Pitt loss comes after many opportunities

MIAMI – After 18 minutes and 32 seconds of football, the Panthers held a 14-7 lead against the… MIAMI – After 18 minutes and 32 seconds of football, the Panthers held a 14-7 lead against the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes.

Pitt held the ball for twice as long as the Hurricanes and running back Brandon Miree was outrushing Heisman Trophy candidate Willis McGahee, 62 yards to 56.

But on the Hurricanes first play after Rod Rutherford’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Roosevelt Bynes, McGahee showed Pitt why he’s a Heisman candidate.

After taking the handoff from Ken Dorsey, McGahee headed to the left side of the field. Seeing that end sealed off, McGahee slipped one tackle and cut back to the right, sprinting 69 yards untouched for the Miami touchdown.

“[The Panthers] were doing a lot of pinching and pursuing to the ball,” McGahee said. “They weren’t worried about the back side. I got up behind my [offensive] line, cut it back a bit, saw a crease and took it from there.”

“Willis is a very physical back and just keeps coming at you,” Miami head coach Larry Coker said. “He is in some great company as an all-time [Miami] running back.”

“It was huge,” Pitt head coach Walt Harris said about the touchdown run. “We had them cornered and they found some daylight. [McGahee] is a tremendous football player.”

But Miami wasn’t done.

On the Hurricanes’ first drive of the second half, Dorsey found Roscoe Parrish down the middle of the field for a 19-yard gain.

After McGahee ran 13 yards for another first down, Dorsey found Kellen Winslow Jr. for a 9-yard gain.

Facing second-and-one from Pitt’s 30, Dorsey dropped back and fired a pass deep toward the right side of the end zone.

Shawn Robinson appeared to be in position to make the play, but Miami wide receiver Andre Johnson was able to haul in the pass for the touchdown, giving Miami a 21-14 lead.

With just 1:42 gone in the third quarter, the Hurricanes had taken the lead for good.

“Our football team played hard, but we didn’t do enough things right,” Harris said. “We gave them a championship type effort and we were very close to getting it done.”

Pitt wasn’t without its chance.

On their next drive, the Panthers were able to march back down the field behind the running of Rutherford, Miree and Lousaka Polite.

Rutherford ran for 22 yards on the drive, including 12 yards on third-and-seven from Miami’s 32.

But two plays later, Rutherford started to scramble and was hit hard by D.J. Williams. The ball popped free and Maurice Sikes fell on it at the Miami 8-yard line.

“There are no excuses,” Rutherford said when asked if the rain had anything to do with the fumble. “It was just a fumble.”

As the fourth quarter wound down, Pitt had one more shot.

With 2:12 left and no timeouts, Rutherford finally found a way to use Pitt’s passing game to move the ball.

Through three quarters, the Panthers had passed for just 55 yards and after a sack and an incompletion, it looked as if Pitt wouldn’t be able to get anymore.

But on third down, Rutherford found Larry Fitzgerald over the middle for 12 yards and a first down. With the clock ticking, Rutherford found Fitzgerald again for another 12-yard gain and a first down to Miami’s 35.

Rutherford would complete just one more pass, a 5-yard slant to Yogi Roth on third down that was short of the first down. On fourth down, Rutherford overthrew Roth in the end zone and Pitt turned the ball over on downs.

“There was only one spot to put it,” Rutherford said. “I was just trying to give him a chance to make the catch.”

For the game, Rutherford completed 17 of 38 for 150 yards and two touchdowns. He also chipped in 69 yards rushing, as the Panthers amassed 193 yards on the ground. Miree led Pitt with 118 yards on the ground, his second 100-yard game of the season.

“We’re not into moral victories,” Harris said. “We were close, but didn’t get over the hump.”