West Virginia-Pitt Game Notes
Nov. 27, 2009
Milan Puskar Stadium
Pitt Notes
* Captains elected for the season are WR #1 Cedric McGee, LB #8 Adam Gunn, TE #80 Nate Byham, OL #74 John Malecki, DL #93 Gus Mustakas, and DL #95 Mick Williams.
* RB Dion Lewis’ 155 yards rushing on the day gives him 1,446 for his rookie season, which breaks the Big East freshman rushing record. The previous record was 1,328 rushing yards held by Pitt’s LeSean McCoy (2007).
* Lewis’ 155 yards rushing on the night gives him eight 100-yard rushing games this season in just 11 games.
* Lewis’ 155 yards also gives him five 150-yard rushing games this season.
Pitt’s 4.00 sacks per game average entering Friday night’s game led the nation. The Panthers added two sacks on the night.
* With two interceptions on the night, Pitt has now given up multiple turnovers in just three games this season. The other two were against Connecticut (two interceptions) and Rutgers (two fumbles).
* WR Jonathan Baldwin’s 127 yards receiving on the night gives him six 100-yard receiving games this season and seven for his career. He currently is just 33 yards from 1,000 receiving yards this season.
* With his 50-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter, which tied the game at 16-16, Baldwin has now had seven games this season with a reception of 40 yards or more.
West Virginia Notes
* West Virginia game captains were Jarrett Brown, Carmen Connolly, Ovid Goulbourne and Reed Williams. Coach Bill Stewart selects game captains each week. Team captains will be elected at the end of the season.
* There were no first-time starters for the Mountaineers. Selvish Capers made his team-leading 30th start. A total of 37 Mountaineers have at least one game of starting experience.
* Twenty-three seniors were honored prior to this evening’s game: Franchot Allen, Max Anderson, Alric Arnett, Payton Brooks, Jarrett Brown, Selvish Capers, Carmen Connolly, Zac Cooper, Jack Crow, Guesly Dervil, Zach Flynt, Ovid Goulbourne, Scott Kozlowski, Josh Lider, Scott Loving, Wes Lyons, Trevor Mathews, Mike Poitier, Kent Richardson, Nate Sowers, Jon Walko, Reed Williams and Anthony Wood.
* WVU’s back-to-back BIG EAST contests at No. 5 Cincinnati (Nov. 13) and against No. 8 (Nov. 27) are the first consecutive games against top 10-ranked foes (Associated Press poll) for the Mountaineers since 1959.
* On Oct. 24, 1959, WVU lost to No. 6 Syracuse (the eventual national champion), 44-0, at Archbold Stadium. The following Saturday (Oct. 31), No. 7 Penn State came to old Mountaineer Field and won, 28-10.
* Linebacker Pat Lazear recorded his first pass breakup of the year when he swatted down a Bill Stull pass on the onset of the Panthers’ second drive of the game. The Mountaineers have 48 pass breakups on the year.
* Defensive lineman Julian Miller recorded his team-leading ninth sack of the season on an assisted takedown of Stull on a third-and-nine in the first quarter.
* With the first reception of the game, Jock Sanders broke onto the all-time BIG EAST consecutive games with a reception list, having caught at least one pass in 26-straight games. He is tied with Pitt’s Dietrich Jells and Louisville’s Harry Douglas. Sanders’ streak began with WVU’s 2007 loss to Pitt. Since 1991, he is only the third Mountaineer to catch at least one pass in 26 consecutive games.
* With the first-quarter shutout, the Panthers became the third opponent this season that the Mountaineers have held scoreless through 15 minutes. WVU previously shut out Syracuse and Louisville.
* Keith Tandy’s interception with 70 seconds remaining in the first half is his third of the season and third of his career. He returned the ball for six yards, his second return of the season/career.
* Pitt’s three first-half points were the second-fewest allowed at the half by the WVU defense this season.
* Tyler Bitancurt recorded field goals of 20, 43, 39 and 43 yards, the ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th of his career. The 43 yarders were the second longest of his career; he previously hit a 45-yard field goal in the Liberty win.
* Tyler Bitancurt’s game-winning 43-yard field goal, gave him four on the day, which ties the record for most field goals made at Milan Puskar Stadium. The last time a kicker made four field goals in one contest was Bitancurt against Liberty earlier this season. Before that was Pat McAfee against Rutgers in 2006.
* Tyler Bitancurt’s 13 points give him 71 for the season, tying him with Bryan Baumann fourth place in WVU freshman scoring.
* Noel Devine’s 88-yard third-quarter touchdown was his longest of the season, second longest of his career; it was the Mountaineers’ longest play from scrimmage this year. He now has 11 TDs on the year. Additionally, it was his 21st career-rushing touchdown, moving him into a tie with Undra Johnson for eighth place on WVU’s all-time list.
* Robert Sand’s fourth-quarter interception was his team-leading fifth of the season; he has five interceptions for his career.
* Noel Devine finished the game with 134 yards, his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season, and 14th of his career. His season rushing yard total stands at 1,230, the fourth-best season total for a WVU junior.
* With his three receptions, Jock Sanders moved into fifth place on WVU’s single season receptions list. He now has 65 catches this year.
* With the win, Jarrett Brown improves to 10-3 as the Mountaineer starter.
* Tonight’s win gives the Mountaineers eight-straight BIG EAST seasons with a winning record. WVU has finished above .500 in conference action every season since 2002.
* The Mountaineers have now defeated five of their last six top 25-ranked opponents.
* The win is WVU’s eight over a top 25 AP ranked Pitt squad.
* The Mountaineers went 7-0 at Milan Puskar Stadium this year, their first undefeated home season since 1993.