Miami 28
Pitt 14
PITTSBURGH – That last squirt of ketchup that comes out of those plastic squeeze bottles doesn’t sound as bad as the boos, groans and mock cheers heard at Heinz Field last night.
With so much on the line, the Pittsburgh Panthers came up empty.
Miami, playing its final regular-season game as a member of the Big East, ran to a share of the conference title and a trip to the Orange Bowl with an overwhelming 28-14 win. This was the Panthers’ last chance to win the league crown while Miami and Virginia Tech are still members, and the night could not have gone worse.
Not only did Pittsburgh fail to win its first Big East crown and go to a New Year’s Day bowl game for the first time since 1984, but Heisman Trophy hopeful Larry Fitzgerald was frozen out of the game plan on a night when temperatures dropped below 30.
The last two times the Hurricanes played in weather this cold they lost. But against Pittsburgh’s I-AA run defense, Miami had a block party. The ‘Canes ran for 295 yards and three touchdowns on 51 carries. Freshman Tyrone Moss had two rushing touchdowns and Jarrett Payton had one.
Fitzgerald was held to just three catches for 26 yards, but he extended his NCAA record for consecutive games with a touchdown to 18 when he caught a who-cares 18-yarder with 2:43 left.
For most of the game, Fitzgerald – like many of the 60,486 fans after the scoreboard lights went black late in the second quarter – was kept in the dark. The Panthers ran more than 50 plays and shockingly threw to Fitzgerald, who entered the game as the nation’s leading receiver, just five times.
Miami (10-2, 6-1 Big East) likely will play Ohio State in the Orange Bowl. West Virginia (8-4, 6-1), which shares the Big East crown with the ‘Canes, will go to the Gator Bowl for a rematch with Maryland.
Pittsburgh (8-4, 5-2) will head to the Continental Tire Bowl where its likely opponent will be Georgia Tech. Fitzgerald will come to New York on Dec. 13 for the Heisman Trophy presentation, but he may not leave with the bronze statue.
When the Panthers had a first-and-10 at the Miami 13 on their first possession, quarterback Rod Rutherford lofted a corner fade pass for Fitzgerald. Miami cornerback Alfonso Marshall, who found himself in single coverage for one of the only times of the night, grabbed, tugged and chucked Fitzgerald.
The pass interference penalty gave Pittsburgh a first and goal at the 4. Rutherford found a wide open Chris Wilson for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Miami responded with its three touchdown runs.
Fitzgerald didn’t see another pass until less than four minutes remained in the half. When he caught a five-yarder early in the third quarter, the Pittsburgh fans gave coach Walt Harris mock cheers for finally remembering his best player.
With 10 minutes left, there was almost no one left to do the booing. Most of the 65,000 seats were empty.
