Pitt Tops VT On Senior Day

PITTSBURGH (AP) — His team reeling from a bout with COVID-19 that threatened to derail the rest of the season, Pittsburgh senior quarterback Kenny Pickett stood up in front of his teammates as the Panthers prepared to face Virginia Tech and provided a very blunt reminder about the bond they shared. It wasn’t just empty rhetoric. Pickett threw for 404 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another in his final start at Heinz Field as the Panthers blew out the Hokies 47-14 on Saturday despite missing 16 players due to COVID-19 protocols, including three starters on the offensive line and leading receiver Jordan Addison. No matter. Pickett completed 35 of 52 passes, 15 of them to graduate transfer DJ Turner, including a 64-yard catch-and-run for a score in the third quarter that gave the Panthers (5-4, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) a 19-point lead they didn’t come close to squandering.