Pitt comes back behind McCoy

Pitt needed a historic day from sophomore running back LeSean McCoy to take the 101st Backyard… Pitt needed a historic day from sophomore running back LeSean McCoy to take the 101st Backyard Brawl. McCoy ran for 183 yards, a career-high, and two touchdowns to lead the Panthers (8-3, 4-2 Big East) from eight points down with just over eight minutes left in the game to a 19-15 victory over West Virginia at Heinz Field. McCoy ran for a 1-yard touchdown, his second of the day, with 52 seconds left to complete the comeback. On the winning drive, McCoy ran nine out of a possible 10 plays, totaling 55 yards. McCoy now has 1,308 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns on the season. His 35 total touchdowns breaks Larry Fitzgerald’s record for most scores by a freshman and sophomore. West Virginia drove down the field in the last minute, but the drive ended when Pat White threw incomplete to Wes Lyons past the end zone as time ran out. Pitt quarterback Bill Stull was 12-of-23 for 156 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. White ran for 93 yards and a touchdown, and added 143 yards through the air. Running back Noel Devine ran for only 17 yards on 12 carries. Pitt scored on its opening drive for the second straight game, when Stull found senior Derek Kinder for a 30-yard touchdown. However, just like last week’s loss to Cincinnati, the Panthers did not score again until the fourth quarter. Pitt’s defense held White, college football’s all-time leading rusher as a quarterback, in check until midway through the third quarter. Down 7-6, White used his athleticism to break a 54-yard touchdown run with 6:05 left in the third quarter to give West Virginia a 12-7 lead. The snap on the extra point was bobbled. Pat McAfee connected on a 40-yard field goal, his third of the game, to give the Mountaineers a 15-7 advantage with 11:53 remaining in the contest. Jovani Chappel intercepted a White pass after Pitt was forced to punt, and McCoy ran for a 5-yard score two plays later. Pitt went for two to tie the game, but a Jason Pinkston false start penalty pushed the Panthers back five yards. A quarterback draw failed, and Pitt remained down, 15-13. The Pitt defense held again on the next drive, leading up to the winning possession. Pitt plays Connecticut next Saturday in a game that determines Pitt’s bowl slot. A chance remains that the Panthers could play in a New Year’s Day bowl, the Gator Bowl. More details in Monday’s The Pitt News ‘