PITTSBURGH PANTHERS
vs.
Virginia Tech Hokies
Heinz Field (65,050/Natural Grass)
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Saturday, September 15 • Noon • ESPNU
Television - WATCH LIVE
Tom Hart and John Congemi
Pittsburgh Radio
KDKA-FM 93.7 (flagship)
Sirius 85; XM 85
THE GAME
Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech meet for the 12th time Saturday, continuing a rivalry that had been dormant since the 2003 season … Virginia Tech is 7-4 against Pittsburgh, though the Panthers have won the last three meetings … The last meeting saw Pitt overcome a 241-yard, four-touchdown effort by Virginia Tech RB Kevin Jones as the Panthers won 31-28 at Heinz Field … Panther RB Lousaka Polite scored the go-ahead touchdown with 47 seconds left in regulation.
PITTSBURGH (0-2, 0-1 BIG EAST)
Head Coach
Paul Chryst (Wisconsin ’88)
0-2, first season
NOTES
Pittsburgh looks for its first win of the 2012 season after the Panthers fell 34-10 at Cincinnati last Thursday in the BIG EAST opener … Pitt opened the season with a 31-17 setback to Youngstown State … The Panthers look to avoid their first 0-3 start since the 2005 season … Despite the loss to Cincinnati, the Panthers received an encouraging performance from RB Ray Graham, who rushed for 103 yards on 19 carries against the Bearcats … Graham, who missed the last five games of the 2011 season with a knee injury, has rushed for 174 yards on 33 carries in two games this season, but is looking for his first touchdown of the year … QB Tino Sunseri has completed 43 of 67 passes for 517 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception … WR Mike Shanahan has team highs with 11 catches and 113 receiving yards, while WR Devin Street has nine receptions for 105 yards … The defensive leader has been LB Shane Gordon, who has a team-high 17 tackles with two tackles for loss and the Panthers’ lone sack of the season … All-BIG EAST S Jarred Holley has 16 tackles … P Matt Yoklic has averaged a solid 44.8 yards per punt and has pinned four of his nine punts inside the 20-yard line … The Panthers have not forced a turnover through two games.
13/13 VIRGINIA TECH (2-0, 1-0 ACC)
Head Coach
Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech ’69)
211-98-2, 26th season at Virginia Tech
253-121-4, 32nd season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
Virginia Tech enters Saturday’s game at 2-0 on the heels of a 42-7 win against Austin Peay … The Hokies began the year with a 20-17 overtime win against Georgia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. … Virginia Tech, which competed as a BIG EAST member from 1991-2003, plays two BIG EAST teams in a three-game stretch, beginning with the matchup against Pittsburgh … The Hokies face Cincinnati at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., Sept. 29 … QB Logan Thomas has thrown for 442 yards and four touchdowns without an interception through two games … RB Michael Holmes is the leading rusher with 94 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns … The Hokies have held their first two opponents to an average of 254.5 yards … LB Jack Tyler has a team-high 25 tackles … CB Kyle Fuller leads the team with three pass breakups … Virginia Tech has registered 129 blocked kicks in Frank Beamer’s 311 games with the Hokies, including a blocked punt in the win against Austin Peay.
