KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Peyton Manning Pass and Phillip Fulmer Way overflowed with fans waiting to witness Tennessee’s band play “Rocky Top,” the Volunteers’ unofficial yet iconic fight song. Even a smattering of curious Pitt fans took out their phones for the occasion as a college football tradition took center stage.
Forty, maybe 50 yards away, the Panthers arrived at Neyland Stadium with little fanfare. Family members of players waved. A pro-Pitt chant or two broke out. But Pat Narduzzi and his players kept their eyes forward as the team buses turned onto Tee Martin Drive and disappeared beneath the century-old stadium.
What emerged from the visitor’s locker room was a team motivated by the moment.
Pitt beat Tennessee, 41-34, Saturday afternoon in the Johnny Majors Classic, proving itself in front of 82,203 fans and a national ESPN audience. The road win snaps the ACC’s 13-game Power Five non-conference losing streak and moves the Panthers to 2-0 in the young season.
Kenny Pickett was in command, completing 24 of 36 passes for 285 yards. The super senior accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and led the offense to 397 total yards. Pitt found the end zone five times from the red zone with three third-down scores, a trick play and a Pickett sneak on fourth-and-goal.
“I trust in KP,” Narduzzi said postgame. “He had a heck of a game.”
The Panthers defense was less impressive on the whole, missing tackles left and right and allowing former Virginia Tech quarterback Hendon Hooker — who replaced an injured Joe Milton — to gain 237 total yards in three quarters.
But the defense stood up desperately when it needed to, halting the Volunteers when they had a fourth-and-1 at Pitt’s 3 midway through the fourth quarter. On Tennessee’s next (and final) drive, safety Brandon Hill picked off Hooker, allowing the Panthers to bleed the clock to zero.
Pickett finished the hectic game calmly in victory formation, ensuring Pitt’s first non-conference Power Five road win since 2008 against Notre Dame.
“I told the guys last night in the team meeting that this isn’t going to go smooth,” Pickett said. “That’s just how it goes on the road. ... But no one batted an eye.”
Catastrophic start
Talk about getting off on the wrong foot.
Pitt, beginning the game with the ball, had a quick three-and-out. A bubble screen to Jordan Addison, incomplete pass and dump-off to Vincent Davis yielded negative-4 yards.
Punting from near his own end zone, Kirk Christodoulou’s kick was blocked. The protection was abysmal, and Tennessee landed on the ball at Pitt’s 2. It took one play for Jabari Small to punch in the opening score.
“One of the keys to victory was to come out and weather the storm in the first quarter,” Narduzzi said. “We knew the noise and the chaos in the stadium was going to be something. ... Our guys got it done. Couldn’t be prouder of the perseverance and the adversity our kids went through.”
Third-and-goal at the 37?
Down, 10-0, Pitt responded with a 92-yard touchdown drive, capped by a Pickett scramble and throw to Melquise Stovall. The subdued crowd was reignited five plays later when Milton ripped off a 54-yard run.
Milton was tripped up by safety Brandon Hill on a touchdown-saving tackle. “I did think I was going to get him,” Hill said. “I had an angle.” But the Volunteers were knocking on Pitt’s door … until they weren’t.
Three penalties turned Tennessee’s first-and-goal from the 5 into a third-and-goal from the 37. Jokes followed on social media, and they were well-deserved. The Volunteers were penalized for a false start at the 3, an unnecessary roughness at the 7 and an offensive pass interference in the end zone.
Tennessee managed a field goal. But it was a significant win by the Pitt defense. On the day, Tennessee had 13 penalties for 134 yards.
Trickery
Two years ago at Heinz Field, Josh Heupel’s Central Florida lost to the Panthers thanks in large part to the “Pitt Special” — wide receiver Aaron Mathews’ passing touchdown to Pickett. Now Tennessee’s head coach, Heupel once again fell victim to a Pitt trick play.
Pitt took a 14-13 lead when Pickett tossed a lateral to wideout Jared Wayne. Instead of running upfield, Wayne — a former high school quarterback in Canada — lofted a surprising pass to tight end Lucas Krull, who hauled in a momentous score.
“We’ve been working on that for a little while,” Addison said with a smile. “We’ve been doing it at practice. So when we did it, it was like second nature.”
Up next
After a key road win, Pitt has a realistic path to ending a three-decade drought.
The Panthers play host Saturday to Western Michigan before welcoming New Hampshire the following week. After the non-conference slate, Narduzzi’s team travels to Georgia Tech. The Panthers haven’t started 5-0 since 1991.
Ending that 30-year spell is more than feasible at this point, maybe even expected.
