2020 Pitt Football Game Notes Bobby Dodd Stadium • Thursday, December 10, 2020 Game 11 • Pitt 34, Georgia Tech 20
Team • In a Thursday night regular-season finale for the Panthers, Pitt defeated Georgia Tech 34-20 in Atlanta. • The Panthers (6-5, 5-5 ACC) clinched their fifth winning regular season in six years under coach Pat Narduzzi. • The Yellow Jackets (3-7, 3-6 ACC) lost at home to Pitt for the second straight season after last year’s 20-10 Pitt win. • Pitt outgained Georgia Tech 317-98 on the ground and amassed 513 yards of total offense. • Pitt’s season-high 317 rushing yards marked its first 200-yard rushing game since the 2018 Sun Bowl vs. Stanford. • The Panthers topped 500 yards of total offense for the third time this year (556 vs. Virginia Tech, 503 vs. NC State). • Pitt improved to 21-6 and 12-5 in ACC play under Narduzzi when holding opponents to less than 100 rushing yards. • Narduzzi owns a 5-1 record against Georgia Tech. Pitt leads in the all-time series, 10-5, with a 5-2 edge in Atlanta. • Pitt’s three-game winning streak over GT (2018-20) matches the previous long streak in the series (1918-20).
Kenny Pickett • Senior quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 17-of-34 passes for 196 yards with one TD and one INT. • Making his 36th career start, Pickett also rushed for 29 yards on 14 attempts. • Pickett added a touchdown on the ground, sneaking in on a 1-yarder to make the score 23-7 in favor of Pitt. • That marked Pickett’s team-high eighth rushing TD in 2020, the most by a Pitt QB since Billy Daniels’ 10 in 1973. • Pickett improved to 16-9 in ACC contests as Pitt’s starting quarterback. • With 225 yards of total offense, Pickett moved above Tyler Palko for third in Pitt history in that category. • Pickett (8,552 yards) now only trails Tino Sunseri (8,591) and Alex Van Pelt (11,148) for total offense by a Panther.
Vincent Davis • Sophomore running back Vincent Davis had a breakout game – and one of the best games in Pitt and ACC history. • Davis posted his first career 100-yard and 200-yard rushing game, tallying 247 yards on 25 carries (9.9 average). • On the first play from scrimmage, Davis scampered for 74 yards to set up the game’s opening points. • His previous game-high rushing total was 69 yards against Eastern Michigan in the 2019 Quick Lane Bowl. • Davis, who had a 61-yard TD rush at Georgia Tech last season, sealed the win with a 38-yard rushing TD. • Davis’ 247 rushing yards were the most by a Pitt player since Darrin Hall rushed for 254 yards at Duke in 2017. • In fact, Davis’ rushing total on Thursday night was the most by any ACC player since Hall’s performance in 2017. • The previous ACC high for rushing yards in a game this season was UNC’s Michael Carter (214) vs. Virginia Tech. • Davis also posted the most rushing yards by a Pitt sophomore since James Conner tallied 263 yards vs. Duke in 2014.
Alex Kessman • Senior kicker Alex Kessman, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, boosted his candidacy by converting all six placements. • Kessman went 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, tying his career high in both FG makes and attempts in a game. • Kessman converted four field goals for the fifth time in his Pitt career, making from 27, 25, 30 and 22 yards. • With 14 points scored in the game, Kessman added to his team lead this season, which now sits at 100 points. • Now at 341 career points, Kessman moved above James Conner (338 points) for third in Pitt history.
Defense • The Panthers recorded multiple interceptions in a game for the fifth time this season. • Sophomore safety Erick Hallett II and senior corner Jason Pinnock each picked Tech quarterback Jeff Sims. • Hallett’s INT was his second this season and overall, while Pinnock’s third INT this year was his sixth total. • With 14 interceptions this season, Pitt’s defense now ranks third nationally in that stat heading into the weekend. • The Panthers finished with six tackles for loss and two sacks, extending their national leads in both categories. • With 111 TFL, Pitt’s 2020 defense now holds the program record in that category, surpassing the 110 TFL in 2002. • Pitt’s defense has also recorded multiple sacks in every game this season and owns a 43-game sack streak.