Pitt Dominates GT, Secures Bowl Eligibility

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt becomes bowl eligible stopping a three-game losing streak beating Georgia Tech 34-11 at home Saturday night. Defense keyed the Panthers sixth win.

Pitt prevails, here are some key stats in the Pitt win

• Held GT to 3-18 on 3^rd down
• Held GT to 1-5 on 4^th down (conversion on final series of the game)
• GT fumbled five times, lost two
• Pitt had five sacks and 10 tackles for loss
• Pitt outgained Georgia Tech 461-238
• Freshman Damon Ferguson rushed 31 times for 185 yards and 2 TD

4^th down seal

LaVell Wright ran for 19 yards on 4^th and 2 from the Georgia Tech 24 with just over two minutes to play in the third quarter. While Pitt would settle for a 23-yard field goal by Antonio Chadha, the 8:07 taken off the clock (15 plays, 83 yards) shortened the game.

The Yellow Jackets would fumble on the very next play as the running back ran into quarterback Alberto Mendoza while he was going back to pass. It was the final play of the third quarter, recovered by Jaeden Moore and gave the Panthers the ball at the Georgia Tech 15-yard line.

Pitt failed to score on four plays from the one-yard line, but forced a Georgia Tech punt on the next series. Holden Geriner would throw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Blue Hicks on the first play as the Panthers got the ball back to make it 27-3.

Foot down

After a few sloppy penalties forced a drive into a field goal, the Panthers went 86 yards over 15 plays ending on a three-yard touchdown run by Damon Ferguson as Pitt took at 10-0 lead. The drive was kept alive by a Geriner 13-yard pass to tight end Carson Kent on 3^rd and 9 from the Pitt 15.

D drive

Keyed by a defensive stop by linebacker Alex Sanford and Jeremiah Marcelin on fourth and 1 at the Georgia Tech 39, the Pitt offense needed 6 plays to go 39 yards to get a 1-yard TD run from Wright for a 17-0 lead.

Censere Lee great

Pitt fifth-year receiver Censere Lee make a spectacular one-handed catch for 44 yards on a throw by Geriner while he was being interfered with into the Georgia Tech red zone. Pitt would turn it over into the end zone, but it doesn’t take away from a sincerely great catch.

Up Next

A bye week for the Panthers before the home finale, Friday night, November 13 against Florida State at 7p. Panthers pregame starts at 4p on 93.7 The Fan.