Pitt Can't Complete Rally, Falls to Tennessee, 34-27
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PITTSBURGH -- For the first time since 2020, two ranked teams clashed on the turf at Acrisure Stadium. The Pitt Panthers and Tennessee Volunteers played a marathon thriller that took four hours and five minutes to complete and was worth every second.
Tennessee got the ball first and their first two drives were almost fruitless. They produced two yards on six plays and went three and out twice.
Pitt, meanwhile, was able to march efficiently down the field from the starting gun. With their own opening possession, four consecutive Kedon Slovis completions got them inside the redzone and they eventually stalled, but did come away with three points on a Ben Sauls field goal
Their second drive didn't take long but went a long way. Israel Abanikanda took the first play of the possession 76 yards for a touchdown through the heart of the Tennessee defense to make it 10-0, Pitt.
The Panthers came up with another stop on the ensuing possession. They got the Volunteers to fourth down and an outstanding pass break up by A.J. Woods gave Pitt the ball back.
Pitt then spoiled a redzone chance as Slovis through his first interception of the season. He was looking for Bub Means on a rollout, and hit him in the hands, but Means couldn't corral it. Trevon Flowers caught the ball off the carrom, tip-toed in the back of the endzone to complete the pick-off.
Tennessee then found their stride, driving 80 yards on 11 plays to score their first touchdown of the game. Hooker threw for 64 yards and ran for eight on that possession, which was capped by a one-yard scoring rush by Jabari Small.
The Volunteers were playing with extra energy after punching in their first score, but Gavin Bartholomew snatched momentum right back for Pitt. He turned a big gain moving up the sideline into a 57-yard touchdown reception after he hurdled a Tennessee defender. The Panthers took a 17-7 lead four plays into the second quarter.
But Tennessee wasted no time taking their first lead of the game. The Volunteers scored twice in the second quarter, once on a 32-yard reception from Bru McCoy, who Pat Narduzzi thought had stepped out of bounds on his own. He called for a review that the Panthers lost.
They added another touchdown five minutes later. Tillman burned Devonshire for a 61-yard gain down that put the Volunteers on the doorstep and Small punched in his second one-yard score of the afternoon on the next play. In a flash, Pitt went from up 10 to down 21-17 with just under five minutes left in the half.
A quick and pointless possession for Pitt gave Tennessee the ball back with less than two minutes left in the first half, but the Volunteers were still a threat to score. Two massive tackles for loss from Calijah Kancey and David Green forced a punt, but the Panthers gave the ball right back.
On the very next play, Tyler Baron came unblocked to rock Slovis and force a fumble. Omari Thomas jumped on the loose ball and the Volunteers converted on a 37-yard field goal to make it 24-17 entering halftime.
That sack also knocked Slovis from the game. he did not return after suffering an undisclosed injury.
Nick Patti took over and his first two drives were both excruciating and unsuccessful. His throws were off target frequently and, even when Abanikanda's legs could get them moving on the second possession of the half, Sauls missed a close-range field goal.
The defense continued to give the offense every chance to score, but they failed to convert. They stalled in the red zone and Sauls missed a second field goal from inside of 40 yards after P.J. O'Brien blocked a punt.
Tylar Wiltz forced a fumble to halt the Volunteers on their next possession and Abanikanda once again carried his team into the red zone with some tough running, the Patti-led offense stalled again. Sauls converted a field goal for the first time in three attempts despite it being
Tennessee then ran a methodical, 15-play drive that ended in a field goal of their own and made it 27-20 with 8:57 left to play.
Another three-and-out from Pitt drew groans from the home fans but a muffed punt then recovery by the Panthers breathed new life into the drive. Pitt took over at the Tennessee 39 yard line. It took 11 plays and some gutsy throws from a hobbled Patti to bring them to fourth and goal from the four yard line.
With the game on the line and pressure bearing down on him, Patti found Jared Wayne in the back of the end zone for a game-tying touchdown. Sauls' extra point was perfect and Tennessee's ensuing drive ended with a three-and-out.
Pitt knelt to end regulation with the game tied at 27.
The Volunteers got the ball first in overtime and scored in just four plays. Tillman beat Devonshire for an easy reception in the endzone and the Volunteers took a 34-27 lead.
Pitt ran out of gas by the time they got the ball in the extra period. They got as close as the eight yard line thanks to some more gutsy passing from Patti. But he took a 12-yard sack on third and eight and his final heave to Konata Mumpfied fell incomplete.
Tennessee, by the skin of the skin of their teeth, won 34-27.
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