NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- VIRGINIA TECH (15) 6 0 7 10 23 PITTSBURGH 0 9 6 15 30 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QTR: VTCH - FG, SHAYNE GRAHAM 48 YD, 7:42 VTCH - FG, SHAYNE GRAHAM 35 YD, 12:17 2ND QTR: PITT - FG, CHRIS FERENCIK 38 YD, 3:13 PITT - TD, TERRY MURPHY 18 YD PASS FROM PETE GONZALEZ (PAT FAILED), 12:47 3RD QTR: PITT - TD, ANDY MOLINARO 40 YD PASS FROM PETE GONZALEZ (PAT FAILED), 7:19 VTCH - TD, ANTHONY MIDGET 22 YD FUMBLE RETURN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 11:27 4TH QTR: PITT - TD, JUAN WILLIAMS 35 YD PASS FROM PETE GONZALEZ (CHRIS FERENCIK KICK), 0:30 VTCH - FG, SHAYNE GRAHAM 27 YD, 7:40 PITT - TD, KEVAN BARLOW 56 YD RUN (JAKE HOFFART RECEPTION FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION), 9:45 VTCH - TD, AL CLARK 2 YD RUN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 12:00
NCAAF 1 2 3 4 F - - - - -- Virginia Tech (15) 6 0 7 10 23 Pittsburgh 0 9 6 15 30 FINAL
Virginia Tech-FG Graham 48 Virginia Tech-FG Graham 35 Pittsburgh-FG Ferencik 38 Pittsburgh-T Murphy 18 pass from Gonzalez (kick failed) Pittsburgh-Molinaro 40 pass from Gonzalez (kick failed) Virginia Tech-Midget 22 fumble return (Graham kick) Pittsburgh-J Williams 35 pass from Gonzalez (Ferencik kick) Virginia Tech-FG Graham 27 Pittsburgh-Barlow 56 run (Hoffart reception for two-point conversion) Virginia Tech-Clark 2 run (Graham kick)
Virginia Tech Pittsburgh First downs 19 20 Rushed-yards 37-124 40-178 Passing yards 183 314 Sacked-yards lost 4-20 3-21 Return yards 39 25 Passes 22-32-0 15-25-1 Punts 6-50.7 4-35.8 Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1 Penalties-yards 4-22 7-45 Time of possession 31:44 28:16
Individual Statistics RUSHING: Virginia Tech-Clark 10-40, Oxendine 13-38, Parker 7-27, Pegues 5-12, Joe 1-5, C Hawkins 1-2. Pittsburgh-West 21-130, D Schulters 6-50, Schneider 2-4, Barlow 1-minus 1, Gonzalez 10-minus 5.
PASSING: Virginia Tech-Clark 22-32-0-183. Pittsburgh-Gonzalez 15-24-0-314, Barlow 0-1-1-0.
RECEIVING: Virginia Tech-Gildersleeve 7-73, Parker 7-54, Oxendine 4-24, Stuewe 3-26, C Hawkins 1-6. Pittsburgh-T Murphy 4-97, Molinaro 3-82, Hoffart 3-26, Barlow 2-60, J Williams 2-40, Joseph 1-9.
Att: 30,144
GAME RECAPPete Gonzalez threw four touchdown passes as Pittsburgh scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to keep its postseason hopes alive with a 30-23 upset of 15th-ranked Virginia Tech in a Big East Conference game.
The loss for Virginia Tech (7-2, 5-2 Big East) dropped them out of a first-place tie with Syracuse atop the league. The Hokies, who are shooting for their third straight Alliance Bowl bid, close their season next week at arch rival Virginia.
The Panthers (5-5, 3-3) will go to the Liberty Bowl as the fourth-place finisher in the conference if they can beat West Virginia next week and Syracuse wins the conference with a victory over Miami of Florida.
"I really don't know what to say -- two teams came to battle," said Panthers coach Walt Harris. "You saw a team that has really worked hard to become something."
Pittsbugh entered the fourth quarter with a 15-13 lead and extended the advantage when Gonzalez connected with Juan Williams for a 35-yard scoring strike. Shayne Graham's 27-yard field goal for the Hokies brought them within 22-16.
Gonzalez completed 15-of-24 passes for 314 yards while Billy West gained 130 yards on 21 carries.
"Beating Virginia Tech was one of the biggest wins since I've been here," said West. "The team, not the individual numbers is what I'll remember most about the game today."
With just under 10 minutes remaining, the Panthers put the game away with Kevan Barlow's 56-yard TD run and Gonzalez's two-point conversion pass to Jake Hoffart.
Al Clark's two-yard run for Virginia Tech with three minutes to play provided the final margin.
"When you get a hot running back and a hot quarterback, that's all you need to win games," Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. "We didn't play good enough. We just didn't make some plays. I don't think flat is the right word. We had some chances to make good catches and first downs.
Clark completed 22-of-32 for 183 yards while also leading the Hokies in rushing with 40 yards on 10 carries.
"We both had a lot to play for and they played a little harder," said Clark. They (Pittsburgh) played well and with a lot of enthusiasm. That's what can happen when you have 16 seniors on the field throwing caution to the wind."
The Panthers played a terrific fourth quarter for the second straight week. Last Saturday, Pittsburgh scored 27 points in the final period but lost the game when Syracuse scored a touchdown with 28 seconds left.
"Our biggest change from last week's game was that our offense settled down and in," said Gonzalez. "We're looking forward to the West Virginia game -- they're a good football team, so we need to keep things in perspective."
Virginia Tech took a 6-0 lead after one quarter on field goals by Graham, from 48 and 35 yards, respectively.
Pittsburgh cut the lead in half just over three minutes into the second on a 38-yard field goal by Chris Ferencik. The Panthers went ahead nine minutes later when Gonzalez connected with Terry Murphy for an 18-yard score. Murphy caught four passes for 79 yards.
Gonzalez hooked up with Andy Molinaro on a 40-yard scoring strike midway through the third quarter for a 15-6 advantage. The Hokies set up the fourth quarter when they came within two on Anthony Midget's 22-yard fumble return for a touchdown.