Recap: Pitt Holds Off Orange, 27-20

Friday, October 18

Syracuse, NY

7 PM

Syracuse University

3-4 , 0-3

Pittsburgh

5-2 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Pittsburgh

Syracuse

10/18/2019 11:15:00 PM | Football

Box Score Highlights Photo Gallery Dino Babers Press Conference Andre Cisco & Kendall Coleman Press Conference Clayton Welch Press Conference Postgame Notes Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Reserve quarterback Clayton Welch directed a late Syracuse (3-4, 0-3 ACC) comeback, but it was not enough and Pittsburgh (5-2, 2-1 ACC) defeated the Orange 27-20 at the Dome on Friday, Oct. 18.

Pitt's nationally-ranked pass rush harassed Syracuse quarterbacks all evening and finished with a combined nine sacks by 11 different players. Junior quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 18-of-33 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Panthers.

The game marked the fifth straight Syracuse-Pitt clash played at the Dome that was decided by one score.

QUOTABLE
"I really thought that the young men did fight. I appreciate the effort that was given of not giving up and giving us an opportunity in the fourth quarter," Orange head coach Dino Babers said. "Obviously, it would have been fantastic if we'd have found a way to stop them at the end or get a turnover somewhere where we had one more opportunity to see if we could have done a better job than we did the previous week and get the ball in the end zone."

WELCH LEADS RALLY
Redshirt senior Clayton Welch saw the first significant action of his Orange career in relief of regular signal-caller Tommy DeVito and helped engineer a Syracuse comeback.

Welch opened the second quarter at quarterback and converted a third-down play by executing a 23-yard quarterback draw. DeVito re-entered the contest and guided the Orange to the Pittsburgh 2-yard line before the Orange opted for a 20-yard field goal by Andre Szmyt. Szmyt's kick narrowed the Syracuse deficit to 10-6.

Two Orange possessions later, Welch was back in the game on a third-and-4. This time his run resulted in 18 yards and a first down. Welch took the next three snaps, but the drive stalled and Syracuse was forced to punt.

DeVito started the first two series of the second half with the Orange trailing, 24-6. On a second-and-10 from the Syracuse five, DeVito scrambled. He was hit hard and fumbled. The Orange recovered, but Babers elected to remove DeVito from the game to try and preserve his body. Welch returned and immediately lofted a long pass to Taj Harris that resulted in a 94-yard touchdown. It was the longest completion of Welch's career and equaled the second-longest passing play in team history.

Welch marched the Orange on a 12-play, 53-yard drive in the fourth quarter that was finished off by his 7-yard scoring toss to junior tight end Aaron Hackett. Szmyt's point after made the score 27-20 with 2:44 left on the clock.

On the ensuing Pitt possession, defensive tackle Kenneth Ruff appeared to wrestle the ball from running back Vincent Davis. The officials ruled Davis was down before the ball came out and the Panthers were able to secure another first down to run out the clock.

SACKED
Pittsburgh came into the encounter ranked second nationally at 4.5 sacks per game. The Panthers surpassed their average just past the midway point of the second quarter. Pitt finished the evening with nine sacks for 60 yards in losses.

EXCHANGING FIELD GOALS
The two teams traded field goals to open the game's scoring. Pitt got on the board first with a 47-yarder from junior Alex Kessman at the 5:45 mark of the first quarter.

The Orange were forced to punt on the next possession, but redshirt senior Sterling Hofrichter's kick was mishandled by Maurice Ffrench and Cameron Jordan recovered for Syracuse at the Pitt 46. Tommy DeVito teamed with Nykeim Johnson on a 29-yard that moved the ball to the Panther 22. The Orange made their way inside the 10, but the drive stalled. Szmyt kicked a 28-yard field goal to tie things at 3-3 with 3:07 remaining in the opening stanza.

Szmyt a 20-yard field goal in the second quarter, while Kessman kicked a 34-yarder with 7:03 left in the contest. Kessman's boot put the Panthers in front, 27-13.

PANTHER PASSING FANCY
Kenny Pickett's first touchdown pass went down as a 43-yarder to senior Aaron Mathews, but the actual play included two laterals before the ball was back in Pickett's hands to make the threw. The score put the Panthers ahead to stay, 10-3, with 1:23 to go in the first quarter.

Late in the second quarter, Pickett connected with Maurice Ffrench for a 14-yard touchdown. The extra point from Kessman sent the visitors into the locker room up, 24-6.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

Welch's 94-yard touchdown pass to Harris equaled the second-longest passing play in school history. The record is a 96-yard scoring throw from Donovan McNabb to Marvin Harrison against West Virginia on Oct. 21, 1995. Welch's play covered the same distance as a McNabb-to-Quinton Spotwood touchdown versus East Carolina on Oct. 4, 1997.
Welch entered the game with one career rush for three yards. He bettered that on his first attempt, a 23-yard draw. Welch finished as Syracuse's top ground-gainer on the evening with 36 yards on 10 carries.
Pitt's other touchdown was scored on a 5-yard run by junior A.J. Davis in the second quarter.
Senior linebacker Andrew Armstrong led all Syracuse's defenders with nine tackles. Redshirt junior defensive tackle Josh Black had five stops, including two of the Orange's three quarterback sacks.
Welch completed 8-of-20 passes for 176 yards and the two touchdowns to finish with 212 yards of total offense.
Harris amassed a career-high 111 receiving yards. It was the second 100-yard game for Harris in Syracuse's last three outings.

UP NEXT
The Orange head back out on the road next week for an ACC Atlantic Division clash with Florida State. Kickoff between the Orange and Seminoles is slated for 3:30 p.m. on either ACC Network, ESPN or ESPN2.

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