Yards | 3.9 | -0.3 |
Yards Passing | 208 | 152 |
Comp. - Att. | 14-24 | 17-32 |
Yards Per Pass | 8.7 | 2.1 |
Penalties - Yards | 9-82 | 1-5 |
Touchdowns | 4 | 1 |
Rushing TDs | 1 | 0 |
Passing TDs | 1 | 1 |
Other | 2 | 0 |
Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
Fumbles - Lost | 1-0 | 0-0 |
Int. Thrown | 0 | 2 |
Punts - Avg | 4-37.8 | 8-51.1 |
Return Yards | 153 | 0 |
Punts - Returns | 7-85 | 1-0 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 2-68 | 0-0 |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
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Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
K. Slovis
9 QB
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K. Slovis | 14/24 | 208 | 1 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
I. Abanikanda
2 RB
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I. Abanikanda | 24 | 121 | 1 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Hammond Jr.
6 RB
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R. Hammond Jr. | 13 | 39 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Flemister
24 RB
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C. Flemister | 8 | 38 | 0 | 9 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
B. Means
15 WR
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B. Means | 4 | 3 | 90 | 1 | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Mumpfield
14 WR
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K. Mumpfield | 8 | 7 | 60 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Wayne
5 WR
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J. Wayne | 7 | 2 | 40 | 0 | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
V. Davis
22 RB
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V. Davis | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
I. Abanikanda
2 RB
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I. Abanikanda | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
G. Bartholomew
86 TE
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G. Bartholomew | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
S. Dennis
7 LB
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S. Dennis | 4-4 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Wiltz
10 LB
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T. Wiltz | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Kancey
8 DL
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C. Kancey | 3-0 | 3.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Simon
32 LB
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S. Simon | 3-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
H. Baldonado
87 DL
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H. Baldonado | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Morgan III
6 DL
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J. Morgan III | 2-0 | 2.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Tallandier II
0 DB
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J. Tallandier II | 2-2 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Green
2 DL
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D. Green | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Alexandre
5 DL
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D. Alexandre | 1-1 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Danielson
95 DL
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D. Danielson | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Woods
25 DB
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A. Woods | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Hallett II
31 DB
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E. Hallett II | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Williams
14 DB
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M. Williams | 1-0 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Kamara
11 LB
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B. Kamara | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. DeShields
23 LB
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S. DeShields | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Brima
57 DL
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B. Brima | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Devonshire
12 DB
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M. Devonshire | 0-0 | 0.0 | 1 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
B. Sauls
90 K
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B. Sauls | 3/4 | 39 | 4/4 | 13 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
C. Junko
95 K
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C. Junko | 3 | 38.0 | 0 | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Vander Haar
94 P
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S. Vander Haar | 1 | 37.0 | 1 | 37 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
M. Devonshire 12 DB
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M. Devonshire | 6 | 12.0 | 31 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
V. Davis 22 RB
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V. Davis | 1 | 13.0 | 13 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
B. Armstrong
5 QB
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B. Armstrong | 17/33 | 152 | 1 | 2 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
M. Hollins
7 RB
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M. Hollins | 8 | 23 | 0 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Walker Jr.
32 RB
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R. Walker Jr. | 4 | 10 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
X. Brown
20 RB
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X. Brown | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Armstrong
5 QB
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B. Armstrong | 10 | -46 | 0 | 12 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
M. Fields
8 WR
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M. Fields | 6 | 5 | 58 | 1 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Kemp IV
4 WR
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B. Kemp IV | 8 | 4 | 38 | 0 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Wilson
86 WR
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S. Wilson | 8 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Hollins
7 RB
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M. Hollins | 3 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Wood Jr.
44 TE
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S. Wood Jr. | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
X. Brown
20 RB
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X. Brown | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Starling
6 WR
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D. Starling | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
A. Clary
0 DB
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A. Clary | 6-8 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. Jackson
6 LB
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N. Jackson | 5-6 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
F. Cypress II
23 DB
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F. Cypress II | 4-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Long
27 DB
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L. Long | 4-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Jones
25 LB
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T. Jones | 4-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Johnson
3 DB
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A. Johnson | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Faumui
94 DL
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A. Faumui | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jackson
7 LB
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J. Jackson | 3-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Perry
41 LB
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D. Perry | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Sanker
20 DB
|
J. Sanker | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Gaines
22 DB
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E. Gaines | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. King
9 DB
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C. King | 1-7 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Carter
90 DL
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J. Carter | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Butler
82 LB
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