Pitt blasts Syracuse
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) – For once, Pitt coach Walt Harris doesn’t have to worry about what to say on the Monday after the Syracuse game. After falling behind 3-0 on Saturday, the Panthers recovered four fumbles, reeled off 48 straight points, and beat the hapless Orangemen 48-24.
It was the fourth straight win for Pitt (5-1, 2-0 Big East), its first victory in the Carrier Dome in 20 years, and snapped an 11-game losing streak against the Orangemen. The Panthers had not beaten Syracuse since a 30-23 victory in 1989. The teams tied the next year, and Syracuse won the next 11 games by an average of 19 points.
“We exorcised a lot of demons up here that we’ve had for a long time,” said Pitt coach Walt Harris, who received a game ball from his athletic director. “It’s something special for us. We’ve played them tough, but we’ve always found a way to lose. This was the only Big East team that we hadn’t beaten in my six years.”
The defeat for Syracuse (1-4, 0-1) was one of the most humbling in Paul Pasqualoni’s 12 years as head coach. When the Orangemen left the field at halftime, they were trailing 24-3 and had managed only three first downs. And their running attack, which entered the game averaging just over 200 yards a game, had gained 3 yards on 12 carries.
“There were a couple of things that happened that got us back on our heels,” said Pasqualoni, who was concerned about Monday as he faces the prospect of his first losing season. “Defensively, we were back on our heels. We were off-balance and never really got any momentum going.”
Pitt gained all the momentum after Collin Barber’s 28-yard field goal gave Syracuse a 3-0 lead early.
Pitt entered the game with a defense ranked among the top 30 teams in eight defensive categories. Facing an offense that had to consider a first down an accomplishment on this day, the game proved no contest.
“This week of preparation was probably one of the best,” Pitt defensive end Brian Guzek said. “It was a game we all wanted to have. I couldn’t sleep last night. This defense is the closest I’ve felt as a unit on the field.”
Pitt quarterback Rod Rutherford and freshman wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald quickly gave the Orangemen a hint it would be a long afternoon. On the Panthers’ second possession of the game, Rutherford hit Fitzgerald with passes of 36, 12 and 27 yards, the last for the touchdown that gave Pitt the lead for good midway through the first quarter.
“They were challenging us to throw the ball. They made us throw it,” said a smiling Rutherford, who was 10-for-15 for 279 yards, a gaudy average of nearly 28 yards per completion. “It’s a good feeling. We’ve just got to keep it going.”
Syracuse averted another touchdown on Pitt’s next possession when Ryan LaCasse recovered a fumble by Rutherford at the Syracuse 19, but that only delayed the onslaught.
Brandon Miree scored on two short runs, and David Abdul kicked a 23-yard field goal before halftime.
“I think we were prepared,” said Syracuse quarterback R.J. Anderson, who was 3-for-10 for 11 yards passing before hurting his shoulder late in the first half and giving way to Troy Nunes. “Pittsburgh got on top and confidence was going for them. Then the snowball effect happened and the next thing you know it’s out of hand.”
It was a huge snowball. When Abdul kicked a 19-yard field goal to give the Panthers a 41-3 lead midway through the third quarter, the Panthers had outgained Syracuse 341-13.
“We were struggling to get the ball past the 50,” said Nunes, who failed to rally the Orangemen. “It seemed like every time they wanted to, they just punched it in there. And every time we wanted to, we couldn’t do anything. After four quarters, they drained us.”
Even though the Panthers fell behind early, the ineptness of the Syracuse offense already had surfaced.
Rutherford’s first pass of the game was deflected by Syracuse linebacker Clifton Smith and defensive end Josh Thomas made a terrific diving interception to give the Orangemen the ball at the Pitt 14. Three plays and one timeout later, Syracuse was facing a fourth-and-7 and had to go for the field goal.
“I’m happy it’s over,” Pitt cornerback Torrie Cox said. “We finally came in here and got it done. We love our defense. We flew around to the ball, even when they changed quarterbacks.”
Even Nunes, who had thrown six TD passes in the previous three Syracuse victories over the Panthers, had no magic on this day.
After Lousaka Polite’s 34-yard touchdown run up the middle put the Panthers ahead 31-3 early in the third, Nunes caught his own deflected pass, then fumbled. Pitt linebacker Lewis Moore scooped up the ball at the Syracuse 2 and scored easily for a 38-3 lead.
Rutherford, rarely pressured by the Syracuse rush, quickly took advantage of a fumble at the Pitt 22 late in the period by Syracuse tight end Joe Donnelly, hitting Roosevelt Bynes with an 82-yard TD pass over the middle on the second play from scrimmage to make it 48-3.
Syracuse wide receiver Johnnie Morant, a 6-foot-5 junior, missed his third straight game for violating team rules. The Orangemen could have used him. Syracuse allowed the most points ever in a game in the Carrier Dome, breaking the old mark of 47 set by Illinois in 1982.