Delaware Blue Hens vs Pittsburgh Panthers Match Player Stats On Aug 30, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 30, 2014

Pittsburgh 62, Delaware 0: Sophomore James Conner ran for 145 yards and four touchdowns as the host Panthers cruised past the Blue Hens in the season opener for both teams.

Conner was one of eight Panthers to run the ball as Pittsburgh finished with 407 yards on 55 carries. The dominant ground game and some conservative play-calling took pressure off sophomore quarterback Chad Voytik, who made his first career start and completed his first seven passes.

Senior quarterback Trent Hurley, a three-year starter for FCS Delaware, was intercepted three times, and completed only eight of 15 passes for 32 yards before giving way to senior Justin Burns in the second half. The Blue Hens, in their second season under coach Dave Brock, were held to six first downs en route to being shut out for the first time in 221 games.

Voytik, the third starting quarterback in three years under Panthers coach Paul Chryst, threw scoring passes to Tyler Boyd (14 yards) and Scott Orndoff (2 yards), and finished with 92 yards on 12-of-15 passing. Chris James ran for 78 yards and two scores and Pittsburgh controlled the ball for 33:13 as Chryst won a season opener for the first time after losses to Youngstown State (2012) and Florida State (2013).

The Panthers led 21-0 at the end of the first quarter, after not reaching 21 total in five of their games last season. They led 42-0 at the half, and held the Blue Hens to 71 total yards for the game.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Panthers are 11-1 all-time against the FCS, including that 31-17 loss to the Penguins in Chryst’s debut in 2012. … Voytik fell way below the completion totals of the last two Pittsburgh starters in their debuts. In 2010, Tino Sunseri completed 16 passes, and last season, Tom Savage completed 15. … Hurley’s streak of throwing at least one touchdown pass was stopped at 10 games.