Pitt
(4-4) , 2-2
Georgia Tech
(6-2) , 3-2
Early Fumbles Doom Pitt in Loss to Georgia Tech
10/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Famous Script Pitt Returned to the Panthers' Gold Helmets
The Yellow Jackets (6-2, 3-2 ACC) ended a two-game losing streak by racing to a quick 28-0 lead, with each touchdown following a Panther fumble.
Justin Thomas passed for 147 yards and a touchdown and added 92 yards rushing and a score. Georgia Tech rolled up 615 total yards against the Panthers, who came in with the nation's fourth-ranked defense.
James Conner rushed for 120 yards and three scores for Pitt but the Panthers never drew closer than 14 after spotting the Yellow Jackets a four-touchdown advantage. Pitt had 518 yards of total offense.
Pitt quarterback Chad Voytik fumbled on the game's second snap when he was popped by Georgia Tech's Isaiah Johnson on a read-option. Tyler Boyd made an impressive spin to get out of a tackle following a short grab, only to have the ball knocked out while stretching for extra yardage.
The Yellow Jackets wasted little time turning each miscue into a touchdown, including a 79-yard catch-and-run by Charles Perkins and a pair of scoring sprints by Snoddy.
The Panthers regrouped to draw within 28-14 at the half. Conner left briefly with a right knee injury but returned to score a pair of short touchdowns. The Panthers had a chance to draw closer late in the second quarter but Pitt chose to punt on fourth-and-3 from the Georgia Tech 43.
The Yellow Jackets missed a field goal to end the half but momentum had shifted. Georgia Tech opened the second half with a 75-yard touchdown drive, the final 28 coming on Snoddy's third score. The junior came in with 61 yards on the season but surpassed that as a speedy outside alternative to the inside running of Thomas and Synjyn Days, who filled in for injured Zach Laskey.
Georgia Tech's win further muddled a wide-open ACC Coastal Division, where six of the seven teams now have at least two conference losses. The one that doesn't - Duke - plays at Pitt next Saturday.
Team Stats
GT 7, UP 0
GT - Snoddy, B. 4 yd run (Butker, H. kick), 3 plays, 38 yards, TOP 1:22
GT 14, UP 0
GT - Perkins, C. 79 yd pass from Thomas, J. (Butker, H. kick) 3 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:37
GT 21, UP 0
GT - Thomas, J. 14 yd run (Butker, H. kick), 1 plays, 14 yards, TOP 0:06
GT 28, UP 0
GT - Snoddy, B. 34 yd run (Butker, H. kick), 2 plays, 35 yards, TOP 0:43
GT 28, UP 7
UP - Conner, J. 1 yd run (Blewitt, C. kick), 10 plays, 79 yards, TOP 5:04
GT 28, UP 14
UP - Conner, J. 4 yd run (Blewitt, C. kick), 5 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:30
GT 35, UP 14
GT - Snoddy, B. 28 yd run (Butker, H. kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:44
GT 35, UP 21
UP - Conner, J. 16 yd run (Blewitt, C. kick), 10 plays, 76 yards, TOP 4:55
GT 42, UP 21
GT - Zenon, T. 57 yd run (Butker, H. kick), 1 plays, 57 yards, TOP 0:10
GT 49, UP 21
GT - Hill, D. 8 yd run (Butker, H. kick), 1 plays, 8 yards, TOP 0:08
GT 49, UP 28
UP - Bennett, I. 35 yd pass from Anderson, T. (Blewitt, C. kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:42
GT 56, UP 28
GT - Connors, M. 6 yd run (Butker, H. kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:18
