Unranked Pitt shocks secondranked Miami
In shocker, Pitt hands ’Canes their first loss — and imperils their playoff hopes
Miami spent the better part of 13 months putting together the nation’s longest winning streak behind a series of comebacks that returned the swagger to “The U.”
Sluggish throughout the first half against Pittsburgh on Friday, the Hurricanes figured they’d come out for the third quarter, hit the gas and survive just the way they’ve done time and again during their rebirth under second-year coach Mark Richt.
Nope.
Miami’s perfect season is over. The second-ranked Hurricanes can only hope their shot at a College Football Playoff berth isn’t gone, too.
Freshman quarterback Kenny Pickett ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as the Panthers pulled out a decisive 2414 stunner in Pittsburgh — sending Miami reeling into next week’s ACC title game showdown with defending national champion Clemson.
“I still think there’s an awful lot to play for,” Richt said.
A chance to put together the program’s first unbeaten regular season since
2002 vanished at chilly but hardly cold Heinz Field. Malik Rosier completed just 15 of 34 passes for 187 and two touchdowns and was briefly pulled in the fourth quarter. The Hurricanes (10-1, 7-1 ACC, CFP No. 2) managed just 232 yards, a season-low, and spotted Pitt a 10-7 halftime lead.
The Panthers put together a pair of long TD drives engineered by Pickett, and the emphatic response from Miami never materialized. CENTRAL FLORIDA 49, SOUTH
FLORIDA 42 >> Mike Hughes returned a kickoff 95 yards for the final touchdown with 1:28 remaining as No. 12 Central Florida completed the first unbeaten regular season in program history, beating No. 19 South Florida in Orlando to clinch the American Athletic Conference’s East Division title.
The Knights (11-0, 8-0 AAC, CFP No. 15) will host Memphis in the conference title game on Dec. 2.
Hughes’ touchdown capped a crazy 53-second span in which the Knights took an eight-point lead, South Florida tied it and then the Knights took the lead for good.
The Bulls (9-2, 6-2) tied it at 42 when Quinton Flowers connected with Darnel Salomon for an 83-yard TD, then found D’Ernest Johnson for a 2-point play.
On the ensuing kickoff, Hughes found an opening on the right side and scored.
South Florida drove to midfield late, but Mitchell Wilcox fumbled and it was recovered by Chequan Burkett.
TCU 45, BAYLOR 22 >> Kenny Hill threw touchdowns to three different receivers and ran 3 yards for another score as No. 10 TCU clinched a spot in the Big 12 championship game with the victory in Fort Worth.
The Horned Frogs (10-2, 7-2 Big 12, CFP No. 12) will play No. 3 Oklahoma for the Big 12 title Dec. 2.
Baylor (1-11, 1-8) jumped to a 9-0 lead in the first 2 minutes. But TCU went ahead for good when Hill’s 7-yard TD pass to Jarrison Stewart made it 14-9 with 26 seconds left in the first. VIRGINIA TECH 10, VIRGINIA 0 >> Josh Jackson threw a TDpass and No. 24 Virginia Tech beat Virginia for the 14th consecutive time.
The Hokies (9-3, 5-3 ACC) limited the Cavs to 5 rushing yards and 191 overall in Charlottesville, in posting their third shutout of the year. ARKANSAS FIRES COACH >> Arkansas fired coach Bret Bielema after five disappointing season, moments after a season-ending 48-45 loss to Missouri in Fayetteville.
The loss left Arkansas with a 4-8 record, capping only the second losing season of Bielema’s 12-year career. It also left him with a 29-34 record in his five seasons with the Razorbacks, including 1129 in the SEC.