Kenny Pickett threw for 340 yards and four touchdowns, all to Jordan Addison, as No. 18 Pittsburgh clinched the ACC’s Coastal Division with a 48-38 victory over visiting Virginia on Saturday.
The Panthers (9-2, 6-1 ACC), who clinched their second division title in the past four seasons, will play the ACC’s yet-to-be determined Atlantic Division champion in the conference title game on Dec. 4 in Charlotte, N.C.
Pickett went 26-for-41 passing and found seven different receivers, but his favorite was Addison, who set career bests of 14 catches and 202 yards. Vincent Davis rushed for 100 yards on 12 carries as Pitt amassed 509 yards, five fewer than Virginia.
Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong was even better than Pickett. He went 36-for-49 passing for 487 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Pickett threw two interceptions.
Keytaon Thompson had 11 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown, while Dontayvion Wicks had 10 receptions for 133 yards and Jelani Woods caught six passes for 75 yards and a score.
Trailing 24-21 at halftime, Virginia tied the game on Brendan Farrell’s 30-yard field goal just two-plus minutes into the third quarter. But Pitt responded as Pickett threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Addison for a 31-24 lead with 8:32 left in the quarter.
Virginia (6-5, 4-3) tied the game at 31 Thompson’s 8-yard run capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with 5:06 left in the quarter, but Pitt regained the lead 34-31 on Sam Scarton’s 23-yard field goal with 1:46 left in the quarter.
After Pitt extended its lead to 41-31 on Hammond’s 1-yard run with 9:43 remaining, Armstrong needed just two plays and 25 seconds to find the end zone, following a 36-yard pass to Wicks with a 39-yard touchdown strike to Ra’Shaun Henry to make it 41-38.
After the teams exchanged punts, Pitt put the game away when Pickett threw his fourth touchdown pass to Addison, whose 62-yard grab gave the Panthers a 48-38 lead.
After Armstrong’s three-yard touchdown pass to Thompson gave the Cavaliers a 7-0 lead after the first quarter, Pickett threw two touchdown passes to Addison in a span of 4:55 to give the Panthers a 14-7 lead with 10:01 left in the half.
Virginia tied the score on Hollis’ 2-yard run that capped a six-play, 75-yard drive with 6:52 left in the quarter, but it lasted just 13 seconds because Israel Abanikanda returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a 21-14 lead.
After Pittsburgh pushed the lead to 24-14 on Scarton’s 36-yard field goal with 2:49 left in the half, Armstrong pulled the Cavaliers to within 24-21 at halftime when his 7-yard touchdown pass to Woods capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive with 52 seconds left in quarter.
–Field Level Media
