Pitt
2-1 , 0-0
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Western Michigan
2-1 , 0-0
Pitt Falls to Western Michigan in Shootout, 44-41
9/18/2021 4:30:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kaleb Eleby threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns and Western Michigan stunned Pitt, 44-41, on Saturday at Heinz Field.
La'Darius Jefferson ran for 78 yards and two scores for the Broncos (2-1), who came into Heinz Field as a 15-point underdog and left it with their first victory over a Power 5 school in five years.
Kenny Pickett tossed six touchdowns for the Panthers (2-1) and threw for 382 yards to move past Hall of Famer Dan Marino into second-place on the school's all-time passing list but Pitt fell flat a week after a stirring victory on the road at Tennessee.
Western Michigan rolled up 516 yards of total offense and held the ball for 40 minutes.
Jordan Addison caught three touchdown passes and Lucas Krull hauled in two TD catches, but the Broncos forced three turnovers that proved crucial.
Pickett's sixth touchdown pass — which tied Tom Savage for the second-most in a game in school history — brought the Panthers within three with 3:48 to play.
Needing a stop, Pitt didn't get one.
Western Michigan churned out a pair of first downs to run out the clock. The Broncos celebrated by running to the small group of fans who made the 377-mile trip from Kalamazoo while the Panthers trudged to the locker room following another baffling loss.
THE TAKEAWAY
Western Michigan: The Broncos, picked to finish third in the MAC's Western Division, seem to have recovered just fine from that opening week blowout loss to Michigan.
Pitt: The schedule was set up for the Panthers to be on a roll heading into ACC play next month. And while Pitt has the firepower to contend in the typically wide-open ACC Coastal Division, given a chance to change the national perception of the program, Pitt fell short.
UP NEXT
Western Michigan: Finishes up nonconference play next Saturday at home against San Jose State.
Pitt: Hosts New Hampshire next weekend in one last tune-up before beginning its quest for an Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division title.
Team Stats
WMI 0, PIT 7
PIT - Addison,Jordan 67 yd pass from Pickett,Kenny (Scarton,Sam kick) 1 plays, 67 yards, TOP 00:10
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WMI 7, PIT 7
WMI - Tyler,Sean 1 yd run (Sampson,Parker kick), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:26
WMI 14, PIT 7
WMI - Jefferson,La'Darius 1 yd run (Sampson,Parker kick), 5 plays, 41 yards, TOP 01:37
WMI 20, PIT 7
WMI - Moore,Skyy 30 yd pass from Eleby,Kaleb () 6 plays, 60 yards, TOP 02:18
WMI 20, PIT 14
PIT - Krull,Lucas 2 yd pass from Pickett,Kenny (Scarton,Sam kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:07
WMI 20, PIT 20
PIT - Addison,Jordan 23 yd pass from Pickett,Kenny () 3 plays, 71 yards, TOP 00:40
WMI 27, PIT 20
WMI - Tyler,Sean 5 yd pass from Eleby,Kaleb (Sampson,Parker kick) 2 plays, 9 yards, TOP 00:44
WMI 27, PIT 27
PIT - Addison,Jordan 28 yd pass from Pickett,Kenny (Scarton,Sam kick) 4 plays, 69 yards, TOP 00:42
WMI 34, PIT 27
WMI - Crooms,Corey 54 yd pass from Eleby,Kaleb (Sampson,Parker kick) 2 plays, 56 yards, TOP 00:48
WMI 34, PIT 34
PIT - Krull,Lucas 24 yd pass from Pickett,Kenny (Scarton,Sam kick) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:31
WMI 41, PIT 34
WMI - Jefferson,La'Darius 3 yd run (Sampson,Parker kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:50
WMI 44, PIT 34
WMI - Sampson,Parker 29 yd field goal 9 plays, 26 yards, TOP 04:41
WMI 44, PIT 41
PIT - Barden,Jaylon 22 yd pass from Pickett,Kenny (Scarton,Sam kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:49
