Special teams plays help score points in Little Caesars Bowl Game

There was lots of talk about the offenses in Pitt's 30-27 win over Bowling Green but special teams played a big part in the game on both sides.

Both offenses got their first points on short fields due to some special teams miscues. A 15-yard penalty by Nic Grigsby gave Bowling Green the ball on their own 41-yard line and they parlayed that into a field goal for a 3-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Lafayette Pitts broke a 43-yard return, giving the Panthers the ball at midfield. They went in to score a touchdown for a 7-3 lead.

That wasn't the Panthers' biggest return of the game, though. Tyler Boyd returned a punt in the second quarter 54 yards for a touchdown, giving Pitt a 17-3 lead. Unfortunately, they weren't the only ones scoring points off of special teams. Bowling Green had a 94-yard kickoff return for a score to start the third quarter by BooBoo Gates.

In addition to the returns, both kickers did their jobs, combining on 5-6 field goals.

Special teams definitely helped Pitt win the game with the Pitts and Boyd returns and kicking by Chris Blewitt. But it also was an issue - again. The bad penalty by Grigsby, the one miss by Blewitt, and the Gates score all could have cost Pitt the game.

We've been over this before but it bears repeating - Pitt needs a special teams coach.

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