Big East: Pitt stages big rally, defeats I-AA team in OT
By Associated Press
Published September 26, 2004
PITTSBURGH - Pitt scored 21 fourth-quarter points and Josh Cummings kicked a 37-yard field goal in overtime for a 41-38 victory over Furman on Saturday.
Pitt's Tyler Palko, who entered with a 43.8 completion percentage, was 30-of-36 for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Ingle Martin, who transferred from Florida, was 13-of-25 for 239 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions for Furman.
The Panthers trailed 31-17 with 11:33 left when Steve Buches caught an 8-yard touchdown from Palko.
Furman, ranked No.2 in the Sports Network I-AA poll, used a trick play to restore the 14-point lead. Isaac West took a handoff on an end-around and threw a pass to an open Brian Bratton for a 43-yard touchdown.
The Panthers used a 40-yard flea-flicker from Palko to Greg Lee to get to the Furman 1. Raymond Kirkley then scored to make it 38-31.
Pitt tied it with 3:44 left when Palko threw a 38-yard touchdown to Buches to cap an 83-yard drive.
Furman got the ball first in overtime, but Scott Beckler missed a 37-yard field goal. Cummings made the winner after the Panthers gained 6 yards on three running plays.
WEST VIRGINIA 45, JAMES MADISON 10: Rasheed Marshall threw two touchdowns to Chris Henry for the host Mountaineers.
The I-AA Dukes, on the schedule after Miami and Virginia Tech moved to the ACC, have been outscored 135-10 in their past three games against I-A teams.
West Virginia gained only 171 rushing yards on James Madison's eight-man front, 140 below its average. But Marshall was was 17-of-22 for 184 yards. His 5-yarder to Henry with 4:05 left in the first half made it 14-0.
Fourteen seconds later, Adam Lehnortt picked up Antoine Bolton's fumble and returned it 21 yards for a 21-0 halftime lead.
UCONN 40, ARMY 3: Dan Orlovsky threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns for the host Huskies, who extended Army's nation-high losing streak to 18.
Orlovsky capped UConn's opening 73-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dan Murray. He found Keron Henry less than two minutes later for a 45-yard score.
Late in the first half, Orlovsky hit Henry for a 15-yard touchdown. The two scores were a career best for Henry, a former quarterback who switched to wideout after Orlovsky became the starter in 2001.
