Pitt (6-0) and Syracuse (5-1) met for an enormous ACC contest on Thursday night time, and the No. 19-ranked Panthers delivered fairly an emphatic assertion within the first half. The Pitt protection intercepted Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord 4 occasions, returning three of them for touchdowns.
The turnover parade began on Syracuse’s opening possession when Rasheem Biles jumped an out route and returned it 35 yards for the sport’s first rating.
Later within the quarter, with Pitt already main 10-0, Kyle Louis joined in for the Pitt protection by intercepting McCord and returning it 59 yards for the second defensive landing.
The third pick-six got here from Braylan Lovelace when he intercepted a tipped display screen move and returned it 33 yards for a landing to present Pitt a 31-0 first half lead.
McCord entered Thursday’s recreation as one of many prime quarterbacks within the nation this season and had solely been intercepted six occasions on his first 282 passing makes an attempt. He additionally had 19 touchdowns in serving to the Orange race out to a very robust begin.
The primary half confirmed none of that enchancment.
Pitt is the first team since Florida Atlantic College in 2005 to have three interceptions returned for a landing in a single half.
Together with the interceptions, Pitt’s move rush additionally stored McCord on the run your entire first half whereas the Panthers additionally had a minimum of two different potential interceptions dropped.
In complete, McCord threw 5 interceptions.
Syracuse went on to lose, 13-41. Pitt stays unbeaten at 7-0, whereas the Orange fell to 5-2.
