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E-mailSyracuse gives Pitt a run for its money — for one half
Pick six
AP
Ralph N. Paulk can be reached via e-mail or at 412-320-7923.
The Pitt Panthers staggered out of the gate against underdog Syracuse on Saturday at Heinz Field before finishing with a flurry.
Linebacker Greg Williams injected a shot of adrenaline into the Panthers when he pulled in Greg Paulus' errant pass with 1:20 left in the first half, then sprinted 51yards for a touchdown to give Pitt a 13-3 lead at halftime.
The pumped up Panthers, ignited by freshman tailback Dion Lewis and tight end Dorin Dickerson, pounced on the Orange in the third quarter to turn a squeaker into a 37-10 rout before a crowd of 46,885.
The Panthers (8-1, 5-0), who will face No.22 Notre Dame next Saturday night, again relied heavily on its ground game. Lewis, the leading rusher in the Big East, gained 118 yards on 18 carries and scored on a 1-yard run.
Quarterback Bill Stull wasn't spectacular, but efficient in completing 16 of 23 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown. Stull, sacked only four times in the first eight games, was sacked twice by the Orange.
While the Orange (3-6, 0-4) secondary clamped down on flanker Jonathan Baldwin, Dickerson tormented them with seven receptions for a career-high 118 yards. He put the game on ice with a 14-yard touchdown catch with 6:37 left in the third quarter to give Pitt a 27-3 lead. Baldwin jumpstart the 2-play, 75-yard scoring drive with a 61-yard run on a flanker reverse.
The Panthers, gearing up for an expected grueling finish that also includes rival West Virginia and No. 4 Cincinnati, opened the second half with a 9-play, 55-yard drive to take a 20-3 lead.
Lewis, reaching the 100-yard mark for the sixth time this season, took a screen pass 31 yards to the Syracuse 1. Two plays later, he plowed into the end zone behind right guard John Malecki.
The Panthers took a 30-3 when placekicker Dan Hutchins kicked his third field goal, a 33-yarder with 11:03 to go in the fourth quarter. Pitt, with Lewis rushing for 34 yards, covered 65 yards in 12 plays.
Syracuse entered the game with the conference's top rushing defense. But flanker Cedric McGee and Baldwin were unstoppable on the ground, rushing for 117 yards on three carries — including McGee's 66 yards and a 29-yard touchdown with 5:47 remaining.
The Pitt defense, which six times sacked Paulus and backup Ryan Nassib, allowed 100 yards rushing for the first time this season. Orange tailback Delone Carter totaled 143 yards, but had only 28 in the second half.
The Orange, getting a 58-yard run from Carter, rolled to the Pitt 11 before their drive stalled. Ryan Lichtenstein booted a 29-yard field goal at 12:21 to put Pitt in 3-0 hole.
The Panthers countered quickly on their first drive. After Cam Saddler stepped out at the Pitt 5 during the kick return, McGee gained 27 yards on a reverse and Dion Lewis ripped off runs of 22 and 9 yards to put the Panthers at the Syracuse 2.
But the Orange denied Pitt the end zone, and Hutchins kicked a 19-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-all with 8:05 left in the first quarter.
The Panthers leaned on Lewis' backup, Ray Graham, during 11-play, 55-yard drive that put them up 6-3. Hutchins matched a career high with a 45-yard field goal with 9:24 left in the second quarter.
