6 fumbles. 6 fumbles lost. 5 of them in the first quarter alone on Pitt’s first 5 possessions. Georgia Tech racked up 612 total yards on 465 yards rushing and 147 yards passing and simply cruised by Pitt 56-28 in front of an announced crowd of 44,734 at Homecoming at Heinz Field today in Pittsburgh.
The turnovers started on Pitt’s first series when QB Chad Voytik fumbled on the Panthers’ second play from scrimmage. After Georgia Tech QB Justin Thomas scampered 33 yards to the Pitt 5 yard line on its first snap, Yellow Jackets halfback Broderick Snoddy then ran for 4 yards two plays later for the game’s first score. Georgia Tech led 7-0.
On Pitt’s very next series and 3rd snap in the game, RB James Conner busted a run off-tackle 75 yards and was about to tie the score when the ball was dislodged from behind at the 1 yard line and was fumbled forward into the endzone for a touchback.
Then 3 plays later, Thomas took advantage of busted coverage by Pitt’s linebackers and found WR Charles Perkins wide-open for 79 yards for an easy touchdown. Thomas would finish the day 5 of 10 passing for 147 yards along with 15 carries for 92 yards rushing and a TD. Georgia Tech led 14-0.
In a matter of 2 plays, Pitt fumbled for a 3rd time when senior RB Isaac Bennett fumbled a handoff at the Pitt 14 yard line. On the very next snap, Thomas ran the read-option to the house and Yellow Jackets held a stunning 21-0 lead over Pitt at the 10:46 mark of the 1st Quarter.
On Pitt’s next possession, Voytik found WR Tyler Boyd for 11 yards and the ball was once again fumbled at the Pitt 35 yard line. Boyd’s elbow, however, looked down on the play. He would finish the day with 9 catches for 137 yards.
Nonetheless 2 plays later, Snoddy ran it in from 34 yards out to put Georgia Tech up 28-0 over Pitt in what felt like a blink of an eye. Snoddy only rushed 6 times for 82 yards on the day but Yellow Jackets fullback Synjyn Days ran 22 times for 110 yards, mostly up the middle.
In the 2nd Quarter, Pitt was able to exact some measure of revenge through the air. First, Voytik found Boyd for 2 yards, then TE JP Holtz for 9 yards followed by Boyd again for 21 yards to the Yellow Jackets 33 yard line. Voytik then looked to freshman RB Chris James for a 23 yard passing play and a 6 yard run to lead Pitt to the Georgia Tech 10 yard line.
Voytik’s aerial assault once again found Holtz in the end zone but the ball only reached the 1 yard line where a play later, Conner bull-rushed his way to a score. Georgia Tech led 28-7.
After the Pitt defense stopped the Yellow Jackets on the next series, the Panthers then went back to the ground. Voytik rushed 8 yards followed by a big 50 yard run from tailback Rachid Ibrahim to the Georgia Tech 13 yard line.
On 3 subsequent plays, Conner would burst 4 yards into the endzone to pull Pitt within 28-14 where the game would stand at halftime.
In the 2nd half, it was all Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets received a big break from the replay officials on their first series when Thomas found WR DeAndre Smelter for 18 yards on a 3rd down play that clearly looked like the ball hit the ground.
A demoralized Pitt defense then watched Snoddy scamper 28 yards to put the Yellow Jackets up 35-14 at the 11:16 mark of the 3rd quarter.
On the next series, Pitt answered when Voytik found Boyd 3 times on passing plays of 21, 8 and 21 yards that eventually led to Conner bruising off-tackle 16 yards for a Panthers touchdown. Conner would finish the day with 10 carries for 120 yards and 3 TDs but Georgia Tech led 35-21.
After stopping Pitt in its first possession of the 4th quarter, Georgia Tech’s halfback Tony Zenon salted the game with a huge 57 yard TD run untouched to put the Yellow Jackets up 42-21.
On the Panthers next possession, Voytik couldn’t handle a high snap from center Alex Officer and Pitt fumbled for a 6th time on the day at its own 8 yard line. Georgia Tech halfback Deon Hill ran it in untouched from there to put the Yellow Jackets up 48-21.
After backup Pitt QB Trey Anderson found Bennett for a 35 yard TD pass on Pitt’s next series, Georgia Tech put the last touches on the game when seldom-used fullback Matt Connors scored from 6 yards out en route to the 56-28 Yellow Jackets win.
Next up: Duke at Pitt, Sat 11/1 at 12pm Noon EST, Heinz Field, Pittsburgh. TV: ESPNU