Tyler Bitancurt couldn't miss, Jarrett Brown couldn't watch and the Pittsburgh Panthers couldn't clear the notoriously tricky Backyard Brawl hurdle.
As his 43-yard field goal dropped through the uprights with the final ticks of the clock expiring, West Virginia's youthful kicker nailed a 43-yarder, handing No. 9 Pitt its first Big East loss of the season, Pitt players sank to the ground in disgust while the Mountaineers tackled Bitancurt and celebrated the 19-16 Backyard Brawl victory in Morgantown -- by far the biggest win of an up-and-down season for the 'Eers.
“It felt great off my foot and when I saw the ball flight it was going pretty much down the middle,” he said. “I saw it drifting left, but I knew it wasn’t drifting fast enough to miss. I had a pretty good idea that it was in.”
On the sideline, WVU quarterback Jarrett Brown anxiously awaited the kick, but couldn’t bare to watch the drama unfold.
“I couldn’t watch that,” Brown said. “I thought it was a great kick by Tyler.”
The red shirt freshman kicker from Springfield, Va. was immediately gang tackled by his teammates. Bitancurt said it was painful, but the memory was certainly sweet. “It was great. I think anyone would want to be in that situation because if they’re dog piling you, that means that you did something good,” said Bitancurt.
And though it was his first live action in the Backyard Brawl, Bitancurt quickly became a piece of history in the storied rivalry. “I got emotional on the field because I knew what that meant to this state. I’ve loved this state since I’ve been here,” he said.
WVU needed Bitancurt’s heroics after seeing a 16-6 fourth quarter lead evaporate. Pitt quarterback Bill Stull connected with Jonathan Baldwin on a 50-yard pass that helped tie the game at 16, with just 2:54 remaining.
“They went down and scored and I thought our defense would hold up,” said Brown. “We were ready for that situation.”
WVU offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen was talking on the phone with Brown, preparing him to lead the Mountaineers down the field on the game’s final drive. “He told me, ‘Just get your mind right for a two-minute drill,’” Brown said. “And I did.”
Brown contributed 32 yards on the drive both rushing and passing the football. Fullback Ryan Clarke converted a critical fourth and one from the Pitt 36-yard line, continuing the game-winning drive.
Both Pitt (9-2, 5-1 BIG EAST) and WVU (8-3, 4-2 BIG EAST) struggled offensively in the first half, with each only able to manage a field goal.
WVU had two chances to add points in the second quarter, but elected to go for it on consecutive drives that ended on fourth down. The first instance, WVU had the ball at the Pitt one-yard line, but Brown was sacked by Gus Mustakas for a 10-yard loss. On WVU’s next possession, Brown couldn’t find an open receiver on fourth and nine from the Pitt 28-yard line, was forced to tuck it and run, but only gained a yard.
WVU head coach Bill Stewart explained why he chose not to let his kicker put points on the board. “I wanted to win. I didn’t want to kick field goals against the eighth-ranked team in the country,” said Stewart. “Coaches were yelling at me. I said, ‘I’m going for the jugular. I don’t care.’”
Continuing, Stewart said, “I was not going to settle for field goals. I was trying to win, the best I knew how.”
But the Mountaineers did have to settle for four Bitancurt field goals to edge off their hated rivals. Bitancurt was perfect on the night, connecting from 20 yards, 43 yards, 39 yards and of course, the sensational boot from 43 yards that sealed the win.
WVU running back Noel Devine provided more highlight reel material in the third quarter when he exploded on an 88-yard trap rushing play through the left side of Pitt’s defense.
“I don’t know any coach that probably calls the trap now in modern day football,” said Stewart. “You’re looking at a genius.”
WVU right guard Eric Jobe moved to the left and sealed off the crease right after the ball was snapped, Brown handed off to Devine out of the shotgun and the cat-quick running back did the rest.
“Beatty called the play. Jeff Mullen called the play and I just closed my eyes,” said Stewart. “I heard the crowd and I saw him come out of that, I said, ‘He’s out.’ It looked like a rabbit out of a briar patch.”
“Noel just did a great job of getting up on the safety,” Brown said. “He had him one on one. He just made a move and got outside. It was a foot race and you know what happens when Noel gets in a foot race.”
Robert Sands was all over the field making plays for the WVU defense. Sands recorded six tackles, two pass breakups and an interception, which was his team-high fifth interception of the season.
“By me knowing where they are going to try to attack our defense, it’s helping me get to the ball,” said Sands.
Sands recognized tendencies in Pitt’s offense, especially with Stull trying to find Baldwin throughout the game.
“With him, automatically you know he trusts Baldwin so much that he throws it up,” Sands said of Stull. “As you see it at the end of the game, he just threw that up. He didn’t know whether or not he was double covered. He took his drop steps and he just threw it out there. I kind of wish it was on my side.”
WVU corner back Keith Tandy picked off Stull in the second quarter, which helped set up the Mountaineers’ first scoring drive of the game. Stull finished 16 of 30 for 179 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
Brown went 19 of 31 for 164 yards. Devine totaled 134 yards and a touchdown, from 17 carries.
Baldwin led all receivers with eight catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. Pitt running back Dion Lewis entered the game as the nation’s fourth leading rusher. Lewis managed 155 yards off of 26 carries, but did not score.
Pitt lost to WVU for the first time in three years. With the win, WVU finished 7-0 at Mountaineer Field this season, which marked the first undefeated season at home since 1993. Brown, a senior, improved to 10-3 all-time as a starter. “I always wanted to do something to leave a name behind,” Brown said.
photo credit: AP photo by Jeff Gentner
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