Pitt uses strong second half to top Duke on road, 31-13

Pat Narduzzi keeps making adjustments. As he has done consistently this season, the coach made halftime corrections to Pitt’s strategy, enabling his players to dominate the second half.

Pitt continued that trend Saturday at Duke, using a 21-3 second half advantage to win the game 31-13 and advance its record to 7-3 and 5-1 in the ACC.

Part of that late success came from clean play from quarterback Nathan Peterman and opportunistic defense. The redshirt junior quarterback completed 13-23 passes for 180 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers. On the defensive end, safety Jordan Whitehead recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter with Pitt already holding a sound lead. The visiting Panthers also recovered a fumble on a muffed punt minutes later.

Pitt started off the scoring when quarterback Peterman found Zach Challingsworth for a 13-yard touchdown pass. That play capped off a 13-play, 92-yard drive midway through the first quarter.

Duke needed only three minutes to respond, when backup quarterback Parker Boehme ran in a one-yard score. Boehme drew the start as Duke quarterback Thomas Sirk did not play due to injury.

The teams traded second-quarter field goals, with Pitt’s coming with less than a minute remaining in the half to make the score 10-10 at intermission.

From there, Pitt dominated ball control and the score for the rest of the game.

Peterman completed two more touchdown passes in the third quarter to tight end J.P. Holtz and receiver Dontez Ford to extend Pitt’s lead.

In the fourth quarter, running back Qadree Ollison punched in a one-yard score after a Whitehead rush. Ollison finished the game with 26 carries for 111 yards and the touchdown.

Junior Tyler Boyd did not catch a touchdown pass, but he got plenty of touches through the air and on the ground. He had eight carries for 79 yards and three catches for 38 yards.

Pitt returns home next week next Saturday against Louisville at 3:30 p.m.