By Jimmy Hyams
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said last week his Panthers beat a good team despite an average to below average performance.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel could say the same Saturday.
Despite having a punt blocked, a muffed punt, a touchdown nullified by a penalty and a dropped touchdown pass, the Vols prevailed 34-27 in overtime before several thousand UT fans who made the trip to the Steel City.
Tennessee’s first game in the state of Pennsylvania resulted in the Vols first win over Pitt in four tries.
And while much of the talk about UT centers around an explosive offense, it was the defense that delivered in the clutch to move the 24th -ranked Vols record to 2-0.
Tennessee’s stalled on offense in the second half, scoring just three points in regulation. But the defense held the Panthers to 10 second-half points and made the overtime stop to clinch the victory.
“How about that effort from our defense,’’ Heupel said, after a four-sack, 16-hurry showing. “It was a dominant performance from them most of the second half. … Thatg was a big-time effort.’’
It was the first time in Heupel’s UT tenure that he could give most of the credit for a win to the other side of the ball.
Of course, UT benefitted from Pitt losing starting quarterback Kedon Slovis to a first-half injury and backup Nick Patti going into limp mode. But that was courtesy of a relentless defense that pounded the quarterbacks with blitz after blitz.
Pitt’s second-half points came on a field goal after a blocked punt put the ball at the UT 19, then a touchdown after a muffed punt by Trevon Flowers at the UT 39.
Those two major mistakes in the second Johnny Majors Classic put the outcome in peril.
But the Tennessee defense came to the rescue.
Tennessee did allow a fourth-down fourth quarterback touchdown pass with 2:23 left that tied the game at 27-all. But the Vols wouldn’t have been in that situation if the offense had been more productive.
In overtime, UT scored on Hooker’s 18-yard touchdown run but it was nullified by a holding penalty.
On the next play, Hooker found Cedric Tillman for a 28-yard score. Tillman, who earlier dropped a touchdown pass and was stopped a foot short on another catch, caught nine passes for 161 yards and was targeted at least 17 times.
“I was just the better man that play,’’ Tillman said of beating Pitt’s defensive back on the TD catch. “I’m a big body receiver. Nine times out of 10 I trust myself, 10 times out of 10 I trust myself (to make that catch).’’
When Pitt got the ball in overtime, it converted a fourth-and-5 but three plays later, Flowers made up for his muffed punt by sacking Patti for a 12-yard loss on a blitz.
A fourth-down pass fell incomplete and UT escaped with a heart-throbbing win.
“All week long,’’ Heupel said, “I said it was going to take 60 minutes and it took more. I didn’t know I was lying.’’
Tennessee’s offense, which had scored at least 45 points in four consecutive games, went into a rare funk. It went three-and-out on the first two drives and failed on fourth down on the next possession.
UT then scored touchdowns on the next three series and kicked a field goal before half for a 24-17 lead.
In the second half, UT went without a touchdown as the Vols struggled to run the ball and protect Hooker. But the defense bowed up and delivered when it mattered most.
The Vols ran for just 91 yards on 39 carries and lost two fumbles.
But Pitt was unable to sustain any success on offense. The Panthers went 5 of 17 on third-down and missed two field-goal attempts.
While UT didn’t play its best, it made the plays when it mattered most.
“Man,’’ Huepel said. “what a victory for this program.’’
And what a victory for the defense.
