PITT POST-GAME NOTES
10/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 8, 2006
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• Pitt's 21-11 victory over Syracuse gives the Panthers their first 5-1 start since the 2002 season. This is the third time this decade Pitt has started the season at 5-1 (2000, 2002, 2006).
• With the win over Syracuse, Pitt improves to 2-0 in Big East play. The Panthers also opened league play at 2-0 in the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
• Pitt has now defeated Syracuse in four of the past five meetings between the teams and improves to 4-9-1 in games played at the Carrier Dome.
• RB LaRod Stephens-Howling totaled a career-best 221 yards rushing in the contest. His former best mark was 101 yards on 23 rushes vs. Syracuse on Oct. 22, 2005.
• Stephens-Howling's 221 yards on 27 carries makes him the first 200-yard rusher at Pitt since Kevan Barlow rushed for 272 vs. West Virginia on Nov. 24, 2000 in Three Rivers Stadium.
• QB Tyler Palko has now thrown 67 consecutive passes without an interception. The number dates back to the loss to Michigan State on Sept. 16, where his last 11 pass attempts were without an interception.
• Against Syracuse, Palko completed 20 of 24 passes for an 83.3 completion percentage. In his last three games, the senior QB has completed 47 of 56 for an 83.9 percentage, including 662 yards in those three contests (The Citadel, Toledo, Syracuse).
• DL Chris McKillop totaled two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery on the day, giving him two recoveries and three forced fumbles on the season.
• Stephens-Howling's 70-yard touchdown rush in the second quarter is the longest rush of his career.
• Stephens-Howling's 70-yard TD run is also the fourth Pitt play in 2006 of 70 yards or more with the three others (72, 78, 80) as pass plays. • Sophomore Rahsaad Duncan's fumble recovery in the second quarter is the first of his career.
• Senior linebacker H.B. Blades has moved into eighth in career tackles with 10 on the day and a total of 354 for his career. Blades passed Troy Benson, who tallied 351 from 1981-84.
• QB Tyler Palko's 4-yard first quarter touchdown is his first rushing touchdown of the season.
• Freshman Joe Thomas made his first career start at right guard. • FS Mike Phillips earned his first start of the season. Phillips was a starter in 2005 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury at Nebraska on Sept. 17, 2005.
• Representing Pitt at today's coin toss were WR Derek Kinder, DL Vernon Botts, LB Brian Bennett and DB Reggie Carter.