Pitt is hosting Western Michigan at Heinz Field today. Here’s the latest from the game.

FIRST QUARTER
Pitt won the coin toss and opted to defer, giving Western Michigan the ball to open the game. The Broncos got things going by converting third-and-3 on a screen pass and then picked up two more first downs with pass plays and a roughing penalty. But WMU got pushed back from inside the 20 with a stumble sack by quarterback Kaleb Eleby and a 43-yard field goal attempt went wide of the goal posts.

The missed field goal set up Pitt with first down at its own 26, but after a run for loss and a screen pass for a short gain, the Panthers failed on third-and-4 when Kenny Pickett couldn’t connect with Jordan Addison down the middle of the field.

WMU started its second drive inside the 20 and didn’t get very far, picking up one yard on a pass, two yards on a scramble and one more yard on a screen pass to set up a punt. This time, Pitt’s offense responded immediately as Pickett and Addison connected on a 67-yard bomb for a touchdown.

The pass moved Pickett into No. 2 on Pitt’s all-time passing list, passing NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.

PITT 7, WESTERN MICHIGAN 0 - 8:08, 1st quarter

After Western Michigan went three-and-out on its previous possession, the Broncos found success following Pitt’s touchdown. WMU faced first-and-19 thanks to a holding penalty on the first play of the drive but picked up a first down on a long second-down pass and then moved the chains again on a pass interference penalty. Several more passes from Eleby to Corey Crooms got the ball inside the 5, and from there - aided by two more Pitt penalties - the Broncos eventually got into the end zone.

PITT 7, WESTERN MICHIGAN 7 - 3:42, 1st quarter

Pitt couldn’t answer Western Michigan’s touchdown on the next drive. Instead, the Panthers took an even bigger hit when Pickett scrambled on third-and-11 and picked up 15 yards but fumbled when he was tackled. To make matters worse, Pickett left the game with an injury after the play.

The Broncos struck quickly after the turnover. On the first play, Eleby threw down the left sideline to Jaylen Hall for a 38-yard gain to get to the 3; four plays later, La’Darius Jefferson jumped over the pile to get into the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 14, PITT 7 - 1:28, 1st quarter

SECOND QUARTER
Nick Patti took over at quarterback for Pitt with Pickett in the locker room, and the offense moved into Western Michigan territory rather quickly on an eight-yard run from Vincent Davis and a 17-yard pass from Patti to Jared Wayne. After a holding penalty set up third-and-20 from the Pitt 42, Patti threw to Taysir Mack for a 16-yard gain, which led Pickett back on the field. His return wasn’t triumphant though; a pass to Addison gained just two yards, and WMU took over.

The Broncos didn’t waste much time, despite a false start that turned third-and-5 into third-and-10, Eleby converted that distance with a 14-yard pass to Hall and then took advantage of M.J. Devonshire falling down to score on a 30-yard pass, putting the visitors ahead by two scores.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 20, PITT 7 - 12:01, 2nd quarter

Pickett led the offense back onto the field after the WMU touchdown, but Davis got things going with an 11-yard run on the first play of the drive. A bad snap followed, but it was offset a play later when WMU was called for pass interference.

From there, Pickett took over, scrambling for 10 yards and then getting another first down on passes to Addison and Melquise Stovall. Next, Pickett threw to Wayne, who made a catch and broke tackles for 27 yards to get inside the 20. Two snaps later - sandwiched around another pass interference call - Pickett hit Lucas Krull for the tight end’s third touchdown of the season.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 20, PITT 14 - 8:54, 2nd quarter

Pitt’s defense fed off the offense’s success on the next drive, forcing WMU into a three-and-out for the first time since the Broncos’ second possession, and the offense responded again. Starting at the Pitt 29, Pickett hit Jaylon Barden for a 38-yard gain and then scrambled for 10 yards before connecting with Addison for another touchdown - this one from 23 yards out.

The extra point attempt by Sam Scarton missed, though, and the score was tied.

PITT 20, WESTERN MICHIGAN 20 - 7:25, 2nd quarter

Pitt’s defense forced another WMU punt after the touchdown, but the offense made another crucial mistake on first down when Pickett corralled a high snap but he and Rodney Hammond struggled with the exchange. Hammond fumbled the ball and Western Michigan recovered at the Pitt 9.

Two plays later, Eleby threw to running back Sean Tyler for a five-yard touchdown to take another lead.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 27, PITT 20 - 4:17, 2nd quarter

Pitt’s coaching staff changed centers for the next drive, replacing Owen Drexel with Jake Kradel, but the offense continued to struggle with self-inflicted issues on the next possession. On second-and-7 from the Pitt 43, Pickett threw to Krull but missed a WMU defender who stepped into the pass for an interception.

The Panthers’ defense responded with another three-and-out and the offense capitalized. Pickett and Stovall connected for a 31-yard pass down the middle to move into Western Michigan territory; on the next play, Pickett rolled right and then dropped a dime to Addison for the sophomore receiver’s third touchdown of the game.

PITT 27, WESTERN MICHIGAN 27 - 1:07, 2nd quarter

THIRD QUARTER
Pitt got the ball to open the second half, but the Panthers’ offensive success didn’t immediately carry over as Pickett was sacked for a three-yard loss on third down to lead to a punt. The defense stepped up to stuff Western Michigan on fourth-and-2 after the Broncos drove to the Pitt 30, but the offense continued to struggle, going three-and-out for the second time in as many drives in the third quarter.

Western Michigan’s offense had an answer on the next drive. After a short run on first down, Eleby threw to Crooms, who was quickly grabbed by Pitt safety Erick Hallett. But safety Brandon Hill came in to finish the tackle and inadvertently knocked Hallett off Crooms, who ran for a 54-yard touchdown pass.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 34, PITT 27 - 7:31, 3rd quarter

Pitt’s offense came alive with an answer to Western Michigan’s touchdown, and once again, it was the Kenny Pickett show. After Davis ran twice to move the chains, Pickett scrambled for six yards on second-and-10 and then converted third-and-4 with an 18-yard scramble.

Then, on first down from the 24, Pickett fired a shot to Krull who reached down and flipped over a defender for another score.

PITT 34, WESTERN MICHIGAN 34 - 5:00, 3rd quarter

Western Michigan came out and picked up where it left off, moving the ball without much resistance from Pitt’s defense. The Broncos did benefit from a Pitt pass interference penalty, but they also committed their own fouls to lose yardage and still managed to drive.

As the third quarter ended, the Broncos were knocking on the door for another touchdown.

FOURTH QUARTER
On the first play of the final frame, Jefferson ran two yards to get to the 3 and then finished the drive with a three-yard scoring run.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 41, PITT 34 - 14:10, 4th quarter

After the WMU touchdown, Pitt started at its own 22 and benefited from an extra 15 yards on a first-down pass interference penalty. But even after Davis ran for two yards on fourth-and-1, the Panthers fell apart once again. Davis lost yardage on a second-and-10 and then Pickett was sacked for a big loss on fourth-and-6, giving the ball back to Western Michigan with 10 minutes left in the game.

The Broncos proceeded to take nearly five minutes off the clock, driving inside the 5 before Pitt’s defense pushed them back to the 14. WMU had to settle for a field goal, but that set the lead at two scores late in the fourth.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 44, PITT 34 - 5:37, 4th quarter

Pitt faced long odds on its own 25, but the Panthers had some life left. Led by Pickett, the offense marched 75 yards on six plays and took just 1:49 off the clock, capped by a 22-yard touchdown pass to Barden to cut the lead to three.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 44, PITT 41 - 3:48, 4th quarter

Pitt’s defense had a simple objective for Western Michigan’s next drive: make a stop. And the Panthers had the Broncos in third-and-7 at the 28. But Eleby hit one more completion to Crooms against a Pitt safety and the play gained 13 yards.

Two snaps later, Tyler took a handoff and ran for 34 yards to clinch the game.

WESTERN MICHIGAN 44, PITT 41 - Final