Pitt vs. UConn

The Pitt Panthers blanked the University of Connecticut Huskies 24-0 in a football contest on a bright sunny Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field. Adam Gunn and Chris McKillop, Kiski Area grads, both had a productive day in the sun. However, for Highlands grad Matt Bonislawski (the Huskies' starting quarterback) and UConn, the day was filled with dark clouds, and stats didn't tell the outcome of the game. But Pitt Coach Dave Wannstedt was pleased with the Panther team effort. "I don't think the score was an indication of how tough a football game it was. There was nothing that was easy," he said. "It was a good win for us, one that we needed going into the West Virginia game. It wasn't easy. I hope that some day they WILL be easy."

Bonislawski, the 222lb. junior from Natrona Heights, came into the game with 599 passing yds. for the season, and averaging nearly 120 yds. per game passing. The Uconn quarterback missed the last three games with a cracked left clavicle (collarbone). It didn't look like he would start. Pitt's coach had not expected it. "They changed up the quarterback on us. He didn't warm up. He had his sweats on the whole warmup," Panthers Coach Wannstedt said. "But Bonislawski's a good player. I can see why they started him. He does a good job." UConn's Bonislawski tied his own season high of 18 completions against Pitt. The quarterback completed 18 of 35 passes for 156 yards, a 51 percent completion rate with nearly nine yards per completion. Bonislawski also rushed for 25 yds.

For Pitt, Adam Gunn had a tackle and a blocked punt (his second of the year), while Chris McKillop had two tackles and sacked UConn's quarterback for an eight-yard loss. McKillop now leads the team in sacks for the year, with three and a half. Scott McKillop had one tackle as well. Once again, the Panther special teams play was pivotal. Wannstedt noted in his press conference , "Our special teams rose up. Blocking the field goal and blocking the punt for field position, those were major plays." The plays deflated Huskies' hope of a comeback and helped revitalize the Panther offense. Those and other plays gave Pitt good field position, whereas UConn was forced continuously to start its possession of the ball 80-95 yards from the end zone. One series of downs was not far from the one-yard line. The lop-sided field positions made the Huskies have to spend a lot of the clock marching the ball down the field. The Pitt defense, including Gunn's blocked punt and McKillop's sack, forced several UConn turnovers. The Panthers benefited from the closeness to the goal, taking less time to drive the ball downfield, and took advantage of the turnovers by turning them into points on the board. It all led to stats for yardage and time of possession--usual signs of scoring--being significantly higher for UConn than for Pitt.

The Panthers came into the Big East match-up with a 4-5 mark on the year and evened out their record with the win. Their 5-5 record makes their only game left--the "Backyard Brawl" on Thanksgiving Day with conference rival West Virginia--the difference between a winning and losing season. Pitt is now 4-2 in the Big East and could still possibly earn a bowl bid with a win against WVU Thanksgiving. UConn falls to 4-5 overall, 1-4 in conference play.

Kiski Grad Adam Gunn blocked another punt for Pitt

Pitt Football Coach Dave Wannstedt

Pitt in blue, UConn in white