Football: Panthers overcome the elements to defeat Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Kevin Harper hasn’t performed to the best of his ability this year.

Coming into Saturday’s game, the senior kicker had made 6-of-11 field goal attempts on the season.

But on Saturday, with the rain coming down in all directions and the wind at full force — hardly ideal conditions for his craft — Harper did his job for the Pitt football team, making two crucial early field goals as the Panthers (3-4, 0-3 Big East) won a dull, lethargic affair against the University at Buffalo (1-6, 0-3 MAC), 20-6.

What was probably the evening’s most entertaining moment didn’t even come from the players.

Hoping to add some excitement to a game completely devoid of it, a pair of fans ran onto the field midway through the third quarter, forcing stadium security and the police into action and one of them evaded capture for several minutes.

But both before and after the momentary drama, the Panthers — like Harper — simply did what was asked of them, slogging out a victory to end their two-game losing streak.

While Harper’s importance to the team might often get overlooked because of his position, head coach Paul Chryst said earlier this week that Harper always has the potential to carry the team with his performance and that, despite his up-and-down play this year, the coach still has confidence in him.

“I told the guys, ‘There is going to come a time where we’re going to need Kevin, and he’s going to deliver for us,’” Chryst said. “No one wants to do better and make every field goal like Kevin, and as long as he keeps working on it and going, then that’s all you can really ask of him.”

Harper helped Pitt get out to an early lead in Saturday’s victory, scoring the first six points of the game with field goals of 45 and 22 yards.

With the early lead, Pitt’s defense harassed the Bulls, achieving its lowest points-allowed total this year. And touchdowns by running backs Rushel Shell and Ray Graham capped the scoring as the Panthers earned their third victory of the season.

Redshirt junior linebacker Dan Mason, who continues to work his way back from a broken leg suffered two years ago, started his first game since the injury and compiled 11 tackles to tie his career high.

“This is what I’ve been working for,” Mason said. “I had a hell of a time.”

But for a team that has lacked consistency itself, having a kicker regain his mojo can’t hurt.

“We needed that and he delivered,” Chryst said of Harper after the game. “Now we’ve got to build on that. He’s got to take that momentum [and] hopefully go forward with it.”

Before Saturday’s contest, Harper had missed a field goal in each of the last four games. And while the Panthers didn’t need to lean on him this week, when they restart Big East play against Temple next Saturday, Harper’s performance could be crucial.

Despite the inclement conditions, the kicker said his process didn’t change.

“You kind of just get through your mind that it’s all the same — still same size goal posts, same ball, same thing you were doing since you were young,” he said. “You really can’t think about it. You’ve just got to go through your same routine as always.”

Harper also made a connection between his own struggles and those of the team in that criticism from outside has forced them to self-motivate.

“When your stats aren’t that good and people are kind of getting on you, you kind of just get your confidence from within,” he said. “[And] I think that’s true with our team as well, not having the best record.”