A week after defeating Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh completed the commonwealth sweep, taking down the Cavaliers 26-19 Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field. Junior quarterback Nate Peterman completed 17-24 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Panthers (4-1, 2-0 ACC).
Virginia’s (1-4, 0-1 ACC) defense struggled early, allowing Pittsburgh to gain 217 yards in the first quarter alone and take a 17-3 advantage after the first 15 minutes. However, defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta’s unit buckled down the rest of the way through, as the Panthers managed just 146 more yards over the next three quarters.
Still, that mattered little, as Virginia’s offense fell victim to a stifling Panther defense, which ranked third nationally in total defense entering the contest. Despite a first quarter 71-yard run by junior running back Albert Reid, Virginia never could establish a consistent ground attack.
Junior quarterback Matt Johns completed 17-33 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The lone touchdown pass was a 32-yard lob to senior receiver Canaan Severin with 5:50 to play in the fourth quarter.
The Cavaliers drove the ball down the field on their final possession after converting on 4th and 25. But Virginia followed with four consecutive incompletions, turning the ball over on downs with 28 seconds remaining.
Senior kicker Ian Frye went 2-2 on field goals, although he missed an extra point. Senior defensive end Kwontie Moore’s second quarter 15-yard fumble return for a touchdown was the Cavaliers’ first takeaway of the season.
Virginia has now dropped 12 consecutive road games since Nov. 2012.
Read More
Virginia baseball drops two of three in home series with Georgia Tech
By Ryan Weiner | 2 hours agoThe Cavaliers dropped a crucial series, and will need to rebound quickly heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Virginia track and field delivers strong performances at Virginia Challenge
By Tanmayi Patil | 12 hours agoThe Cavaliers displayed impressive performances across the board over the weekend.
No. 4 men’s lacrosse falls in “heroic” game against No. 7 Syracuse after fourth-quarter charge
By Cole Huff | 12 hours agoWhile Virginia failed to win, the game provided an excellent feel for what the NCAA Tournament will be like, preparing the team for May.
