The storyline never seems to change much for the Pitt Panthers.
Pitt (4-5, 2-3 ACC) missed a golden opportunity to win the game in regulation when kicker Chris Blewitt missed a 26-yard field goal and instead sent the game to overtime. Duke backup quarterback Thomas Sirk scored his second touchdown of the day in overtime to give the Blue Devils (7-1, 3-1 ACC) a 51-48 victory at Heinz Field.
Defense was definitely optional in the first half as both teams traded punch for punch on the way to a combined 56 points of scoring. After the Pitt offense stalled on the first drive of the game, Anthony Boone found Jamison Crowder from 39 yards out to open the scoring.
Pitt’s running game answered with strong running by James Conner on the next drive and ended with Conner taking a one yard dive into the end zone to tie it at 7.
Later with the game tied at 14, Pitt would finally stop the Duke offense and went back on the offensive with a 48 yard pass from Chad Voytik to Tyler Boyd in double coverage and then Voytik found J.P. Holtz for an 11 yard touchdown pass with plenty of had fought yards after the catch.
Boone and Crowder didn’t take long to find each other again and it was another long scoring play of 45 yards to tie the game again at 21.
Voytik found Holtz again on the ensuing drive to retake the lead at 28-21 and Pitt’s defense looked like it might hold Duke out of the end zone but Sirk scored on a one yard plunge to tie the game at 28 as the first half expired.
Scoring was definitely more of a premium in the second half with both teams scoring ten points. Duke’s only touchdown came on a 99-yard kickoff return by DeVon Edwards. James Conner would answer with a one yard plunge to tie the game back at 38.
It was the opportunity for three more at the end of regulation that will have Pitt fans wishing for better.
Pitt running back James Conner established a career high in rushing with 263 yards and had three touchdowns. Chad Voytik was 16 of 24 for 236 yards passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 58 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Tyler Boyd had seven receptions for 140 yards in the defeat.
Duke’s Anthony Boone finished his day completing 23 of 31 passes for 266 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Jamison Crowder had nine receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
Paul Chryst expressed confidence in Blewitt after the game, despite the missed field goal, “I’ve got a lot of confidence in him. There’s not one player on that field that played a perfect game, on both sides. I have a ton of faith in him and we’re going to need him again.”
Pitt will take the bye week to make adjustments before hitting the road to take on North Carolina on November 15th.
Photo Courtesy of Charles LeClaire – USA Today Sports
