Pitt is hosting West Virginia at Acrisure Stadium today for the 107th edition of the Backyard Brawl. Here’s the latest from the game.
FIRST QUARTER
West Virginia won the coin toss and took the ball to open the game. After Jaheim White broke an 11-yard run to move the sticks, Pitt’s defense stiffened up and Kyle Louis made a great tackle on third down to force the Mountaineers to punt.
The Panthers couldn’t capitalize on the punt, though, as Eli Holstein went 1-for-2 for three yards and Pitt went three-and-out.
The ensuing punt gave WVU the ball at its own 47, but the Mountaineers got the first big play of the game on second down when Garrett Greene threw to Rodney Gallagher for a 33-yard gain. Three snaps later, WVU was facing third-and-4 from the Pitt 10 and Greene found running back C.J. Donaldson wide open for an easy touchdown.
West Virginia 7, Pitt 0 - 7:58, 1st quarter
Pitt’s offense came alive after the WVU touchdown. Desmond Reid got the next drive started with a nine-yard run, and Holstein picked up a first down with an eight-yard pass to Kenny Johnson. On the next play, Holstein and Johnson connected down the left side for 42 yards, but the offense stalled inside the 20 and Ben Sauls finished the drive with a 31-yard field goal.
West Virginia 7, Pitt 3 - 6:17, 1st quarter
Pitt’s defense held WVU to a three-and-out on the next possession, and the Panthers’ offense took over at its own 28. A back pass to Reid lost seven yards on first down, but Pitt got all of that and more back when Holstein’s second-down pass to Johnson was deflected - only for Johnson to grab it out of midair and pick up 21 yards.
A 13-yard pass to Mumpfield kept the chains moving, as did a 21-yard check-down to Reid and a 12-yard scramble by Holstein that moved the ball to the 11. On second-and-8 from the 9, Holstein stepped up in the pocket and found Reid in the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown pass to take the lead.
Pitt 10, West Virginia 7 - 0:30, 1st quarter
SECOND QUARTER
West Virginia had the ball to open the second quarter and drove across midfield on a Greene pass to tight end Kole Taylor that picked up 17 yards. WVU then converted a third-and-2 from the Pitt 35 with a horse collar penalty on Pitt defensive end Jimmy Scott. That penalty moved the ball to the 20, where Greene and Taylor connected for a 15-yard gain on a screen pass. One snap later, White took a handoff and ran five yards for a touchdown.
West Virginia 14, Pitt 10 - 11:54, 2nd quarter
Pitt had an answer for the West Virginia touchdown, although the ensuing drive almost ended before it got started when Holstein was sacked for a nine-yard loss on first down during a failed flea-flicker attempt. A defensive holding penalty on third-and-long kept the drive alive, though, and an 11-yard run by Reid plus a pair of passes to Raphael Williams moved the ball inside the 20. After a few penalties on both teams, Holstein stepped up in the pocket on second-and-10 from the 19 and found Reid for his second touchdown pass of the game.
Pitt 17, West Virginia 14 - 7:01, 2nd quarter
West Virginia got the ball to midfield on its next drive, but on third-and-10 from the 50, Greene missed his target and Pitt redshirt freshman safety Cruce Brookins recorded his first career interception to get the ball back to the Panthers with four-plus minutes left in the half.
Pitt took the ball at its own 20 and picked up one first down plus more to get close to midfield. But on fourth-and-1 from the Pitt 49, Holstein attempted a shovel pass of sorts to Johnson, and the play lost a yard, giving West Virginia possession at the Pitt 48 with 1:27 left in the half.
Greene did the heavy lifting on the Mountaineers’ drive, scrambling for 23 yards to overcome a holding penalty and move the ball to the 35. Three plays later, WVU kicker Michael Hayes converted a 44-yard attempt to send the game to halftime tied at 17-17.
Pitt 17, West Virginia 17 - 0:25, 2nd quarter
THIRD QUARTER
Pitt got the ball to open the second half but couldn’t do anything with the possession and had to punt after going three-and-out. Caleb Junko’s punt pinned WVU at its own 13, and Pitt’s defense forced the Mountaineers into fourth-and-3 at the 33 after giving up a first down.
But WVU punter Oliver Straw read Pitt’s punt return unit and made a rather casual run for 12 yards to pick up a first down.
Three plays later, the Panthers had the Mountaineers in fourth down again, and this time, redshirt freshman Maverick Gracio blocked Straw’s punt. Brandon George picked up the ball and ran 24 yards to the end zone to put the Panthers ahead by a touchdown.
Pitt 24, West Virginia 17 - 8:27, 3rd quarter
Pitt’s momentum from the blocked punt didn’t last. The Panthers had WVU in a third-and-8 from the Mountaineers’ 21, but defensive tackle Nick James was slow to get off the field, drawing a penalty flag. Greene saw the flag and threw deep down the left sideline for Jaden Bray. Ryland Gandy was in coverage but slipped, and Bray made the catch for a 44-yard gain. Greene ran for 15 yards on the next play and then hit Preston Fox for a 12-yard pickup on a screen pass. Two plays later, Donaldson ran into the end zone from four yards out to tie the score again.
Pitt 24, West Virginia 24 - 4:54, 3rd quarter
A pair of runs from Reid gave Pitt a first down on the Panthers’ next drive, but Holstein was sacked twice to force a fourth-and-25 and a punt. West Virginia drove into Pitt territory, but as the third quarter came to a close, the Mountaineers were facing a fourth-and-5 at the Panthers’ 36.
FOURTH QUARTER
Not surprisingly, WVU went for it on fourth down and converted with a seven-yard pass from Greene to Traylon Ray. A late hit out of bounds penalty on George pushed the ball to the Pitt 12 and an eight-yard run from Donaldson got it inside the 5. But Donaldson was stopped for a loss on second-and-2 from the 4 and Rashad Battle broke up Greene’s pass attempt to the end zone on third down, leading to a 23-yard field goal and another lead for WVU.
West Virginia 27, Pitt 24 - 11:19, 4th quarter
Pitt’s offense finally woke up after the WVU touchdown, and it was Holstein leading the charge. The Panthers’ quarterback scrambled for 34 yards on the first two plays of the drive and then hit Mumpfield for an 11-yard pass that drew an extra 15 thanks to a conduct penalty on WVU.
A pair of holding calls on Pitt pushed the offense back, but on second-and-30 from the 40, Holstein threw into the end zone for Daejon Reynolds, who made a miracle catch for a touchdown.
West Virginia 34, Pitt 31 - 3:06, 4th quarter
Pitt’s defense needed a big stand with time running out, and the Panthers got exactly that, as two Donaldson runs gained four yards before Jimmy Scott sacked Greene for an 11-yard loss.
After WVU punted, Pitt took the ball at its own 23 with 1:59 on the clock, and Holstein took over.
The redshirt freshman quarterback scrambled for seven yards on first down before connecting with Gavin Bartholomew for 17 yards and Mumpfield for 23 more. Then Holstein got into the red zone with a 17-yard scramble, and after a pass interference penalty put the ball at the 6, Holstein ran a draw for five yards.
On second-and-goal at the 1, Derrick Davis got the call and plunged into the end zone to give the Panthers the lead and, ultimately, the win.
Pitt 38, West Virginia 34 - 0:32, 4th quarter
Final: Pitt 38, West Virginia 34
