CLEMSON, S.C. — Pat Narduzzi strolled through the bowels of Memorial Stadium high-fiving nearly everyone in sight, from staffers to band members to fans who traveled nearly 10 hours to see if Pitt could send shock waves through the college football world.
“We’ll never forget that one,” Narduzzi told a supporter, grinning from ear to ear.
To be sure, it’s a victory that will be discussed around dining room tables and re-lived at the bar down the street for years to come — the time the Panthers went to “Death Valley” and showed they were alive and well.
Chris Blewitt drilled a 48-yard field goal with six seconds left to lift Pitt to what is undoubtedly a signature win for Narduzzi in his second year as coach, 43-42, Saturday against No. 3 Clemson, dealing a serious blow to the Tigers’ hopes of a national championship.
“I had no doubt it was going to go through,” Narduzzi said. “It was destiny.”
The stunner that will be the top story in college football for the time being makes the Panthers (6-4, 3-3 ACC) bowl eligible and prevented a three-game losing streak, but was so much more. Afterward, some players called it one of the best triumphs in program history. Others were all too pleased to throw a major wrench into the College Football Playoff picture and prove they were underestimated entering a showdown with their highest-ranked opponent since 2007.
“It’s not like we don’t understand what’s going on in the world. We can see it,” said quarterback Nathan Peterman. “I’m watching Thursday night football, they’re talking about all the other [big] games but ours [like] we have no chance. And I don’t think the other team gave us much chance.”
Certainly, Pitt’s odds seemed about as long late in the game as they did before it. Riding the greatest passing day in ACC history from star junior quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender Deshaun Watson, who threw for a conference-record 580 yards, Clemson (9-1, 6-1) needed just 1 yard to put the Panthers away.
But on fourth-and-1 at Pitt’s 35, standout running back Wayne Gallman was stopped for no gain, and it was Panthers ball with one timeout and 58 seconds to move into field-goal range. Linebacker Matt Galambos was credited with the tackle, but Narduzzi insisted it was an 11-man effort.
“That’ll go down in history as one of the greatest fourth-down stops ever,” he said.
Blewitt got the glory, but Pitt’s contributions came from far and wide, from the likeliest of sources to the some of the most unexpected. As Narduzzi put it, “so many plays — how do you even pinpoint what play was it?”
There were all of Peterman’s career-high five touchdown passes and 308 yards, with two scores apiece going to fullback George Aston and tight end Scott Orndoff, who had 128 yards receiving on nine catches, career highs across the board. Peterman’s fifth touchdown went to James Conner, who had 57 yards receiving, 132 yards rushing and another touchdown on the ground, one Peterman called “probably the best run I’ve ever seen in my life.”
But even that bullying, 20-yard scamper that cut Clemson’s lead to 42-40 with 5:17 left was set up by an interception in the end zone that reserve linebacker Saleem Brightwell returned 70 yards to the Tigers 30.
“Saleem with the pick, took it all the way down, I’m yelling, ‘Go, Saleem, go,’ “ recalled cornerback Avonte Maddox, who had an interception himself in the first half
Maddox and the rest of Pitt’s much-maligned secondary had their hands full with Watson and the cadre of playmakers he directs, but in the end, the Panthers didn’t have to head home kicking themselves for could’ve, would’ves and should’ves. Not even Blewitt, who missed an extra point in the second quarter that loomed over the rest of the day’s proceedings.
Once his winner sailed through the uprights, he noticed the Clemson fans who had heckled him for his miss were quiet. In fact, most of the 81,048 in attendance at the venue where the Tigers hadn’t lost since Oct. 19, 2013 were silenced.
Pitt, on the other hand, in a game it wasn’t supposed to be in — let alone win — did the unthinkable and made its statement loud and clear.
“We wanted this one bad, because this is forever,” Conner said. “We’ll remember this one forever.”
Brian Batko: bbatko@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrianBatko.
First Published: November 12, 2016, 10:51 p.m.
Updated: November 13, 2016, 12:45 a.m.
