Conferences

Big East: Big third helps Pitt pull away

By Wire services
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 14, 2003

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PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh has turned two dominating quarters into two victories. What bothers it is it hasn't played a complete game against a lesser opponent.

Brandon Miree ran for three touchdowns and Rod Rutherford threw for three, helping Pittsburgh overwhelm Ball State 42-21 on Saturday.

Pittsburgh led 14-0, but Talmadge Hill hit Dante Ridgeway on touchdowns of 10 and 18 yards within 2:25 to tie it at halftime.

"We took this team seriously, but on both sides of the ball, we weren't focused," Miree said. "We didn't come out in the first half the way we can."

A week after scoring 28 in the second quarter against Kent State, the Panthers scored three touchdowns in just more than nine minutes in the third. Rutherford hit Princell Brockenbrough for a 27-yard touchdown. After Ball State went three-and-out, Miree scored from 5 yards. Rutherford then hit Larry Fitzgerald for a 26-yard touchdown to make it 35-14.

LOUISVILLE 30, SYRACUSE 20: Stefan LeFors threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns for the visiting Cardinals. LeFors threw touchdowns of 40 yards to former Gaither High standout J.R. Russell, 1 yard to D.J. Kamer and 24 yards to Michael Bush to give Louisville a 27-10 lead early in the second half.

Syracuse made it 27-20 on Walter Reyes' 35-yard touchdown run and Collin Barber's 37-yard field goal. The Orangemen later pinned the Cardinals at their 6. But LeFors hit Russell for 7 yards on third and 6. Russell then made a 40-yard diving catch, and Louisville kicked a 37-yard field goal with 6:58 left.

BC 24, UCONN 14: Derrick Knight rushed for 170 yards and Quinton Porter threw two touchdowns as the visiting Eagles ended the Huskies' six-game win streak.

Knight had 78 yards during the first half, including a 34-yarder on third and 3 to set up Sandro Sciortino's 40-yard field goal just before halftime. The Eagles began the seven-play drive on their 20 with less than two minutes left to take a 17-7 halftime lead.

CINCINNATI 15, WEST VIRGINIA 13: The visiting Bearcats earned their first victory against the Mountaineers in 13 tries.

Travis Garvin took a screen pass from Rasheed Marshall and ran 48 yards to give West Virginia a 13-12 lead midway through the third. But Chet Ervin's third field goal, a 37-yarder, gave the Bearcats the lead.

Lance Frazier's 27-yard punt return gave West Virginia the ball at the Cincinnati 49 with five minutes left, but Brad Cooper's 49-yard field goal went wide right.

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Conferences

Big East: Big third helps Pitt pull away

SEC: Georgia stifles South Carolina

State: UCF needs record day to rally, hold off FAU

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ACC: Boilermakers don't fall short this time

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