Eli Holstein went 16-of-24 passing for 247 yards and three touchdowns to lead Pittsburgh to a 73-17 home win over Youngstown State on Saturday.
Holstein also rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, and Daniel Carter rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries for Pittsburgh (4-0).
Beau Brungard threw two touchdown passes to Cyrus Traugh in defeat for Youngstown State (1-3).
Pittsburgh exploded offensively in the first half, scoring 42 points to take a 42-10 lead into halftime.
Holstein hit Raphael Williams for a 6-yard touchdown pass, then Carter scored on a 24-yard touchdown run with 8:30 to go in the first quarter to give the Panthers a 14-0 lead.
Holstein capped a 7-play, 61-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run that gave Pittsburgh a 21-0 lead with 3:33 left in the first quarter.
Following a Youngstown State field goal, Pittsburgh went 74 yards in five plays and took a 28-3 lead with 10:34 remaining in the second quarter on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Holstein to Kenny Johnson.
After an interception, Carter scored on a 43-yard touchdown run to make it 35-3 Panthers with 8:08 left until halftime.
Youngstown State mounted an 11-play, 75-yard drive and cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 35-10 after a 25-yard touchdown pass from Brungard to Traugh, but Pittsburgh answered with an 82-yard touchdown pass from Holstein to Censere Lee with 1:35 left in the first half to give Pittsburgh a 42-10 lead.
Youngstown State cut the Pittsburgh lead to 42-17 with 9:23 remaining in the third quarter after a 44-yard touchdown pass from Brungard to Traugh, but it was all Panthers after that.
Holstein scored on a 2-yard touchdown run and Carter caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Nate Yarnell to give Pittsburgh a 59-17 lead in the fourth quarter.
–Field Level Media
