Pitt
3-4
Notre Dame
7-0
Panthers Edged by No. 5 Notre Dame, 19-14
10/13/2018 6:15:00 PM | Football
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) Ian Book threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Miles Boykin with 5:43 remaining and No. 5 Notre Dame remained unbeaten, holding off Pitt 19-14 on Saturday.
The Fighting Irish are 7-0 for the first time since 2012, the year they went to the BCS title game.
Pitt (3-4) led 14-12 thanks to a long first-quarter touchdown drive and Maurice Ffrench's 99-yard kickoff return to start the second half.
Pat Narduzzi's Panthers were looking to upset an Associated Press top-five team for the third straight season after knocking off No. 3 Clemson in Death Valley during the 2016 season and No. 2 Miami last November in Pittsburgh. But the Irish, who were held to 80 yards rushing, prevailed behind Book, who is 4-0 as a starter since replacing Brandon Wimbush. Book threw two interceptions, and had 264 yards passing.
Kenny Pickett was 19 for 28 for 126 yards, and was sacked by Khalid Kareem - Notre Dame's only sack of the game - for a loss of 14 yards on Pitt's final possession to set up a fourth-and-long the Panthers could not convert. Pitt also failed on a fake punt on its second-to-last drive.
TAKEAWAYS
Pitt: The Panthers gained just 12 yards on their last three drives of the first half. Their first, however, was a thing of beauty: 17 plays, 88 yards, six first downs, consuming 9:43 of the clock and ending with Qadree Ollison taking a direct snap, faking an end-around handoff and running into the end zone on second-and-goal from the Irish 9.
Notre Dame: The Irish trailed for the first times after the first quarter (7-0), at halftime (7-6) and after three quarters (14-12), and they were their own worst enemy. Notre Dame allowed three sacks and had just 53 yards rushing in the first three quarters after averaging 195.7 per game. Dexter Williams, who averaged 169.5 yards in his first games since a four-game suspension, had one yard at halftime and 13 yards on eight rushes after three quarters.
UP NEXT
Pitt: Off next week and plays host to Duke Oct. 27.
Notre Dame: Off next week and plays Navy in San Diego Oct. 27.
Team Stats
UP 7, ND 0
UP - Ollison, Q. 9 yd run (Kessman, A. kick), 17 plays, 88 yards, TOP 9:43
UP 7, ND 3
ND - J. YOON 22 yd field goal 10 plays, 44 yards, TOP 3:34
UP 7, ND 6
ND - J. YOON 41 yd field goal 12 plays, 42 yards, TOP 3:27
UP 14, ND 6
UP - Ffrench, M. 99 yd kickoff return (Kessman, A. kick)
UP 14, ND 12
ND - C. CLAYPOOL 16 yd pass from I. BOOK (I. BOOK passfailed) 8 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:51
UP 14, ND 19
ND - M. BOYKIN 35 yd pass from I. BOOK (J. YOON kick) 5 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:43
