University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Notre Dame
Panthers Can't Complete Comeback Against Irish, Fall 23-17
10/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 9, 2010
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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Dayne Crist ran for a TD and passed for another and David Ruffer stayed perfect on field goals by kicking three more Saturday as Notre Dame held on to beat Pittsburgh 23-17 on Saturday.
Ruffer's three field goals, one from 50 yards after Pitt failed to convert on a fake punt in the third quarter, made him 16-for-16 over two years, breaking the previous school record of 14 straight set by Nick Tausch a year ago.
Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri completed 27 of 39 for 272 yards, hitting Jon Baldwin on a 56-yard TD to bring the Panthers within 23-17 with 7:23 left.
Pitt (2-3) got the ball back twice thereafter - at its own 10 with 3:15 to go and again at its 7 with 1:37 remaining. But on its final series, Gary Gray broke up a fourth-down pass intended for Baldwin with 1:07 left and Notre Dame (3-3) ran out the clock for its second straight win following a three-game losing streak.
Crist completed 12 straight during one stretch of the first half as Notre Dame took a 17-3 lead and finished 24-of-39 for 242 yards.
Pitt moved inside the Notre Dame 20-yard line three times in the first half - reaching the 9, the 10 and the 19 - but managed only three points. Dan Hutchins kicked one field goal, missed another and then never got off an attempt in the closing seconds of the half when holder Andrew Janocko fumbled the snap.
Special teams hurt the Panthers again in the second half. Pitt faked a punt on its first possession of the third quarter and Hutchins was stopped short of the first down at the Pitt 34. Ruffer followed by setting the school record with his 15th straight field goal - and 10th in a row this year - by hitting a 50-yarder.
Pitt gambled again late in the third and this time it worked.
On a fourth-and-1 from the Pitt 32, Dion Lewis broke off a 30-yard run. After a 21-yard pass to Devin Street, Sunseri carried five yards on third down to get the first down and then skirted left end for a 4-yard TD, cutting Notre Dame's lead to 20-10 with 3:12 left in the period.
But after struggling in the third quarter, Crist regained his rhythm and completed five straight passes as the Irish moved to the Pitt 16 before Ruffer again connected, this time on a 31-yarder with 9:06 to go to make it 23-10.
Pitt's 1-2 running back combo of Lewis and Ray Graham finished with 107 yards total on 21 carries as the Panthers relied on the pass. Lewis, who sat out last week with a sore shoulder, had 63 yards on 13 carries. Graham, who had 277 yards against Florida International a week ago, had 44 on eight carries. Baldwin finished with nine catches for 111 yards.
Crist engineered a rapid, 13-play, 77-yard drive in the first quarter as the Irish's no-huddle spread took off. Crist completed a 14-yard pass to Theo Riddick, Armando Allen had a 10-yard run, Michael Floyd made a 14-yard reception and then a pass interference call took the ball to the 1. Crist then threw the ball to the corner of the end zone and Floyd beat Ricky Gary to the ball for the TD and a 7-3 lead.
Crist, who finished the opening half 13-for-17, was just getting warmed up. He hit six straight passes during an 80-yard second-quarter that he capped himself with a 10-yard TD run. He rolled out looking for a receiver and eluded Pitt defensive end Jabaal Sheard near the sideline before accelerating toward the end zone for the score and a 14-3 lead.
After Harrison Smith intercepted Tino Sunseri when Pitt tight end Mike Shanahan fell down running his route, Crist completed his 12th straight pass - a 37-yarder to TJ Jones to get the Irish to the Pitt 8. But after two incompletions, Crist lost the ball on third down and after he recovered, Ruffer came on to make a 32-yard field goal.
Sunseri also got off to a fast start. He was 6-for-6 for 53 yards as the Panthers moved from their own 23 to the Notre Dame 9 on their first possession of the game before stalling and settling for a 26-yard field goal from Hutchins.
On their next drive, a 32-yard pass to Baldwin and a roughing the passer penalty helped the Panthers reach the Notre Dame 10. But Sunseri threw two incompletions and this time Hutchins missed wide on a 27-yarder.
