Pitt defense fell apart against Irish last year

Notre Dame running back Julius Jones rushed for a school-record 262 yards and two touchdowns… Notre Dame running back Julius Jones rushed for a school-record 262 yards and two touchdowns Oct. 11 of last year as Notre Dame beat the Panthers at Heinz Field, 20-14. A sellout crowd of more than 66,000 watched the Irish rush for more than 350 yards and control the time of possession.

Pitt had the ball once in the fourth quarter, but only drove 17 yards and punted to Notre Dame. The Irish began their drive on their own 12-yard line and never gave the ball back to Pitt. With 9:41 remaining on the clock, the Irish ran a 16-play drive that ended with the expiration of the game clock.

In the game, Jones carried the ball 24 times and Ryan Grant rushed 27 times for 84 yards as the Irish handed the Panthers their second loss of the 2003 season. Freshman quarterback Brady Quinn struggled all night long, completing just five of 17 passes for only 33 yards and an interception.

Likewise, Panther quarterback Rod Rutherford never found his rhythm, connecting on just 12 of his 30 passing attempts for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Rutherford was on the run all night long and was sacked nine times. His touchdowns were to Larry Fitzgerald, who caught five balls for 79 yards and the two scores.

On the opening possession of the game, the Panthers forced the Irish to punt, but William Ferguson muffed the punt and the Irish recovered at the Panthers’ 34-yard line. Three plays later, Jones scampered 25 yards for his first touchdown of the night, giving the Irish a 7-0 lead.

The Panthers answered on the last play of the first quarter when Rutherford found Fitzgerald for a 23-yard strike to even the score. Rutherford and Fitzgerald hooked up again the in the second quarter for a four-yard touchdown, but that lead would be their last of the evening.

The Irish scored the last 13 points of the game off a 49-yard touchdown run by Jones and two D.J. Fitzpatrick field goals.

The Panthers were forced to punt nine times and managed just eight rushing yards on 27 carries.