University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Football Rolls Past Syracuse, 34-14
10/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Football Rolls Past Syracuse, 34-14
10/25/2003
Larry Fitzgerald tied an NCAA record with a touchdown reception in his 13th consecutive game as the Panthers defeated the Syracuse Orangemen, 34-14, in front of 61,421 at Heinz Field on Saturday afternoon.
It was a rough start for Pittsburgh, however, as punter Andy Lee fumbled a snap early in the first quarter. Steve Gregory scooped up the ball for Syracuse and ran seven yards into the end zone to give the Orangemen an early 7-0 lead.
The Panthers responded quickly, tying the game at 7-7 on a three-yard, record-tying touchdown reception by Fitzgerald. He is now tied with Charles Rogers of Michigan State for the NCAA record. On the drive, Fitzgerald had three catches for 51 yards. Fitzgerald?s touchdown was also his 14th of the season, breaking the Big East record for receiving touchdowns in one season.
Syracuse struck right back on an R.J. Anderson two-yard touchdown run, giving Syracuse a 14-7 lead. But the Panthers tied the game once again, scoring on the first play of the second quarter when Rod Rutherford hit Kris Wilson in the end zone for a19-yard touchdown pass.
Later in the second quarter, Pittsburgh made up for their mistake on special teams in the first quarter when Anderson?s pitch on an option to Walter Reyes was fumbled. Bernard ?Josh? Lay picked up the ball from the grass and ran 20 yards into the end zone to give the Panthers a 21-14 lead, which they would take into halftime.
The second half saw much of the same for the Pittsburgh offense. Early in the third quarter, Rutherford completed a pass to Fitzgerald to put Rutherford over 5,000 career passing yards. He ranks fourth on Pittsburgh?s all-time passing list with 5,074 career passing yards and finished the game with 310 yards on 21-of-32 passing and three touchdowns.
Later in the quarter, Rutherford found Fitzgerald again in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown pass. Fitzgerald?s second touchdown of the game gave the Panthers a 28-14 lead. Fitzgerald finished the day with eight catches for 149 yards, his 10th career 100-yard receiving game. In the fourth quarter, Fitzgerald pulled in a 31-yard catch, giving the sophomore wideout 2,000 for his career. He became the first player in Pittsburgh and Big East history to record two 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Fitzgerald had 1,005 yards last year and with his 149 yards against the Orangemen, Fitzgerald now has 1,018 yards receiving this season.
In the second half, the defense took over for Pittsburgh. For the first time this season, a defensive player intercepted a pass from Anderson when Shawntae Spencer pulled down his second interception of the season. Later in the game, Corey Humphries recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter. The Panthers defense held the Orangemen scoreless in the second half and prevented them from converting on all but three third downs.
David Abdul added two field goals of 30 and 43-yards to polish off Pittsburgh?s victory.
Pittsburgh (5-2, 2-0) will take on Boston College (5-3, 1-2) next Saturday at Alumni Field in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
PITTSBURGH vs. SYRACUSE GAME NOTES
October 25, 2003
QB Rod Rutherford
Completed 9-of-9 passes for 146 yards and one touchdown in the first quarter.
Rutherford completed his first 12 passes of the game for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
Rutherford?s third-quarter INT was just his fourth of the season.
With his 310 passing yards today, Rutherford now has 5,074 for his career. He is one of four Pittsburgh quarterbacks to throw for at least 5,000 yards in a career (Alex Van Pelt, Dan Marino, John Congemi)
In 20 career starts, Rutherford has thrown for at least two touchdown passes in 15 of those games.
Rod Rutherford has thrown for at least three touchdown passes in eight career games, including six this year. This is also his third 300-yard passing game of the season and fifth of his career.
WR Larry Fitzgerald
With his three-yard TD reception in the first quarter, Larry Fitzgerald tied the NCAA record of 13 consecutive games with a touchdown reception, set by Michigan State?s Charles Rogers (2002).
His first TD catch established a new Big East record, replacing the previous mark of 13 set by Pittsburgh?s Terry Murphy in 1997.
With his 17-yard reception in the second quarter, Larry Fitzgerald has 10 100-yard receiving games as a Pittsburgh Panther. That ties the Big East mark set by Virginia Tech?s Andre Davis (2001).
His second TD catch gave him his ninth career game with at least two touchdown receptions, including six games this season.
Fitzgerald finished with eight catches for 149 yards. His 149 yards give him 1,018 receiving yards for the season, already the fourth-best single-season total in school history. He eclipses his 1,005 total receiving yards from last year.
Of the five individual 1,000 yard receiving seasons at Pittsburgh, four of them have been in the Walt Harris era (Antonio Bryant ? 2000, Latef Grim ? 1999, Larry Fitzgerald ? 2002, 2003)
Fitzgerald also becomes the first receiver in Big East history with two 1,000 yard receiving seasons.
In just two seasons, Fitzgerald has scored a total of 162 points, 11th most on Pittsburgh?s all-time list.
Fitzgerald caught four passes for 86 yards and one touchdown in the first quarter.
DEFENSE
Sam Bryant made his first start of the year on defense.
Bernard ?Josh? Lay?s fumble return for a touchdown was the first of his career and Pittsburgh?s first recovery of a fumble for a TD since Claude Harriott had an 11-yard fumble return for a score against Temple on 11/9/02.
Shawntae Spencer?s second-quarter interception was his second of the year and eighth of his career; Syracuse QB R.J. Anderson?s first thrown of the year, ending a streak of 178 passes thrown without an interception, a Syracuse record.
Corey Humphries fourth-quarter interception was the first of his career.
The Pittsburgh defense held Syracuse to 49 yards passing, the third game this season the defense has held the opponent to under 100 yards passing.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Adam Graessle had 4-of-7 kickoffs downed in the end zone
Andy Lee had three punts of 50+ yards (51, 55, 57) and four downed inside the 20.
H.B. Blades? blocked punt in the second quarter was the first of his career and the Panthers? second this season (Sam Bryant vs. Kent 9/6/03)
MISCELLANEOUS
Pittsburgh wins its second consecutive game over Syracuse for the first time since consecutive wins in 1982 (Oct. 23; 14-0) and 1983 (Oct. 29; 13-10).
It also marks Pittsburgh?s first home win over Syracuse since a 30-23 win on Sept. 23, 1989.
Pittsburgh narrows the overall series lead to 29-27-3 in favor of Syracuse, and is 16-11 against the Orangemen at home.
Pittsburgh is 23-10-1 in homecoming games since 1970.
Pittsburgh has won 20 of its last 25 games (.800) and 11 of its last 13 Big East games.
Syracuse was 3-of-14 on third downs while Pittsburgh was 8of-18 on third downs
Pittsburgh was 4-4 in the red zone (3TD, FG)
Steve Gregory?s (SU) return of a fumble for a TD in the first quarter was the first fumble recovery for a TD against Pittsburgh since October of 2000 (Wes Lysack, Rutgers)
Pittsburgh has now scored 30+ points in six games this year, the second time they have done so under Walt Harris. The Panthers also had six 30+ point games in 2000. They had five games with 30+ points scored in 1997, 1999 and 2001.
