Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
Rutgers didn't do much on offense in the first half but trails Pitt by only seven because of mistakes by the Panthers.
You had to figure the Scarlet Knights would break something new out on offense after playing a bunch of nobodies, and the new wrinkle was Mohamed Sanu in the Wildcat. That worked pretty well, and led to Rutgers' only touchdown on the first play after Dom DeCicco fumbled a punt return.
DeCicco made up for it later by intercepting Tom Savage, which was the first pick thrown this year by the Rutgers freshman quarterback.
Savage is just 9 of 19 for 112 yards, many of them coming on the final drive of the half. Pitt helped put Rutgers in field goal position with two personal foul penalties on the same play. Discipline remains an issue for the Panthers.
Pittsburgh is moving the ball more effectively, including 61 rushing yards in the first half by Dion Lewis. But the Panthers should be up by more than a touchdown and are letting their recent nemesis hang around on its home field, which is always dangerous.
Rutgers didn't do much on offense in the first half but trails Pitt by only seven because of mistakes by the Panthers.
You had to figure the Scarlet Knights would break something new out on offense after playing a bunch of nobodies, and the new wrinkle was Mohamed Sanu in the Wildcat. That worked pretty well, and led to Rutgers' only touchdown on the first play after Dom DeCicco fumbled a punt return.
DeCicco made up for it later by intercepting Tom Savage, which was the first pick thrown this year by the Rutgers freshman quarterback.
Savage is just 9 of 19 for 112 yards, many of them coming on the final drive of the half. Pitt helped put Rutgers in field goal position with two personal foul penalties on the same play. Discipline remains an issue for the Panthers.
Pittsburgh is moving the ball more effectively, including 61 rushing yards in the first half by Dion Lewis. But the Panthers should be up by more than a touchdown and are letting their recent nemesis hang around on its home field, which is always dangerous.
Brian Bennett | email
College Football- ESPN.com Big Ten blogger
- Joined ESPN.com in 2008
- Wrote for The Courier-Journal
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
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