Panthers face No. 3 Hokies

With its eyes set on a third straight bowl bid, Pitt travels to Blacksburg, Va., this weekend… With its eyes set on a third straight bowl bid, Pitt travels to Blacksburg, Va., this weekend to face off against the nation’s third best team, Virginia Tech.

Pitt (6-2, 3-0 Big East), which enters the game fresh off a 19-16 overtime victory over Boston College last weekend at Heinz Field, has only beaten Virginia Tech twice in nine opportunities, the most recent coming last year at Heinz Field when the Panthers were 38-7 victors over the Hokies.

Virginia Tech (8-0, 3-0) is led by the running back tandem of senior Lee Suggs and sophomore Kevin Jones.

So far this season, Suggs has rushed for 828 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jones has added 704 yards and eight touchdowns of his own, making the two the fifth and sixth rated tailbacks in the Big East conference.

Pitt head coach Walt Harris said he doesn’t see much difference between the two backs.

“I think that Lee has been in the program longer so he probably runs more north and south. Kevin breaks out in long runs. He outruns everybody,” Harris said.

The Hokies’ passing game has not been as successful as their running attack has this season.

Virginia Tech starting quarterback Bryan Randall’s 67 completions for 890 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions qualify him as the conference’s second worst rated passer, and his 101 passing attempts are the fewest by any quarterback in the Big East.

Though the Hokies are undefeated through their first eight games this year, Randall is averaging just 111.2 yards passing per contest.

However, with 351 yards and two touchdowns rushing, Randall is a threat to scramble once he gets out of the pocket.

Pitt defensive end Claude Harriott said he thinks the Panther defense can contain Randall.

“We’ve faced a lot of athletic quarterbacks this year,” Harriott said. “He’s just another quarterback on that list.”

Junior Ernest Wilford and senior Shawn Witten, both wide receivers, are the only Virginia Tech players with more than 10 catches this season.

Wilford has caught 19 passes for 357 yards and two touchdowns and Witten has 11 receptions good for 152 yards, but has yet to find the end zone.

Virginia Tech, which boasts the country’s best rushing defense, has allowed only 326 yards and three touchdowns on the ground all season.

Pitt, which averages 127 team rushing yards per game, fields the conference’s second worst ground attack.

This season, Pitt’s offense has been sustained by its thriving passing attack.

Junior quarterback Rod Rutherford, who completed 20 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown last week, will be challenged by a Virginia Tech secondary that has amassed 13 interceptions despite yielding more than 226 yards per game in the air. The Panthers will have to do their best to contain Suggs and Jones.

“The best spot for Kevin [Jones] and Lee Suggs is over on the bench talking to [Virginia Tech head] coach [Frank] Beamer,” Harris said.

Besides continuing to run an efficient passing game and involve wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Lamar Slade and tight end Kris Wilson, Pitt must find ways to finish off its offensive drives.

“If you don’t score touchdowns against Virginia Tech, you’re going to have a long afternoon,” Harris said.