Pitt Contains Duke Run Game, Survives for Seventh Win

The Pitt Panthers contained one of the best rushing attacks in the ACC to beat Duke on senior day.

PITTSBURGH -- On a chilly senior day on Pittsburgh's North Shore, the Pitt Panthers put the ACC's second most-prolific rushing offense on ice. They held Duke to just 63 yards on the ground and took care of business, closing out the 2022 home slate with a win that was close thanks only to a near collapse in the fourth quarter. 

Following a three-and-out from Duke on the first possession of the game, the Panthers were gifted good field position by a shanked punt. They picked up a first down but gained just 27 yards. On fourth and three, Ben Sauls attempted and made a 47-yard field goal to put Pitt up 3-0 early. 

Duke made some special teams magic of their own, blocking Pitt's first punt off the day off the boot of Caleb Junko. Chandler Rivers' deflection set the Blue Devils up in Pitt territory and five plays later, Riley Leonard connected with Jalon Calhoun, who beat Erick Hallett on a wheel route, for a 28-yard touchdown that put Duke up 7-3 with 3:28 

Special teams - namely punting - continued to dictate the game when Duke return man, Calhoun touched a bouncing punt. Long snapper James Fineran recovered the muff for Pitt at the six-yard line and Israel Abanikanda did the rest, rushing six yards for a touchdown to reclaim the lead at 10-7.

The Panthers extended their lead to 13-7 when Sauls converted a season-long 51-yard field goal. Kedon Slovis connected with Jared Wayne for 35 yards through the air to set up the score. 

Duke responded quickly, though. Pitt was able to manage a stop on third down but a roughing the punter penalty on Javon McIntyre gave the Blue Devils new life around midfield. Leonard then hit Jordan Moore along the sideline for a spectacular 21-yard catch. They converted on fourth and less than a yard inside the Panthers' 10-yard line and scored a touchdown one play later when Leonard snuck in behind his offensive line.

Pitt answered right before the half with a well-executed two-minute drill. Led by Slovis, they marched 73 yards in 10 plays to score a touchdown right before the halftime buzzer. He completed five of eight passes for 71 yards and scrambled to convert on a key third down and six. He capped the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Wayne to put the Panthers up 20-14 as they headed to the locker room. 

They got the ball back after intermission with a chance to build upon the strong half-closing drive, but a miscommunication between Slovis and Abankanda ended in an easy interception for Duke's Datrone Young. The defense held up and got their team the ball back, but Slovis threw yet another poor interception back across his body to the middle of the field. It proved inconsequential, as the defense bailed him out again with a stop. 

The defense came up big again after the game turned to the fourth quarter. David Green forced a fumble out of Jordan Waters' hands and Brandon Hill scooped then scored for the Panthers' fifth defensive touchdown of the year. Hill's score put the home team up 28-14 after Abanikanda rushed in a two-point conversion with 13:30 left to play. 

But Duke would not go quietly. Leonard answered in a big way by striking on a 49-yard touchdown pass to Moore, who torched the Panthers repeatedly throughout the second half. The Blue Devils failed an oddly-timed two-point conversion but still trailed by just a touchdown at 28-20 with 9:28 left to play. 

Duke drove back down deep into Panther territory thanks to more big gains on third down for Moore, but A.J. Woods halted the Devils on fourth and five with a pass break up to give Pitt the ball back with 3:39 left to play. The Panther proceeded to run three plays, lose 15 yards and eat up just 24 seconds of clock before punter Caleb Junko let the ensuing punt snap slide through his hands. He fell on the ball, but Duke was set up at Pitt's 22 yard line. 

They put the favorable field position to good use, converting on fourth and 19 and scoring even, to bring themselves within two points at 26-28. They attempted a double reverse on the necessary two-point conversion, but SirVocea Dennis sacked Moore in the backfield while he looked for an open receiver. 

Erick Hallett recovered the onside kick to put a bow on the seventh win of the Panthers' season. 

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