Lewis’ Leading Legs Lift Lineup

A 19-17 victory in the Meineke Bowl pushed the Pittsburgh Panthers to their first 10 win season since Dan Marino was behind center in 1981. Seventeenth ranked Pittsburgh overcame a disappointing loss to Cincinnati in the last week of the season to slip past North Carolina in the final seconds. The Panthers are likely to be ranked in the top 15 at year end for the first time since the Marino era. The fantastic finish may not have been possible without the fastest freshmen force on the team all season.
The Panthers were paced by freshmen tailback, Dion Lewis. Lewis carried the ball 13 times and racked up 58 yards on the game-winning drive at Bank of America Stadium Saturday. The MVP finished with 159 yards and a touchdown, and eclipsed Tony Dorsett’s freshmen rushing record of 1,686 yards in the first quarter. Pittsburgh trailed 17-16 as the clock wound down in the fourth quarter. Panthers quarterback, Bill Stull, rallied his team on a 17 play, 79 yard drive to set up Dan Hutchins’ team bowl record fourth field goal to win the game. Lewis carried the ball on the pivotal drive, but wasn’t the only imposing impact. Stull helped his own cause with a quarterback sneak to extend the drive on a fourth down his own 30 yard line. Following an off-sides penalty against the Tar Heels, Lewis pounded out nine more yards to give Hutchins a decent chance at 33 yards. The Pitt kicker’s aim was right on as the Panthers took the lead with .52 seconds left. Hutchins missed his first field goal attempt of the game, but was perfect on the next four to lift the Panthers to prominence.
North Carolina signal caller, T.J.Yates, threw two touchdown passes to Greg Little as the Tar Heels suffered their second straight loss. Yates was picked off and failed to move the 8-5 Tar Heels into field goal territory in the waning seconds. North Carolina marched to midfield with half a minute remaining, but Yates missed his mark four times to end the comeback bid. Dan Mason intercepted Yates at the one yard line four minutes before the break. It was the freshmen linebacker’s first career interception. Casey Barth booted a 37 yard field goal in the second quarter for North Carolina to tie the game at 10-10. Hutchins drilled one from 37 as time expired in the first half to provide the three point Panthers edge. The Panthers endured a somewhat frustrating first half. There were many missed opportunities, including the game’s first drive. This has become a recent trend for the Panthers. Saturday, they extended their streak of scoreless first quarters in bowl games to six. Dorin Dickerson dropped a very catchable pass from Stull in the end zone to stall the Panthers opening possession. The Panthers would have settled for three had Hutchins hit the field goal from 40 yards out. Hutchins kick was wide right and the Panthers turned the ball over without recording a point. Yates then capped off a 77 yard drive with a 15 yard touchdown pass to Little for the 7-0 North Carolina lead. Pitt picked up good field position on the ensuing kickoff, but Lewis coughed up the ball in UNC territory for the Panthers’ only turnover. Additionally, it was Lewis’ first lost fumble of the year.
Lewis danced into the end zone with a ten yard touchdown to atone for his mistake in the second quarter. The first Panthers’ touchdown followed a Hutchins’ first field goal. Dave Wannstedt’s defense was superb in stuffing the Tar Heels throughout the second half. UNC wideout, Mike Shanahan, thumped the Panthers’ defense for five catches. Ryan Houston rushed for 83 yards for UNC and Little grabbed seven passes in the game, but the Tar Heels were held to seven points in the remaining two quarters. The sixth ranked defense in the nation, Carolina, could not contain Lewis. Butch Davis’ team continued to fail in closing out games after they took the lead in the third quarter on Little’s second score. It appeared the Panthers’ missed chances would haunt them after Little made it a Tar Heel lead. Lewis burned the Heels’ timeouts and rushed unscathed before Hutchins split the uprights for the winning kick. The Pitt tailback was named MVP of the Meineke Bowl because he delivered when the game was on the line. The Big East’s offensive player of the year completed an impressive rookie campaign with a phenomenal Pittsburgh bowl performance.

Parting Points: Too bad the NJ Devils couldn’t just beat the Capitals.

What is with Rick Adelmann benching Tracy McGrady for the weekend? Surely TMac can hang some on the Nets and Cavs.

Sad to see Urban Meyer exit the college game. I have the utmost respect for one of the better coaches in this era.