PITTSBURGH PANTHERS
at
CONNECTICUT HUSKIES

Rentschler Field (40,000/Natural Grass)
East Hartford, Conn.
Friday, November 9 • 8 p.m. • ESPN2

Television -WATCH LIVE
ESPN2 — Carter Blackburn, Rod Gilmore and Jemele Hill

Pittsburgh Radio
KDKA-FM 93.7 (flagship)

Connecticut Radio
WTIC-AM 1080 (flagship)

BIG EAST-IMG National Radio Game of the Week
John Rooke and Peter Brock
Sirius 128; XM 190

THE GAME
Friday’s game will be the ninth meeting between Pittsburgh and Connecticut and it will break a 4-4 deadlock in the rivalry, which began in 2004 … Connecticut has won three of the four meetings at Rentschler Field, including a 30-28 win in 2010 … Last year’s meeting in Pittsburgh saw the Panthers take a 35-20 victory behind a 419-yard, two-touchdown-pass effort from QB Tino Sunseri.

PITTSBURGH (4-5, 1-3 BIG EAST)
Head Coach
Paul Chryst (Wisconsin ’88)
4-5, first season
 

NOTES
Pittsburgh fell to 4-5 after a 29-26 loss at Notre Dame in three overtime periods … The Panthers held a 20-6 lead in the fourth quarter against the Irish and missed a chance to win the game with a field goal in the second overtime  … After committing seven turnovers in its first five games, Pittsburgh has played turnover-free football in four consecutive game … Pittsburgh’s seven giveaways rank third nationally among FBS teams … QB Tino Sunseri will make his 36th consecutive start … Sunseri has thrown for 1,846 yards and 12 touchdowns with just one interception in his last seven games … Overall, Sunseri has thrown for 2,363  yards and 14 TDs with just two interceptions … WR Devin Street leads the BIG EAST in receptions (5.9 per game) and receiving yards (81.1 ypg) … WR Mike Shanahan is third in receiving yards (74.3 ypg) and fourth in receptions (4.6 per game) … RB Ray Graham is third in the BIG EAST in rushing (86.2 ypg) and has eight rushing touchdowns … Graham is the active BIG EAST career leader in total touchdowns (33) and rushing TDs (29) … S Jason Hendricks has led the defense with a BIG EAST-leading four interceptions to go with 63 tackles.

CONNECTICUT (3-6, 0-4 BIG EAST)
Head Coach
Paul Pasqualoni (Penn State ’72)
8-13, second season at Connecticut
149-89-1, 21st season as collegiate head coach

NOTES
Connecticut fell to 3-6 with a 13-6 loss at USF Nov. 3 … The Huskies have dropped four straight … Connecticut has not scored a point in the fourth quarter in each of its last five games … The Huskies lead the BIG EAST and rank ninth nationally in total defense (290.2 yards per game) … Connecticut is 21st nationally in rushing defense (114.2 ypg) and 14th in pass defense (176.0 ypg) … Individually, DE Trevardo Williams is the BIG EAST leader in sacks (8.5, 0.9 per game), while LB Yawin Smallwood is second the league in tackles (91, 10.1 tpg) and first in tackles for loss (13.0, 1.4 per game) … CB Dwayne Gratz leads the team with three interceptions and 10 passes defended … QB Chandler Whitmer has completed 166 of 284 passes for 2,115 yards and seven touchdowns, but has a league-high 13 interceptions … QB Scott McCummings sees significant snaps as well and has rushed for two touchdowns … RB Lyle McCombs is eighth in the BIG EAST in rushing (68.4 ypg) … WR Geremy Davis has 36 receptions for 547 yards and a touchdown, while TE Ryan Griffin has a team-high four touchdown catches.