Tyler Van Dyke shredded Pitt for 426 yards and three TDs, outdueling Pitt QB Kenny Pickett in a 38-34 Miami upset of the 17th-ranked Panthers on Saturday.
Pitt (6-2, 3-1 ACC) came in with control of its destiny in the Coastal Division, with a two-game lead on the rest of the pack, but found itself behind 21-7 in the first quarter on a pair of Van Dyke TD passes and a 40-yard TD run from Jaylan Knighton.
The ‘Canes (4-4, 2-2 ACC) led 31-17 at the half, but a pair of Pickett TD passes tied the score at 31-31 with 5:50 to go in the third.
Van Dyke connected with Key’Shawn Smith for a 13-yard TD pass that made it 38-31 Miami at the end of three.
Pitt got a 23-yard Sam Scarton field goal a minute into the fourth to get to 38-34.
The Panthers’ final drive got to the Miami 31, but Pickett was picked off by freshman safety James Williams at the Miami 4 with 4:07 to go, and the ‘Canes were able to run out the clock from there.
It was the second straight win over a ranked team for Miami, cooling the seat of coach Manny Diaz, whose team had started 2-4 after entering the season ranked in the top 15 nationally.
Pickett threw for 519 yards and four TDs, but was intercepted twice.
The loss means the Pitt-Virginia matchup on Nov. 20 is guaranteed to be for at least a share of the lead in the ACC Coastal.
Virginia (6-2, 4-2 ACC) plays at BYU tonight, has a bye next week and then another non-conference game, at home against Notre Dame, on Nov. 13.
Pitt plays at Duke next week, then has preseason Coastal favorite North Carolina at home on Nov. 13.
Miami is one of three teams in the Coastal with two ACC losses, along with Virginia Tech (4-4, 2-2).
Miami’s next two opponents are Georgia Tech (at home, Nov. 6) and Florida State (in Tallahassee, Nov. 13).
Virginia Tech gets Boston College (on the road, Nov. 6) and Duke (at home, Nov. 13), before what promises to be a division-race elimination game at Miami on Nov. 20.
Story by Chris Graham
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