The Turning Point: Fourth and Two

Pitt had a great first half against Virginia Tech and started to build a lead late in the first 30 minutes. With an opportunity to put the Hokies firmly behind the eight ball, Chad Voytik's interception gave the visiting team some life. They crept back into the contest and made it 14-9 before driving in the fourth quarter. With the ball at the Panthers' 38-yard line and 13:50 left in the game, Pitt's defense needed to rise up and the stage was set.

Unlike the Pitt student section, the Panther defense decided to hang around in the fourth quarter and the Hokies never recovered fully from it. Quarterback Michael Brewer took the snap, moved to the right, and threw into a crowd to Wwide receiver Willie Byrn. Terrish Webb broke up the pass to swing the tide back to Pitt. All you had to do from there is see the next two plays to know that the Hokies had a let down after that.

Chad Voytik took the first snap after that and kept it on a read option play and took off through the middle and to the right of the Hokie defense for a big 49-yard gain. Before Virginia Tech could regroup, James Conner broke a tackle at the point of attack on a running play, sprinting to the end zone for his second touchdown of the game to put Pitt up 21-9 with 13 minutes left in the game. Despite some questionable playcalling by the Panthers late in the game, it was too much for Virginia Tech to overcome. Pitt held on for the win.

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