Pitt Pulls Away From Western Michigan Late for 34-13 Win

Nate Yarnell won his first career start as a Pitt Panther thanks to a stellar performance from the defense and Israel Abanikanda.

PITTSBURGH -- It wasn't pretty, but with the injury report growing by the snap, on the road against a motivated opponent and a redshirt freshman making his first start under center, the Pitt Panthers ground out a 34-13 win over the Western Michigan Broncos at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 

Israel Abanikanda's career-high 203 all-purpose yards and a solid defensive performance allowed Nate Yarnell to make simple plays as the emergency quarterback as Pitt pulled away late. 

The Panthers unsurprisingly ran on their first six plays of the game and nine of ten snaps during their first drive. Chunk plays from Abanikanda and C'Bo Flemister, plus a long completion from Yarnell to Konata Mumpfield, set up a career-long 48-yard field goal from Ben Sauls to put the Panthers out in front 3-0 midway through the first quarter. Their opening possession ate up 7:34 of game time. 

Pitt and Western Michigan traded three-and-outs then, on the Broncos' second possession, Maquis Williams picked off a bubble screen throw from Jake Salopek and took it 22 yards back to the endzone. Pitt led 10-0 after Sauls' extra point went through the uprights. 

Western Michigan's best offense proved to be mistakes from Pitt. The Panthers forced another three-and-out on the ensuing possession but coughed up the ball when Jehvon Lewis pushed a defender into returner Jaylon Barden. The Broncos recovered the ball at Pitt's 36 yard line, but managed just a field goal with the good field position.

As the quarter turned from first to second, Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti decided to turn Yarnell lose. He completed two of three passes for 59 yards, both to Jared Wayne, to put the Panthers in the redzone. Four straight runs from Abanikanda moved them up to the four yard line, but the drive ultimately stalled and Sauls cashed in another short field goal to make it 13-3 with 11:31 left in the half. 

The Broncos were finally able to move the ball on their next possession. La'Darius Jefferson and Mareyohn Hrabowski combined for 43 yards on the ground and Western Michigan reached Pitt's 23 yard line before having to settle for a field goal of their own. 

Pitt once again had to settle for a field goal attempt on their final possession of the half despite driving into the red zone, but Sauls' struggles from the Tennessee game reared their ugly heads as he pulled a 27-yard kick wide. 

The Broncos couldn't muster any offense on their next possession as the half closed. Pitt led by a touchdown, 13-6, at the break despite owning an 11-minute advantage in time of possession and outgaining Western Michigan by 152 yards. 

Western Michigan got the ball to start the second half but Salopek returned it to the Panthers in short order by lofting a deep ball that Erick Hallett picked off. Hallett turned the Broncos over again on their next possession - this time in the endzone with Western Michigan knocking on the door of a game-tying touchdown. 

Cignetti continued to dial up more aggressive play calls for Yarnell and the offense despite losing leading receiver Jared Wayne in the first half to injury. Aided by some tough running from his backs, the Panthers hit on a couple of long passes to Bub Means and Gavin Bartholomew. Abanikanda capped the three-play, 75-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run to put his team up 20-6. 

But the Broncos didn't go quietly. They snuck a touchdown drive of their own in right before the end of the third quarter. Salopek hit on a 44-yard pass to Anthony Sambucci on the first play of the drive and Sambucci threw one of his own to A.J. Abbot off a trick play. Abbot hauled in the second pass for a 31-yard touchdown to bring the margin back to seven points at the start of the final quarter. 

Pitt responded with a well-called drive. Abanikanda pounded the Broncos defense and gained yards in chunks. He got the Panthers to the goal line, where Yarnell threw his first career touchdown pass to Konata Mumpfield to extend Pitt's lead to 27-13 with 8:16 left in regulation. 

The Broncos ate up just one minute on their next possession - a three-and-out that lost eight yards. Pitt took the punt and bullied their way into the endzone on the next drive. Abanikanda and Vincent Davis combined for 64 yards on the ground and Daniel Carter punched in a three-yard touchdown that iced the Panthers' third win of the young season.

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