Pittsburgh Panthers vs Syracuse Orange Match Player Stats On Oct 24, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Oct 24, 2015

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A 12-yard pass from punter Ryan Winslow to middle linebacker Matt Galambos kept alive a drive that ended with the winning field goal as No. 25 Pittsburgh outlasted Syracuse 23-20 Saturday at the Carrier Dome.

Set up to punt on fourth-and-7 from their own 48, the Panthers snapped the ball to Winslow, who raced to the edge of the line of scrimmage and floated a pass to Galambos, who rumbled to the Syracuse 40. Pittsburgh moved to the Orange 6 before kicker Chris Blewitt drilled a 24-yard field goal on the last play of the game.

Syracuse freshman quarterback Eric Dungey left the game for two plays and was taken to the locker room early in the third quarter. He tossed interceptions on back-to-back attempts in the third quarter after throwing just one pick in his first 115 attempts this season.

The Panthers (6-1, 4-0 ACC) wasted the first interception by Galambos. But Pittsburgh cashed in on the second interception by cornerback Lafayette Pitts, who returned his pick 17 yards to the Syracuse 44. Tailback Qadree Ollison, a one-time Syracuse recruit, rushed six times for 37 yards on the drive that ended with his 1-yard touchdown run that gave Pittsburgh a 20-17 lead.

Dungey responded with a 26-yard run as Syracuse drove into position for kicker Cole Murphy's 37-yard field goal that tied the score 20-20.

Ollison led the Panthers' offense with 105 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns, while wide receiver Tyler Boyd had 12 receptions for 93 yards. Quarterback Nate Peterman completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards.

Dungey completed 21 of 30 passes for 210 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Wide receiver Steve Ishmael caught seven passes for 114 yards and one touchdown.

The Orange (3-4, 1-2) led 17-13 at the half after the teams combined to score 17 points in the final 1:37 of the second quarter. Pittsburgh tied the score 10-10 on Ollison's 2-yard touchdown plunge that capped a 14-play, 70-yard drive with 1:37 left in the half.

Syracuse answered with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that took only 1:11 and was highlighted by Dungey's 40-yard pass to Ishmael. Dungey and Ishmael finished the drive with a 4-yard score on a slant and the Orange grabbed a 17-10 lead.

With only 26 seconds left in the half, the Orange kicked short to stay away from the dangerous Boyd. Pitts returned the ball 21 yards and the Panthers gained 15 more yards on a personal foul penalty on Syracuse kicker Ryan Norton at the end of the play. Pittsburgh gained 29 yards on two plays and ended the half on Blewitt's 30-yard field goal that hit the left crossbar and caromed through to make it 17-13.

Blewitt, whose school-record 56-yard field goal with 1:11 left gave the Panthers a 31-28 win at Georgia Tech last week, opened the scoring with a 33-yard field goal in the first quarter. Blewitt also missed a 50-yard attempt near the end of the first quarter.

After Blewitt's made field goal, the Orange ran two plays: running back Jordan Fredericks' 55-yard scamper and Dungey's 20-yard touchdown swing pass to hybrid back Ervin Phillips. Syracuse increased its lead to 10-3 midway through the second quarter on Murphy's 23-yard field goal that capped a 17-play, 62-yard drive.

NOTES: Coaches Pat Narduzzi of Pittsburgh and Scott Shafer of Syracuse are longtime friends and colleagues who worked together as assistants at Northern Illinois (2000-02) and Rhode Island (1993-95). Narduzzi is one of 22 head coaches who have been named candidates for the 2015 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award. ... With 12 receptions Saturday, Pittsburgh WR Tyler Boyd increased his career reception total to 216, which is No. 1 on the Panthers' all-time list ahead of such greats as Larry Fitzgerald, Antonio Bryant and Devin Street. ... Former Big East Conference rivals Pittsburgh and Syracuse have played every year since 1955, when both schools were independent. The Panthers lead the series 37-31-3 and have won 12 of the last 14 meetings.