Ball State is more famous for being the alma mater of David Letterman than being a football power. On Saturday at Heinz Field, the 11th ranked Panthers played like they were watching Letterman not like the 11th ranked team in the nation before a huge third quarter gave Pitt a 42-21 victory over the Cardinals.
As the first half drew to a close, head coach Walt Harris and his Panthers went into the locker room tied 14-14.
After a scoreless first quarter, Pitt came to life on their first possession of the second quarter. Senior quarterback Rod Rutherford hit tight end Kris Wilson for 17 yards and a first down. On the next play, Rutherford hit Larry Fitzgerald for a 37-yard touchdown pass. David Abdul added the PAT and Pitt led 7-0.
After a three and out by Ball State, senior running back Brandon Miree capped a seven play 44 yard drive with a 24 yard run to give Pitt a 14-0 lead after Abdul’s extra point.
Ball State fought back and scored on two touchdown passes from Talmadge Hill to Dante Ridgeway that covered 10 and 18 yards respectively and tied the score at 14-14 at the half.
“Why we didn’t play consistently — I’ll take responsibility for that,” said Pitt coach Walt Harris, whose team has won 17 of its past 21 and is 21-0 against MAC schools. “I know we’re better than that, and I have to do a better job.”
Pitt ammassed six false starts, fumbled three times and committed numerous mistakes and still blew out Ball State.
“It changes your mind-set when you have a first-and-15 instead of first-and-10,” said Harris, whose team amassed 188 yards on the ground. “You get a six-yard run on first down and you still need nine more yards. You get way behind on down and distances.”
Pitt added three touchdowns in the third quarter.
Rutherford, who went 10-11 in the third stanza hit Princell Brockenbrough for a 27-yard TD to make the score 21-14 in favor of the Panthers. On its next posession, Miree capped off a six play 51 yard drive with a five-yard run to make it 28-14 game.
The Pitt defense held Ball State to just 10 yards in the third quarter got the ball back to Rutherford and the offense. The senior QB hooked up with Fitzgerald for a 26-yard TD pass. Abdul’s PAT made it 35-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
Pitt and Kent State traded fourth quarter TD’s and the Panthers moved to 2-0 with a 42-21 victory.
“We have another MAC team next week in Toledo,” Harris said. “MAC tams have a way of rising up and biting people. We saw Toledo end Marshall’s home winning streak (Friday). We know they’ll be a challenge.”
Panther notes: The Panthers are 21-0 against MAC Conference foes… for the second straight week, people from Tyrone were featured on the Heinz Field jumbotron scoreboard. In the opener, Jared and Bob Fuoss were holding a Pitt flag and Saturday, John Roseberry and his brother were featured during shots of the crowd… Tyrone alum Doug Roseberry and Huntingdon alum J.B. Gibboney dressed but did not see action.
