Published Dec 26, 2019
Pitt wins Quick Lane Bowl 34-30
Jim Hammett  •  Pitt Sports News
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Pitt is getting set to take on Eastern Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl. The Panthers are looking for their first 8-win season since 2016. Pat Narduzzi is also looking for his first-ever bowl win as a head coach as Pitt looks to snap a four-game losing streak in bowl games.

First Quarter

Eastern Michigan 3, Pitt 0 10:04

Chad Ryland 36-yard field goal

Eastern Michigan's opening drive was able to find some success with the screen game and some misdirections, not allowing Pitt's pass rush to make its presence felt. The Eagles marched down the field and picked up third-down conversions with three quarterback sneaks on third-and-one chances.

The Pitt defense tightened up a bit in the redzone and forced a field goal. Eastern Michigan's drive went 57-yards on 13 plays. Quarterback Mike Glass went 5-of-9 for 40 yards.

8:46 Kenny Pickett fumble

Pitt came out with some rhythm on its opening drive. Pickett started the game 3-of-3 for 24 yards. On a quarterback read option, Pickett opted to keep the ball and had positive yardage on the first down play for 10 yards, but it was a ruled a fumble and it was recovered by Eastern Michigan at its own 46-yard line negating some momentum for the Pitt offense.

Eastern Michigan 10, Pitt 0 6:46

Mike Glass 3-yard touchdown run

Eastern Michigan wasted little time capitalizing on Pitt's miscue. Mike Glass hooked up with Hassan Beydoun for a 35-yard completion to set up deep in Pitt territory. A pass interference penalty on Pitt's Damarri Mathis gave Eastern Michigan the ball at the 8-yard line. Eventually Glass rushed it in from 3-yards out to give EMU the two-score lead right off the bat.

3:13 Alex Kessman missed field goal

Pitt had a little bit of a drive going. The Panthers picked up three first downs, one via a hands to the face penalty on Eastern Michigan, but the drive stalled and the Panthers were forced to attempt a long field goal, and Michigan-native Alex Kessman's kick sailed wide left.

Second Quarter

Eastern Michigan 10, Pitt 3 13:43

Alex Kessman 44-yard field goal

Pitt had another solid drive going, but sputtered a bit as it got closer to the end zone, a lingering issues all season. The Panthers operated a 9-play 43-yard drive that was started on a 17-yard run by Shocky Jacques-Louis. Maurice Ffrench hauled in three straight passes to keep the chains moving, but then Pitt went to a wildcat set and that slowed things down, and eventually Pitt had to settle for 3 points.

Pitt 10, Eastern Michigan 10

Kenny Pickett 96-yard yard touchdown pass to Maurice Ffrench 11:57

After a scoreless first quarter, Pitt has scored twice in the second quarter to tie the game. Kenny Pickett hooked up with Maurice Ffrench for a 96-yard catch and run. Alex Kessman added the extra point to tie the game. Maurice Ffrench now has 91 catches on the season, tied for the second most in a single season by a Pitt wide receiver with Tyler Boyd. One play, 96-yard drive.

Eastern Michigan 17, Pitt 10 10:04

Mike Glass 50-yard touchdown pass to Quian Williams

Eastern Michigan answered quickly with a 4-play 75-yard drive. The score happened on a 50-yard touchdown as Pitt cornerback Damarri Mathis tipped the ball and it fell right into Quian Williams' hands as he raced into the endzone for a score. Tough break for Pitt after getting a hand on the pass.

Pitt 17, Eastern Michigan 17 6:20

Vincent Davis 8-yard touchdown

Pitt operated a quick, 8-play 75-yard drive in 3:44 to answer Eastern Michigan right back and tie the game up at 17. All 17 of Pitt's points have been scored in the second quarter as the offense has seemingly come to life.

Vincent Davis darted up the middle for a touchdown run on a 3rd-and-1 from the 8-yard line. Davis now has a team-high 5 rushing touchdowns on the season as a true freshman. Davis is up to 33 yards on 7 carries on the day.

Eastern Michigan 20, Pitt 17 1:32

Chad Ryland 45-yard field goal

The Eagles answered Pitt's quick drive with a scoring drive of their own. Chad Ryland booted his second field goal of the game to give Eastern Michigan the lead right back after Pitt had tied it up. Pitt will get one more drive before halftime.

Third Quarter 6:40

Not a lot of action happening in the third quarter now as each team has traded possessions. Pitt has punted twice, Eastern Michigan once, and the Eagles will be backed up at their own 12-yard line to start a drive at the 6:40 mark.

Pitt 20, Eastern Michigan 20 4:16

Alex Kessman 51-yard field goal

Following a Damar Hamlin interception, nearly the entire Pitt defense was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty for a celebration. Those 15-yards may have cost Pitt an opportunity for a touchdown. The Panthers had to settle for a long Alex Kessman field goal attempt after Vincent Davis fumbled on third down. It was a four play, negative-four yard drive for Pitt.

Fourth Quarter

Eastern Michigan 27, Pitt 20 10:45

Mike Glass 10 yard touchdown pass to Arthur Jackson

Eastern Michigan opened the fourth quarter in the midst of an 11-play 63-yard drive and capped it off on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Mike Glass, his second scoring toss of the game. It also marked the first points Eastern Michigan scored in the second half after struggling heavily in the third quarter.

Pitt 27, Eastern Michigan 27 8:22

Kenny Pickett 19-yard touchdown to Jared Wayne

It did not take Pitt very long to get that score back. The Pitt offense engineered a quick-strike 6-play 75-yard drive in 2:16 capped off by a touchdown pass from Pickett to Wayne across the middle on third and long. Pitt had plays of 15, 14, 28, 11, 19 yards on the drive.

Eastern Michigan 30, Pitt 27 6:00

Chad Ryland 49-yard field goal

Eastern Michigan goes ahead on a field goal with six minutes remaining.

Pitt 34, Eastern Michigan 30 Final

Kenny Pickett 25-yard touchdown pass to Taysir Mack :47

Pitt operated a 10-play 91-yard touchdown drive in less than two minutes to win the Quick Lane Bowl. It was a well-executed 2-minute drill with the game on the line. The drive resulted in a touchdown as Taysir Mack caught his first pass of the game from Kenny Pickett in the corner of the end zone.

The Pitt defense held Eastern Michigan out of the end zone in the final seconds to preserve the win thanks in large part to Phil Campbell's second sack of the game.

Pitt finishes 8-5 on the season and the team has now won it's first bowl game since the 2013 season, the Little Caesers Bowl, also played in Detroit snapping a four-game losing streak in bowl games.