No. 23 Notre Dame Upset by Unranked Pitt

PITT avenged their bad beat against ND from last season.

The University of Pittsburgh nearly derailed Notre Dame’s perfect season in 2012, which culminated with a matchup against Alabama in the BCS Championship. Although, given the outcome of that game, perhaps now the Irish wish they had.

Last season the Panthers were in firm command with a 14-point lead going into the fourth quarter at South Bend. They had dominated to that point, but it slipped away as the Irish rallied to tie the game at the end of regulation and send it into overtime.

Although it took three periods of OT to do it, Notre Dame emerged victorious in the end.

This year they matched each other touchdown to touchdown through three quarters, until Pitt took a 7-point lead with just over nine minutes remaining in the fourth. Difference being that this time the Panthers were able to seal the deal, defeating the Irish 28-21.

Senior quarterbacks Tom Savage, of Pitt, and Tommy Rees, of Notre Dame, each threw two TDs in the game, but Rees matched that total in interceptions. Savage, on the other hand, was efficient competing 63 percent of his passes without turning the ball over.

Having possessed the ball for over 13 minutes more than the Irish, the Panthers really controlled the clock and the pace of the game throughout. Both teams were abysmal on third down, covering just 8-of-27 between them.

In the end, Pitt did everything they needed to do to beat Notre Dame, including shutting the Irish down on their final drive of the game. The Panthers defense forced Rees into a 4th-and-long with 2:26 on the clock and his downfield heave was easily handled by cornerback Anthony Gonzalez.

Notre Dame turned it over on downs, turning over the win to Pitt in the process.