Pittsburgh holds off Virginia Tech 35-33 after Hokies miss late field goal
The Panthers stayed unbeaten at 5-0 and 2-0 in the ACC, but lost starting quarterback Mason Heintschel to an injury.
What we know
- Pittsburgh beat Virginia Tech 35-33 at Lane Stadium on Friday and improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. [1] [2]
- Virginia Tech kicker John Love missed a 36-yard field goal as time expired, according to The Associated Press. [2]
- Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions in the loss, which dropped the Hokies to 4-1 and 1-1 in the ACC. [1]
- Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Heintschel left the game on the fourth play of the second half with an injury, according to the AP. [2]
- Not yet confirmed: The severity of Heintschel's injury has not been disclosed. Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi did not give specifics after the game, the AP reported.
Pittsburgh survived a last-second field goal attempt to beat Virginia Tech 35-33 on Friday at Lane Stadium, staying unbeaten at 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. [1] The AP reported that the Panthers are one of three unbeaten teams in the ACC. [2]
Virginia Tech (4-1, 1-1) had a chance to win on its final possession. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer drove the Hokies 62 yards, and kicker John Love's 36-yard attempt went wide left as time expired, according to the AP. [2]
Grunkemeyer completed 30 of 41 passes for 434 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Receiver Que'Sean Brown caught seven passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. [1] The AP reported that Grunkemeyer's yardage was a career high and that Virginia Tech outgained Pittsburgh 499-295. [2]
Pittsburgh's Ja'Kyrian Turner ran 14 times for 65 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Cataurus Hicks had three catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns. [1] Heintschel completed 10 of 18 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game. [1]
Backup quarterback Holden Geriner replaced Heintschel and completed 8 of 12 passes for 78 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown pass to Hicks early in the fourth quarter, according to the AP. That score put Pittsburgh ahead 35-24. [2]
The AP described the turning point as coming late in the first half. Virginia Tech led 14-0 at one point and 14-7 after the first quarter, but Cameron Lindsey intercepted Grunkemeyer, and Heintschel hit Hicks with a 22-yard touchdown pass with 31 seconds left to make it 24-21 at halftime. That was the first of four Hokies turnovers, which Pittsburgh turned into 14 points, the AP reported. [1][2]
Pittsburgh took the lead for good on a 15-yard touchdown run by Damon Ferguson Jr. on its first drive of the second half. Grunkemeyer's 28-yard touchdown pass to Davion Brown with 10:07 left cut the margin to two points. [2]
"Just finding a different way to win," Narduzzi said. Virginia Tech coach James Franklin said the Hokies would find "20 plays that we could have made" when they review the game film. [2]
Pittsburgh hosts North Carolina on Oct. 10. Virginia Tech plays at California the same day. [2]