SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 22, 2014
Pittsburgh 30, Syracuse 7: Chad Voytik threw two touchdown passes and Chris James ran for 122 yards as the host Panthers prevailed over the Orange in ACC action.
Voytik completed 14-of-20 passes for 189 yards as Pittsburgh (5-6, 3-4) remained alive for a bowl berth and can become eligible for the postseason with a win next week at Miami (Fla.). The Panthers' rushing game accounted for 256 yards with James (19 carries) and Isaac Bennett (11 attempts, 75 yards) doing the bulk of the damage.
Syracuse's A.J. Long and Mitch Kimble combined to go 10-of-25 for 149 yards, and each freshman quarterback threw an interception. Ron Thompson's 1-yard TD run in the third quarter accounted for all the offense for the Orange (3-8, 1-6), who have lost eight of their last nine.
The Panthers led 17-0 at halftime behind a first-quarter 1-yard TD run by James Conner and an 11-yard TD strike from Voytik to Dontez Ford late in the second period. Chris Blewitt made a 46-yard field goal in the second quarter and added kicks of 31 yards and 46 yards in the second half to pad Pitt's cushion.
Voytik's TD pass to Tyler Boyd - a 49-yard strike in the first minute of the fourth quarter - essentially sealed the win. Boyd finished with 126 yards on seven receptions to lead all players in both categories.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Ford contributed 24 yards on two catches. ... Freshman WR Steve Ishmael led the Orange with 97 yards on six receptions. ... Pitt controlled the ball for nearly 39 minutes and had only one turnover, while Syracuse had three miscues.