Pitt
University of Connecticut
Unbeaten Connecticut Downs Pitt
9/22/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 22, 2007
Coach Wannstedt's Post-Game Press Conference
Pitt vs. UConn Highlights
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Kapelewski Gallery 
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Connecticut turned three Pitt turnovers into 17 points and the Huskies remained unbeaten with a 34-14 victory on Saturday night.
Tyler Lorenzen directed two first-half touchdown drives and the Huskies (4-0, 1-0 in Big East) beat Pitt (2-2, 0-1) for the second season in a row and the third time in four seasons since joining the Big East in football. The Panthers fell behind 34-7.
Pitt's offense hasn't been the same since starting quarterback Bill Stull injured a thumb in the season opener, forcing redshirt freshman Kevan Smith to start ahead of schedule. Smith was 3-for-9 for 29 yards while being sacked twice, throwing an interception and losing a fumble before leaving with an injury as Pitt trailed 27-7 at halftime.
Pat Bostick, a Pennsylvania high school star a year ago, took over in the second half and managed to go 27-of-41 for 230 yards, one for a touchdown, but threw three more interceptions -- including one Lawrence Wilson returned 51 yards for a touchdown.
Pitt freshman LeSean McCoy, coming off a 172-yard performance at Michigan State in only his third college game, carried three times for 44 yards and completed an 18-yard pass to Nate Byham on a drive that briefly cut UConn's lead to 10-7.
McCoy touched the ball again only once more the rest of the half and finished with 70 yards on only 11 carries and a fumble.
D.J. Hernandez, who threw four touchdowns passes and ran for 130 yards in UConn's 46-45 overtime win over Pitt a season ago but is now a receiver, had two catches for 41 yards on 60-yard drive that ended with Donald Brown's 4-yard TD run with about 5 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter. Brown has three TD runs against Pitt the last two seasons.
Lorenzen drove UConn 69 yards for Lou Allen's second 1-yard TD run of the game and a 24-7 lead. Lorenzen was 3-for-3 for 53 yards and ran 4 yards for a first down on the drive and finished 12-of-25 for 174 yards.
Allen also scored less than two minutes into the game, after Smith was intercepted by Danny Lansanah on the third play of the game and returned it 26 yards to the Pitt 6.
Tony Ciaravino kicked two field goals in the first half, including a 39-yarder after Smith fumbled with 25 seconds left in the half. UConn scored 17 points in slightly more than 5 1/2 minutes to end the half.
The crowd was 40,145.
