Pitt gets blown out at UCF

FIRST QUARTER
Pitt won the coin toss and deferred, and the Panthers' defense put in a surprising effort on UCF's first drive. After the Knights picked up one first down, Pitt stepped up, stopping UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton for a one-yard rush on a first-down run and then forcing two incomplete passes to bring the Knights' punt team to the field.

Of particular note was that Pitt used a 4-2-5 nickel package as its base defense, with sophomore Jason Pinnock as the extra cornerback.

Pitt's first offensive drive showed some promise, but it stalled as the Panthers approached midfield after picking up a pair of first downs.

When UCF got the ball back, a pair of false starts managed to force the Knights into third-and-12 from their own 26, but Pitt tried to substitute - despite UCF not subbing - and got caught with too many men on the field. That set up a third-and-7 that UCF converted in grand style: with running back Adrian Killins catching a crossing route and taking off for 64 yards. Two plays later, Milton got into the end zone on a five-yard run and the Knights took a lead.

UCF 7, PITT 0 (6:52, 1st quarter)

Pitt's offense got nothing out of its next drive - quite literally, the Panthers gained zero yards - but UCF had more success offensively. After Milton scrambled for a first down on third-and-12, a roughing penalty on Keyshon Camp gave the Knights an extra 15 yards, and Milton hit a 24-yard strike to Gabriel Davis for UCF's second touchdown of the game.

UCF 14, PITT 0 (4:07, 1st quarter)

Pitt's offense continued to sputter, but the defense stepped up for its first three-and-out of the game, which led to the Panthers' first big play of the game. On UCF's punt, Rafael Araujo-Lopes ran 85 yards for a touchdown.

UCF 14, PITT 7 (1:13, 1st quarter)

After Pitt's touchdown, UCF started driving with some help from Pitt, as Dane Jackson drew a defensive holding call and Amir Watts was flagged for a personal foul to help the Knights move close to the red zone when the first quarter ended.

SECOND QUARTER

UCF didn't need long into the second quarter to strike again. After firing incomplete, Milton took off on a designed run to score from 23 yards out.

UCF 21, PITT 7 (14:50, 2nd quarter)

Pitt's offense finally started figuring some things out on its next possession, a drive that pushed past the six-minute mark and featured three third-down conversions. But on first down from the UCF 29, a UCF defender read Pickett's pass to Araujo-Lopes perfectly and picked it off.

Then the UCF offense did what it does: 67 yards in nine plays and less than three minutes, as Milton threw his second touchdown pass of the game. The drive also saw UCF convert a fourth down inside the red zone as the Knights continued to roll.

UCF 28, PITT 7 (5:33, 2nd quarter)

Pitt's offense had no answer for UCF's fourth touchdown, as the Panthers went three-and-out on their next drive, bringing Milton and the Knights offense back onto the field one more time in the half. UCF proceeded to march, moving inside the 20 with both the pass and the run, but it looked like Pitt would make a big play when Damar Hamlin picked off Milton and ran almost all the way to the end zone.

But the play came back when Quintin Wirginis was flagged for roughing the passer. That gave the Knights renewed life, and while they didn't reach the end zone again, they did get a field goal and took a 24-point lead to halftime.

UCF 31, PITT 7 (0:07, 2nd quarter)

THIRD QUARTER

The third quarter continued the trends of the first half, as Pitt's offense punted after four plays and UCF scored after two. The Knights' touchdown came on a 71-yard pass from Milton to Killins, who was being covered on the play by linebacker Seun Idowu, and the blowout continued early in the third quarter.

UCF 38, PITT 7 (12:39, 3rd quarter)

Pitt's next drive seemed promising, as the Panthers drove inside the UCF 20 and were in striking distance of the end zone. But a pair of Pickett sacks, including one on fourth down, killed those chances.

UCF's next drive was a long one and saw the Knights convert a fourth down at the Pitt 30, but when they tried a fourth-down conversion again from the Pitt 4, Milton's pass was incomplete and the two teams went to the fourth quarter with UCF leading 38-7.

FOURTH QUARTER

Pitt had the ball as the final frame began, but it went nowhere. UCF's offense, unsurprisingly, got it going though, driving 74 yards for the Knights' sixth touchdown of the day on a Milton scoring pass.

UCF 45, PITT 7 (7:17, 4th quarter)

Pitt's offense finally got on the board with its next possession. After a third down was converted on a pass interference penalty, Pickett flipped a pass to Maurice Ffrench and the junior receiver got upfield, made multiple defenders miss and then won a footrace to the end zone for a score.

UCF 45, PITT 14 (4:46, 4th quarter)

UCF predictably ran out the clock after Pitt's touchdown. When the final buzzer sounded, the Knights had 568 yards of total offense, with 328 yards through the air and 240 rushing yards. Pitt dropped to 2-3 on the season with the loss, and the Panthers will face Syracuse at Heinz Field next Saturday.