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December 27, 2009

Ending the Season Up

Filed under: Bowls,Football — Chas @ 9:59 am

Briefly, as I have to head home today.

So that’s what it is like to end the season with a win in late December. It’s only been 7 years so the feeling is unfamiliar.

The Meineke game ended like the UConn game, though, it could just as easily been like the Cinci game — except that UNC’s offense was definitely more UConn than Cinci as far as quick-strike ability. The view from Charlotte definitely was UConn-esque.

Leading by one point early in the fourth quarter, the Tar Heels downed a punt on Pittsburgh’s 5-yard line.

Little did they know, they wouldn’t get the ball back for more than eight minutes. No. 17-ranked Pittsburgh churned out one of the best drives in the Meineke Car Care Bowl’s eight-year history, going 79 yards in 17 plays and eating up 8 minutes and 47 seconds for the winning field goal in a 19-17 defeat of the Tar Heels at Bank of America Stadium.

The fourth game that ended up being decided in the final minutes. Pitt finished 2-2 in those games. As simple as it would be to talk/rant/complain about how Pitt could’ve-should’ve been 4-0, they just as easily could have been 0-4.

As is typical in games that end like this, the winning team fans and coverage talks of breathing a sigh of relief at overcoming mistakes, leaving points on the table and just finishing. On the other side, it is about too many mistakes, questionable play-calling, and just blowing it.

It was a familiar ending for UNC.

With the ACC’s best defense and one of the best in the country, the Tar Heels were one stop from their first bowl win in eight years. Instead of celebrating, UNC watched helplessly as Dan Hutchins’ 33-yard field goal lifted No. 17 Pitt to a 19-17 win at Bank of America Stadium.

No bowl win, no bandwagon. Instead of avenging last year’s bowl loss in Charlotte to a Big East team, the Heels got a serious case of deja vu.

They lost by a point to West Virginia in last year’s Meineke Bowl. Both times they led in the fourth quarter and looked like they were on their way to an elusive bowl win.

Instead, they’re 0-for-Charlotte, winless in three trips here in six years.

It also forced Butch Davis to do his best Dave Wannstedt impression on spinning the season as part of the journey.

Pile it all together and it was a 19-17 loss to a good Pittsburgh team.

Shifting his focus from what happened at Bank of America Stadium to take in a broader view, Davis was optimistic.

“The mileage we’ve made in three years, we’ve covered an awful lot of ground,” Davis said. “But we haven’t scratched the surface of where we want to go.”

From the Pitt side, the story was bowl MVP Dion Lewis, Dion Lewis, Dion Lewis.

Lewis’ record-setting effort was soured some when he lost his first fumble of the season after a 25-yard run vaulted him ahead of Dorsett. Lewis ran up the back of split end Jonathan Baldwin, and the ball squirted through the end zone for a touchback.

Lewis, whose 10th 100-yard rushing game also tied a freshman mark set by Dorsett, didn’t drop his head.

Instead, he energized the seemingly uninspired Panthers with a jaw-jarring 9-yard run with Pitt trailing North Carolina, 7-3. Then, he capped a three-play, 45-yard scoring drive with an 11-yard touchdown run around left end to give Pitt a 10-7 lead at the 11:08 mark of the second quarter.

“I made a costly turnover, and it nearly changed the game,” Lewis said. “It was a great feeling to know the coaches trusted me (on the game-winning drive) in a pressure situation.”

It’s not like anyone would have been insane enough to get off the horse that Pitt had ridden all season just for that fumble.

There will still be lots to dissect over the next week or so, what with recruiting  likely done for the most part and no games left. The one thing that was clear is that Mike Shanahan and Jonathan Baldwin will be big, excellent targets for whoever is under center next year. Shanahan emerged not just as a sure-handed target, but someone very willing to go over the middle to make the catches.





Chas – Thanks for all your effort in putting this site together and keeping it up for Pitt fans. Most breaking news on the program is found here first. Hoping you can keep it going.

If someone had suggested in August that Pitt could finish 10-3, challenge for the conference title, be within a short reach from victory in every game, that a freshman RB would make Shady a distant memory, that the QB controversy would evaporate, and Pitt would finish in the top 15…I would have suggested booking a room at Western Psych. It’s been a great season by a great bunch of kids, and a good job by the coaching staff. Hoping for more success next fall.

Comment by Dock71 12.27.09 @ 10:34 am

Too bad the attendance was so low. The Charlotte paper gives better coverage and information that the two newspaper that supply Pittsburgh.

Comment by mark 12.27.09 @ 11:09 am

Well said Dock! Thanks for the great site Chas and thanks Pitt for one of the best seasons in my recent memory. I and others I’m sure have been waiting for this for a long time. This should make for a great off season and excitement for Spring balland next season.

Does anyone know where there is a link on the web to a replay of this game? I’d like to watch again.

Hail to Pitt!

Comment by Pitt It Is 12.27.09 @ 11:57 am

…The other thing I forgot to write was what a great ending for the seniors that faught hard to get to this point. And to Bill Stull who fought through all sorts of ups and downs over his career to finish on the upside. Can’t wait to see the draft to see who goes where – should be a solid group of Panthers headed to the NFL.

Comment by Pitt It Is 12.27.09 @ 12:02 pm

Anybody need PITT-Syracuse Tickets? 304 row Q trying to sell em for $75. Not trying to advertise but……

link to cgi.ebay.com

Comment by Luke 12.27.09 @ 2:31 pm

Hail to Pitt! Wooooooooo!!!

Comment by dugdog 12.27.09 @ 3:40 pm

I can’t believe we get two more years of Dion Lewis. What’s the offensive line looking like for next year?

Comment by Chris 12.27.09 @ 4:34 pm

Chas,

From out here in Portland..a big thanks for all you do…this is my daily required intake of PITT vitamins, and you do a great job in letting the fans know what is happening.

Like PITT, keep up the great work—it is appreciated!

Hail to PITT!
-al-

Comment by Oregon_Panther 12.27.09 @ 5:11 pm

Chris, we have 3 O-linemen back that started yesterday. The 2 OTs (Pinkston & Nix) plus Jacobsen who started for the 1st time (in place of injured J Thomas) at guard and apparently did well. Also, Greg Gaskins got in on some action when Nix had equipment problems. The 5th starter could be John Turnley who was reported opened some eyes in preseason camp.

Thus, at this stage, it appears that we will have 1 Sr (Pinkston), 3 talented Jrs (Nix, Jacobsen & Giaskins) and 1 soph (Turnley) … but of course, pure speculation at this point, and it doesn’t take into account any freshmen OL who were redhsirted this year.

Comment by wbb 12.27.09 @ 5:27 pm

Pitt It Is:

If you are a nightowl or have a DVR, ESPN-U is replaying the game at 3:30 am Monday.

Comment by Greg in State College 12.27.09 @ 5:59 pm

It’s Ryan Turnley, not John Turnley, and he is a major drop off. But with Pinkston, Nixon, and Jacobson that should be a pretty good starting point. They need to find a few more, though.

Comment by Mark 12.27.09 @ 6:31 pm

thanks greg – might dvr it

Comment by Pitt It Is 12.27.09 @ 7:07 pm

Mark, since you’re so quick to correct others, it’s Nix, not Nixon 😉

Hail to Pitt!

Comment by dugdog 12.27.09 @ 7:45 pm

Is Pinkston comming back?

Comment by alcofan 12.27.09 @ 8:15 pm

FWIW, Greg Gaskins received raves from P Zeise when he subbed for Pinkston in pre-season .. and held his own vs Greg Romeus. On the other hand, e has very little actual playing experience.

If I recall correctly, Zeise in a recent Q&A thought Pinkston would definitely return since he would probably be not a first day draft pick.

Comment by wbb 12.27.09 @ 8:30 pm

[…] pointed it out briefly this morning how in a tight game like this the losing side will bemoan the mistakes their […]


Most media reports have indicated that both Pinkston and Romeus are likely to return since neither is likely to be a first round pick. The big holes next year will be center, QB, and cornerback. At QB and corner, there are options, but we really don’t know how good they are. Center might be the biggest offseason mystery.

Comment by Pantherman13 12.27.09 @ 10:36 pm

Chas,
I enjoy the site very much. I read it daily, especially during football season; you do a great job. Thanks for keeping it going. This has been a great football season. Pitt’s players and coaching staff deserve a lot of credit for their success, and for fighting through adversity during the year. Especially Bill Stull who went on to have a very fine season and a successful career at Pitt. Here’s to next year. Now on to basketball . . . Hail to Pitt

Comment by Mbuncher 12.28.09 @ 8:34 am

Zeise raves about everybody Pitt plays.

Comment by Mark 12.28.09 @ 5:44 pm

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