CLEMSON, S.C. _ Against all odds, Pitt went into Clemson's famed "Death Valley" and showed that it's alive and well.
Of course, for the longest time, it felt inevitable Pitt might travel home kicking itself over could'ves, would'ves and should'ves that may have yielded one of the most momentous upsets in college football this season.
Instead, the Panthers produced that shocking victory anyway.
Chris Blewitt, he of a missed extra point in the second quarter that loomed over the remainder of the game, drilled a 48-yard field goal with six seconds left to lift Pitt past No. 2 Clemson, 43-42, Saturday at the Tigers' famed "Death Valley" Memorial Stadium.
Call it a shocker, call it a stunner, call it a victory reminiscent of one of the most incredible games in program history, the 13-9 win at No. 2 West Virginia in 2007. Clemson was Pitt's highest-ranked opponent since that game, and the Panthers managed to play spoiler once again.
After a fourth-down stop with 58 seconds left that prevented Clemson from salting the game away, Pitt had that much time to start from its 36-yard line and work its way into field-goal range.
Nathan Peterman picked up 9 yards on a quarterback keeper, and coach Pat Narduzzi called a timeout. Peterman then found Scott Orndoff for back-to-back completions, the first for 21 yards into Clemson territory, the second for 4 yards that set up Pitt at the 30.
After two incompletions, Narduzzi called on Blewitt, who kicked the Panthers to their most impressive win of Narduzzi's two-year tenure and did serious damage to Clemson's national championship hopes.
Clemson star quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender Deshaun Watson completed 52 of 70 passes for an ACC-record 580 yards and three touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions, the last of which helped keep Pitt in the game when Saleem Brightwell caught it in the end zone and returned it 70 yards to the Clemson 30.
From there, James Conner scored on a stellar 20-yard touchdown run that put Clemson ahead, 42-40, but Pitt's 2-point conversion with 5:17 left failed.
Conner finished with 20 carries for 132 yards and that score, while Peterman threw a career-high five touchdown passes with 308 yards.
