Football: Pitt picks up first road win

The Pitt football team picked up its first road win of the season with a 21-14 victory over… The Pitt football team kept its bowl hopes alive on Saturday, defeating Louisville 21-14 for its first road win of the season.

The Panthers (5-5, 3-2 Big East) fell to Iowa and Rutgers in their previous two road games, but head coach Todd Graham said the team’s discipline against Louisville (5-5, 3-2 Big East) — which resulted in zero penalties and just one turnover from the Panthers — helped propel Pitt to victory.

“We had zero penalties today,” Graham said. “That was the first thing I told the players when we came in… I thought we did a good job of taking care of the football.”

The Panthers need to win their final two games against West Virginia and Syracuse in order to guarantee a trip to a bowl game. Though Pitt will qualify for a bowl game with just one more win, every team that is over .500 must be selected before any that has broken even.

Pitt and Louisville join West Virginia, Rutgers and Connecticut in having two losses in Big East play. Cincinnati leads the way with one conference loss.

The Panthers avoided what could have been their fourth blown double-digit lead of the season in picking up their fourth consecutive win over the Cardinals.

Pitt gave up late leads to Iowa, Utah and Cincinnati and almost added to the list when Louisville took advantage of good field position following a 7-yard punt that cut Pitt’s lead to 14-7 late in the third quarter.

But the Panthers defense got two crucial stops to protect the lead before quarterback Tino Sunseri scored on a 4-yard rush with less than five minutes remaining to put Pitt farther ahead.

The Panthers received the opening kickoff and their offense immediately went to work.

Sunseri and running backs Isaac Bennett and Zach Brown combined to march Pitt down the field on a 12-play, 80-yard drive during which the Panthers gained yardage on every snap. Bennett’s 1-yard touchdown run —  the first score of his career — gave Pitt an early 7-0 lead.

A defensive stalemate ensued and lasted the remainder of the half.

Pitt redshirt sophomore linebacker Carl Fleming recorded the first interception of his career to end Louisville’s first drive. The two teams then traded a total of six punts before the break.

Senior cornerback Antwuan Reed said the Pitt defense has been focused on getting interceptions in practice.

“The defense is picking up,” he said in a post-game press conference. “The coaches and players are putting more emphasis on catching the ball more and doing more ball drills. We just keep attacking the ball.”

Much like in the first half, Pitt’s opening drive after the break resulted in a touchdown.

Sunseri found redshirt junior receiver Mike Shanahan in the end zone for the fourth time this season to give Pitt a 14-0 lead.

Coach Graham praised his receivers after the game.

“Devin Street has been stellar. He’s just been awesome,” he said. “Shanahan got some tough yards and made a big touchdown catch as well.”

Punter Matt Yoklic’s 7-yard punt led to Louisville cutting the deficit in half, but it was another Yoklic punt midway through the fourth quarter that set up Pitt’s third touchdown.

The redshirt sophomore’s high kick with the wind was muffed by Cardinals’ returner Eli Rogers, and Pitt’s Drew Carswell reacted quickly and recovered the fumble at the Louisville 33-yard line.

Five plays later, Sunseri called his own number and scored on a draw to restore Pitt’s 14-point lead. Graham said Sunseri called the play.

Sunseri finished 16 for 22 for 196 yards and a touchdown passing. He also added 31 yards and a score rushing the ball.

Louisville’s freshman quarterback Teddy Bridgewater completed the scoring with a late 25-yard touchdown to Scott Radcliff, and the Cardinals recovered an onside kick with nine seconds left to make things interesting.

But it was too little, too late for Louisville, whose three-game win streak ended as the Pitt defense held on.

“We just keep getting better and better,” sophomore defensive end Aaron Donald said in a post-game press conference. “

The Panthers get a week off before they head on the road again for the Backyard Brawl at West Virginia on Friday, Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving.

“This win helps us and keeps our hopes alive of being conference champions going into our biggest game of the year, the Backyard Brawl with West Virginia,” Graham said.