Pitt
1-1 , 0-0
Tennessee
2-0 , 0-0
No. 17 Panthers Fall in OT to No. 24 Tennessee
9/10/2022 8:30:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Hendon Hooker threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns, the final one a 28-yard heave to Cedric Tillman in overtime, and No. 24 Tennessee edged No. 17 Pitt 34-27 in overtime on Saturday.
The Volunteers (2-0) picked up the first significant nonconference win under second-year coach Josh Heupel by relying on Hooker and a defense that was just good enough against a game effort by the Panthers (1-1), who lost starting quarterback Kedon Slovis to a injury at the end of the first half.
Backup Nick Patti essentially played the fourth quarter and overtime on one leg, limping noticeably on every play after absorbing a sack early in the final quarter. But Patti found Jared Wayne for a diving 4-yard touchdown with 2:23 to go in regulation to tie the game.
The Volunteers got the ball first in overtime. Hooker appeared to give them the lead with a touchdown run only to have it called back by a penalty. No matter. He dropped back and threw a jump ball to Tillman in the end zone. The 6-foot-3 senior boxed out a Pitt defender to haul it in to put Tennessee in front.
Patti drove Pitt inside the Tennessee 10 but took a sack that forced the Panthers back to the Tennessee 20. Patti's heave over the middle on fourth down fell incomplete and the Volunteers poured onto the field in triumph.
Tillman caught nine passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. Jabari Small ran for two short scores for the Volunteers. Bru McCoy added a 32-yard touchdown reception in the first half that tied the game.
Israel Abanikanda ran for 154 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers. Gavin Bartholomew also had a highlight reel 57-yard touchdown catch and run, hurdling a Vols defender in the process.
Slovis completed 14 of 24 for 195 yards with a touchdown and an interception but the USC transfer didn't play in the second half after sustaining an undisclosed injury while getting sacked late in the second quarter.
Patti, who lost a training camp battle with Slovis for the starting job, struggled with his accuracy at times but made up for it with his grit. He hit just 9 of 20 passes for 79 yards but somehow managed to stay in the game despite being in significant pain.
THE TAKEAWAY
Tennessee: The Volunteers are eyeing a big step forward this fall. Whether they take it will rely heavily on a defense that struggled against quality opponents in 2021. So far, so good. While Tennessee gave up a couple of big plays early, the Volunteers settled in and made things very difficult for Slovis, Patti and company.
Pitt: The offense entered the season with plenty of question marks following Kenny Pickett's departure to the NFL. The offensive line was not supposed to be one of them. Pitt ran the ball better than it did against West Virginia, but there were times Saturday where there were multiple white jerseys in the backfield.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The Panthers could potentially fall out of the poll for the first time since Halloween after letting an early 10-point lead get away. The Volunteers should vault into the Top 20 for the first time since October 2016 after a gritty road win over a Pitt team that harbors hopes of becoming a dark-horse College Football Playoff participant.
UP NEXT
Tennessee: Hosts Akron next Saturday, with a visit from Florida looming on Sept. 24.
Pitt: Travels to Western Michigan next Saturday hoping to avenge a disappointing home loss to the Broncos last fall.
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Team Stats
TEN 0, PIT 3
PIT - Sauls,Ben 30 yd field goal 9 plays, 43 yards, TOP 03:58
TEN 0, PIT 10
PIT - Abanikanda,Israel 76 yd run (Sauls,Ben kick), 1 plays, 76 yards, TOP 00:13
TEN 7, PIT 10
TEN - Small,Jabari 1 yd run (McGrath,Chase kick), 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 03:14
TEN 7, PIT 17
PIT - Bartholomew,Gavin 57 yd pass from Slovis,Kedon (Sauls,Ben kick) 6 plays, 83 yards, TOP 02:32
TEN 14, PIT 17
TEN - McCoy,Bru 32 yd pass from Hooker,Hendon (McGrath,Chase kick) 9 plays, 71 yards, TOP 03:13
TEN 21, PIT 17
TEN - Small,Jabari 1 yd run (McGrath,Chase kick), 3 plays, 66 yards, TOP 00:35
TEN 24, PIT 17
TEN - McGrath,Chase 37 yd field goal 3 plays, 8 yards, TOP 00:14
TEN 24, PIT 20
PIT - Sauls,Ben 35 yd field goal 12 plays, 27 yards, TOP 05:13
TEN 27, PIT 20
TEN - McGrath,Chase 51 yd field goal 15 plays, 41 yards, TOP 05:10
TEN 27, PIT 27
PIT - Wayne,Jared 4 yd pass from Patti,Nick (Sauls,Ben kick) 10 plays, 39 yards, TOP 05:05
TEN 34, PIT 27
TEN - Tillman,Cedric 28 yd pass from Hooker,Hendon (McGrath,Chase kick) 2 plays, 25 yards, TOP 00:00
