Pittsburgh 28, Virginia Tech 21

11/2/2002

Pittsburgh 28, Virginia Tech 21

Blacksburg, VA (Sports Network) - Brandon Miree rushed for 161 yards and his 53-yard touchdown jaunt with 4:11 to play in the fourth quarter lifted Pittsburgh over third-ranked Virginia Tech, 28-21. Rod Rutherford threw for three scores, all to Larry Fitzgerald, as the Panthers joined top-ranked Miami-Florida as the only unbeaten teams in the Big East.

It was the second straight scintillating victory for the Panthers (7-2, 4-0 Big East), who rallied for a 19-16 overtime win over Boston College last week. This week, Pittsburgh came back from a 14-point deficit and beat a top-five team for the first time since October 10, 1987 when the Panthers topped then No. 4 Notre Dame.

This is Pittsburgh's first-ever 4-0 start in the Big East and the Panthers are 7-2 overall for the first time since 1983.

The Panthers beat Virginia Tech in Pittsburgh last year, but won for the first time in Blacksburg and are now on a collision course with the Hurricanes. Miami rallied for 28 fourth-quarter points in a 42-17 win at Rutgers earlier Saturday. The Panthers host Temple next Saturday before playing on the road against the Hurricanes on Thursday, November 21.

The Panthers, who sacked Bryan Randall seven times, took the lead following a Virginia Tech punt. Miree, who carried the ball 23 times, broke a tackle from Willie Pile up the middle and galloped to the end zone.

Virginia Tech (8-1, 3-1), which entered the game ranked sixth in the BCS, had just two first downs in the fourth quarter. The Hokies were stopped on three straight downs on their possession after the Pittsburgh go-ahead score and the Panthers ran out most of the remaining time. Virginia Tech did advance the ball from its own five-yard line to the Pittsburgh 46, but a last-second prayer pass wasn't answered.

Randall completed 12-of-22 passes for 145 yards and was picked off once. Lee Suggs rushed 25 times for 128 yards and a score for the Hokies. Kevin Jones also ran for a score for Virginia Tech, but he pulled his left hamstring in the first quarter and didn't return.

Rutherford completed 11-of-26 passes for 208 yards and was intercepted twice, while Fitzgerald caught five passes for 105 yards.

David Abdul missed a 28-yard field goal attempt early in the first quarter for Pittsburgh.

Jones scored on a three-yard run midway through the first and Suggs ran one yard into the end zone with 4:38 left in the opening period to make it 14-0 Virginia Tech. A blocked punt by Jimmy Williams gave the ball at the Pittsburgh three to set up Suggs' TD rush.

Rutherford hit Fitzgerald with a 31-yard scoring strike with 3:06 left in the opening quarter. Torrie Cox intercepted Randall in the end zone with just under nine minutes left in the second quarter.

The Hokies extended to a 21-7 advantage on a 58-yard TD run down the left sideline by Suggs 1:08 into the third. However, the Panthers struck right back as Rutherford threw 14 yards to the end zone to Fitzgerald with 10:39 left in the third quarter.

Tim Murphy's 52-yard run then set up the game-tying score for Pittsburgh, which came on a 10-yard pass from Rutherford to Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald made an incredible leap in the left side of the end zone, getting the ball just beyond the outstretched hands of defensive back Vincent Fuller to even the score at 21-21 with 7:09 left in the third quarter.

Suggs then fumbled the ball away near midfield, but the Panthers were unable to capitalize as DeAngelo Hall intercepted an errant throw by Rutherford in the end zone.

Virginia Tech missed a chance to go ahead as Nic Schmitt was wide left on a 42-yard field goal attempt in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.

However, Pittsburgh gave the ball right back to the Hokies as Rutherford, under heavy pressure from defensive end Cols Colas, threw an interception to Pile.

Game Notes: Ernest Wilford had six receptions for 80 yards for the Panthers...The Hokies have three games remaining before finishing their season December 7 on the road against the Hurricanes...Virginia Tech still leads the all-time series 7-3.


NCAA I-A Football Boxscore - Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech


&nbsp; &nbsp; 1 &nbsp; 2 &nbsp; 3 &nbsp; 4 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Final &nbsp;
Pittsburgh &nbsp; 7 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 14 &nbsp; 7 &nbsp; - &nbsp; 28 &nbsp;
Virginia Tech &nbsp; 14 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 7 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; - &nbsp; 21 &nbsp;


1st Quarter
7:07 &nbsp; Virginia Tech Touchdown - 3-yard run by Kevin Jones. (Nic Schmitt kick).
4:38 &nbsp; Virginia Tech Touchdown - 1-yard run by Lee Suggs. (Nic Schmitt kick).
3:06 &nbsp; Pittsburgh Touchdown - 31-yard pass from Rod Rutherford to Larry Fitzgerald. (David Abdul kick).
&nbsp;
2nd Quarter
&nbsp; &nbsp; No Scoring.
&nbsp;
3rd Quarter
13:52 &nbsp; Virginia Tech Touchdown - 59-yard run by Lee Suggs. (Nic Schmitt kick).
10:39 &nbsp; Pittsburgh Touchdown - 9-yard pass from Rod Rutherford to Larry Fitzgerald. (David Abdul kick).
7:09 &nbsp; Pittsburgh Touchdown - 10-yard pass from Rod Rutherford to Larry Fitzgerald. (David Abdul kick).
&nbsp;
4th Quarter
4:11 &nbsp; Pittsburgh Touchdown - 53-yard run by Brandon Miree. (David Abdul kick).
&nbsp;


Team Statistics
&nbsp; &nbsp; Pittsburgh &nbsp; Virginia Tech &nbsp;
First Downs &nbsp; 22 &nbsp; 15 &nbsp;
Rushes-Yards &nbsp; 44-275 &nbsp; 45-130 &nbsp;
Pass Comp-Att-Yards-Int &nbsp; 11-26-208-2 &nbsp; 12-22-145-1 &nbsp;
Return Yards &nbsp; 50 &nbsp; 98 &nbsp;
Punts-Avg &nbsp; 6-33.3 &nbsp; 7-43.6 &nbsp;
Fumbles-Lost &nbsp; 3-1 &nbsp; 4-2 &nbsp;
Penalties-Yards &nbsp; 7-68 &nbsp; 6-60 &nbsp;
Time of Possession &nbsp; 28:54 &nbsp; 30:53 &nbsp;


Rushing Statistics
Pittsburgh &nbsp; Att &nbsp; Yds &nbsp; TD &nbsp; Avg &nbsp;
Brandon Miree &nbsp; 23 &nbsp; 161 &nbsp; 1 &nbsp; 7.000 &nbsp;
Tim Murphy &nbsp; 2 &nbsp; 58 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 29.000 &nbsp;
Rod Rutherford &nbsp; 15 &nbsp; 56 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 3.733 &nbsp;
Lousaka Polite &nbsp; 2 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; .000 &nbsp;
team team &nbsp; 2 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; .000 &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Virginia Tech &nbsp; Att &nbsp; Yds &nbsp; TD &nbsp; Avg &nbsp;
Lee Suggs &nbsp; 25 &nbsp; 128 &nbsp; 2 &nbsp; 5.120 &nbsp;
Kevin Jones &nbsp; 2 &nbsp; 4 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 2.000 &nbsp;
Doug Easlick &nbsp; 2 &nbsp; 2 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 1.000 &nbsp;
Bryan Randall &nbsp; 16 &nbsp; -4 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; -.250 &nbsp;
&nbsp;


Passing Statistics
Pittsburgh &nbsp; Comp &nbsp; Att &nbsp; Yds &nbsp; TD &nbsp; Int &nbsp;
Rod Rutherford &nbsp; 11 &nbsp; 26 &nbsp; 209 &nbsp; 3 &nbsp; 2 &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Virginia Tech &nbsp; Comp &nbsp; Att &nbsp; Yds &nbsp; TD &nbsp; Int &nbsp;
Bryan Randall &nbsp; 12 &nbsp; 22 &nbsp; 145 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 1 &nbsp;
&nbsp;


Receiving Statistics
Pittsburgh &nbsp; Rec &nbsp; Yds &nbsp; TD &nbsp; Avg &nbsp;
Larry Fitzgerald &nbsp; 5 &nbsp; 105 &nbsp; 3 &nbsp; 21.000 &nbsp;
Kris Wilson &nbsp; 4 &nbsp; 85 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 21.250 &nbsp;
Lamar Slade &nbsp; 1 &nbsp; 11 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 11.000 &nbsp;
Brandon Miree &nbsp; 1 &nbsp; 7 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 7.000 &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Virginia Tech &nbsp; Rec &nbsp; Yds &nbsp; TD &nbsp; Avg &nbsp;
Ernest Wilford &nbsp; 6 &nbsp; 80 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 13.333 &nbsp;
Shawn Witten &nbsp; 3 &nbsp; 29 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 9.667 &nbsp;
Cedric Humes &nbsp; 1 &nbsp; 15 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 15.000 &nbsp;
Tarrell Parham &nbsp; 1 &nbsp; 13 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 13.000 &nbsp;
Lee Suggs &nbsp; 1 &nbsp; 8 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 8.000 &nbsp;
&nbsp;


Kicking Statistics
Pittsburgh &nbsp; XPM &nbsp; XPA &nbsp; FGM &nbsp; FGA &nbsp; Long &nbsp;
David Abdul &nbsp; 4 &nbsp; 4 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 1 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Virginia Tech &nbsp; XPM &nbsp; XPA &nbsp; FGM &nbsp; FGA &nbsp; Long &nbsp;
Nik Schmitt &nbsp; 3 &nbsp; 3 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp; 1 &nbsp; 0 &nbsp;
&nbsp;


Attendance: 64971

1st Quarter
7:07		Virginia Tech Touchdown - 3-yard run by Kevin Jones. (Nic Schmitt kick).
4:38		Virginia Tech Touchdown - 1-yard run by Lee Suggs. (Nic Schmitt kick).
3:06		Pittsburgh Touchdown - 31-yard pass from Rod Rutherford to Larry Fitzgerald. (David Abdul kick).

2nd Quarter
		No Scoring.

3rd Quarter
13:52		Virginia Tech Touchdown - 59-yard run by Lee Suggs. (Nic Schmitt kick).
10:39		Pittsburgh Touchdown - 9-yard pass from Rod Rutherford to Larry Fitzgerald. (David Abdul kick).
7:09		Pittsburgh Touchdown - 10-yard pass from Rod Rutherford to Larry Fitzgerald. (David Abdul kick).

4th Quarter
4:11		Pittsburgh Touchdown - 53-yard run by Brandon Miree. (David Abdul kick).

Pittsburgh 28, Virginia Tech 21

Pittsburgh 28, Virginia Tech 21

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