Pittsburgh upsets #25 Virginia behind Hall’s 3 Touchdowns

By:Darrell Owens

Headline Photo Credit: Darrell Owens-LMS Network

It’s was Friday night football, but not of the High School variety. Big lights, big stage and on national television, a huge ACC matchup between #25 ranked Virginia Cavaliers (6-2 overall, 4-1 ACC) and the Pittsburgh Panthers (4-4 overall, 3-1 ACC). Virginia came into this game on a 3-game winning streak beating the likes of Miami, Duke and UNC. Miami was #16 in the national when they came into Scott Stadium. Duke had only one lost on the season before Virginia defeated them. Right now, Virginia sits on top of the ACC’s Coastal division and for the first time since the Playoff system was born in 2014, UVA is in the Top 25 rankings and for the first time since 2007, the Cavs are ranked in the AP/Coaches polls. Pittsburgh on the other hand have been up and down all season. Close battles with #5 Notre Dame, Duke, Syracuse proves that they can compete with good teams. Losses to North Carolina (UNC’s only victory this season), Penn State & UCF (In Blowouts) show that this Panthers team has more improving to do. The biggest questions going into the  game…Will Virginia continue their winning ways? But will a scrappy Pittsburgh to come out on top? Here is the breakdown!

With tons of rain pouring down in the 1st Quarter, Pittsburgh would get this party started with 8 play, 84 yard drive. Panthers Senior Running Back Darrin Hall would break loose for a 41-yard touchdown run giving the Panthers the early 7-0 lead with 6:09 left in the 1st Quarter. Virginia would not take long to answer back, after Junior Wideout Joe Reed took the kickoff 37 yards to the Virginia 43 yard line, Quarterback Bryce Perkins would hit Sophomore Wide Receiver Terrell Jana with a 42-yard touchdown pass on the next play tying the ball game at 7-7 with 5:54 left in the 1st. Both teams would battling back and forth on the next few possessions, before Virginia would break the tie with a Brian Delaney field goal putting Virginia on top 10-7 at the Half.

In the third quarter, Pittsburgh control the football for well over 10 minutes. They went on a 8 minute, 40 second drive during the 3rd quarter that was capped off with Darrin Hall’s 2nd touchdown of the game with only :21 seconds left in the 3rd quarter giving the Panthers their 2nd lead of the game 14-10. In the beginning of the 4th quarter, Virginia would pick up 3 points on another Brian Delaney field goal and just when you thought Virginia was starting to get in the groove, Pittsburgh shut it down with a Darrin Hall 75-yard touchdown

run, his 3rd of the game. Pittsburgh would tack on one more field goal before the end of the game securing the victory 23-13 and giving the Panthers the lead in the ACC Coastal division.

After the loss, Virginia record now stands at (6-3 overall, 4-2 ACC). Virginia lost three defensive starters (Joey Blount, Juan Thornhill & Mandy Alonzo) in the second half and Pittsburgh took advantage with a heavy dose of Darrin Hall (229 yards, 3 touchdowns). Pittsburgh’s record improves to (5-4 overall, 4-1 ACC) and now controls their own destiny. If the Panthers can win out, they will be in the ACC championship game.

Next week Virginia will take Liberty And their final home game of the season on November 10 at 3 PM.

Pittsburgh will take on Virginia tech at home and a huge match up.