Qadree Ollison ran for 91 yards and two touchdowns and
Pittsburgh’s defense kept Georgia Tech’s triple-option in check during a 24-19
victory in the ACC opener for both teams on Saturday.
Ollison scored on runs of 31 and 8 yards for the Panthers
(2-1, 1-0), who bounced back from an ugly blowout loss to rival Penn State by
jumping on the Yellow Jackets (1-2, 0-1) early and then holding on late.
Darrin Hall added a touchdown run for Pitt. Quarterback
Kenny Pickett left briefly due with a left leg injury at the end of the first
half but played the entire second half, completing 16 of 23 passes for a
season-high 191 yards and an interception.
TaQuon Marshall scored on a pair of short touchdown runs in
the second half for the Yellow Jackets and finished with a team-high 103 yards
rushing. He struggled through the air, completing just one pass until Georgia
Tech’s final drive. Marshall ended up 6 of 15 for 66 yards and an interception
on a heave to the end zone with just less than 10 minutes remaining that was
easily picked off by Pitt’s Phillipie Motley to end any real threat the Yellow
Jackets had of mounting a comeback.
A week after rolling up 602 yards in a loss to South
Florida, the Yellow Jackets managed just 386 against the Panthers, 99 of it
coming on a last-gasp drive in the final minutes. Jordan Mason added 94 yards
rushing and B-back Qua Searcy – starting in place of injured KirVonte Benson –
added 38 in his first career start but the Yellow Jackets did little in the
first half while falling behind 21-0.
Some curious decision-making by Georgia Tech didn’t help.
Coach Paul Johnson called for a fake punt from the Georgia
Tech 28 in the first quarter, and Antwan Owens was stuffed for a two-yard loss.
Three plays later Hall burst across the goal line from five yards out to put
Pitt up 14-0 with 5:20 left in the first quarter.
Georgia Tech faced another fourth down at the Pitt 23 in the
second quarter. Rather than attempt a field goal, the Yellow Jackets went for
it. Needing five yards, Marshall dropped back to pass, which sailed high and
out of the reach of Jalen Camp.
Pitt took advantage immediately. Pickett turned a flea
flicker into a 60-yard completion to Taysir Mack to flip the field and when
Ollison darted in for his second touchdown, the Panthers were on their way to
putting their humbling 51-6 setback at the hands of the Nittany Lions firmly in
the rearview mirror.
BIG PICTURE
GEORGIA TECH: The
Yellow Jackets have to stop beating themselves. The play calling was odd at
times. So were a couple of personal foul penalties on late hits that handed
Pitt yardage on drives that turned into touchdowns.
PITT: Considering
the daunting stretch ahead – two of Pitt’s next four games are on the road
against ranked opponents – the Panthers found their season at an
early tipping point and responded emphatically. The defense stayed disciplined
against Georgia Tech’s idiosyncratic attack and the offense was efficient if
not spectacular. It’s a formula that could work if Pitt wants to be a factor in
the ACC’s wide-open Coastal Division.
UP NEXT
GEORGIA TECH:
Hosts No. 2 Clemson next Saturday. The Tigers have won five of the last six
meetings, including a 24-10 victory last October.
PITT: The
Panthers travel to North Carolina on Saturday. The Panthers are 0-5
against the Tar Heels since joining the ACC in 2013.
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