Football: Cincinnati dominates putrid Panthers

The Pitt football team fell behind early and never recovered, as it fell victim to another…The Pitt football team fell behind early and never recovered, as it fell victim to another lopsided defeat on Thursday night.

Hoping to improve after last Saturday’s shocking loss to Youngstown State, the Panthers (0-2, 0-1 Big East) struggled from beginning to end in their Big East conference opener at Cincinnati, ultimately falling to the Bearcats, 34-10.

A slow start and several missed opportunities to get back in the game doomed Pitt during new head coach Paul Chryst’s second game in charge, and these early indications show it might be a long campaign for the new leader of the Pitt football program.

In front of a raucous crowd at Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium, the Panthers found themselves down by two touchdowns less than five minutes into the game.

The Bearcats (1-0, 1-0 Big East) scored with their first offensive play when running back George Winn ran untouched for 58 yards and an easy score.

And after Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri fumbled the ball shortly thereafter, Cincinnati easily marched back into the Panthers’ end zone. A 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Munchie Legaux to wide receiver Ralph Abernathy capped the four-play, 38-yard drive.

Pitt regained its composure and should have scored twice in the second quarter, but Sunseri squandered both of the Panthers’ red zone opportunities by throwing an interception to end one drive and letting the clock run out on another.

After the break, Pitt mounted another drive, but once again the Panthers offense stalled, leading to a Kevin Harper field goal.

Any possibility that Pitt would gain momentum from getting points on the board was instantly dashed, as the Bearcats responded with a two-play touchdown drive that essentially ended the game as a contest.

Legaux, who torched the Pitt defense with his arm and his feet all night, then led a 99-yard scoring drive to confirm Cincinnati’s dominance. He finished with 205 yards passing, 117 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Meanwhile, despite a promising performance from senior rusher Ray Graham, the Panthers offense never truly threatened to get Pitt back into the game.

Graham finished with 103 yards on 19 carries, while freshman running back Rushel Shell made his collegiate debut by rushing for 31 yards on eight carries.

But Sunseri brought back bad memories of last season as he repeatedly failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities by taking sacks and making poor decisions — although his offensive line did him no favors.

Sunseri ended the defeat 24-for-37 passing, with 278 yards and a single touchdown — a completed pass to tight end Drew Carswell in the game’s final minute.

Pitt finished just 2-for-4 in the red zone.

The Panthers’ next game won’t be any easier, as Pitt hosts No. 15-ranked Virginia Tech next Saturday at Heinz Field in a preview of what life will be like in the ACC for Coach Chryst’s squad.