CLEMSON, S.C. — For most of the game Saturday, Pitt's offense kept piling up yards and scoring points. But none of it seemed to matter while Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson was shredding the defense.
But when it counted, quarterback Nathan Peterman led his team into position to kick the game-winning, 48-yard field goal to defeat Clemson, No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings and No. 3 in the Associated Press poll. The 43-42 victory was Pitt's first victory against a top-three team since the Panthers defeated No. 2 West Virginia, 13-9, in 2007.
Credit the offense, which has scored at least 36 points in all but two games this season.
“Nathan Peterman made the plays,” coach Pat Narduzzi said.
Aside from hitting tight end Scott Orndoff with two big completions on the final drive, he also ran for 9 yards.
Narduzzi said there was no mandate to get the ball to the tight end. Orndoff led Pitt with nine catches for 128 yards, both career highs for the Seton-La Salle graduate.
“We distribute the ball where it belongs,” Narduzzi said. “It is Nathan Peterman reading what he is supposed to read and distributing the ball where it belongs.”
Whitehead leaves
Safety Jordan Whitehead left the game on a cart early in the third quarter with what appeared to be an arm injury.
When he was asked about Whitehead, Narduzzi said, “(He's) not (doing) as good as we want him to be.”
Two milestones
Pitt did what none of Clemson's previous opponents were able to do:
• The Tigers had allowed a total of only six points in the first quarter of all nine of its games before Saturday. Pitt scored 14.
• Touchdown passes to running back James Conner (46 yards) and Orndoff (55) were the longest against Clemson this season.
‘Brothers' meet
Before the game, Conner met with former Clemson pitcher Clate Schmidt. The two had struck up a long-distance friendship after both were fighting cancer.
“He's my brother,” Conner said. “I felt like we had known each other for years.”
Waking up in end zone
Conner said he doesn't remember much about his 20-yard run late in the game that cut Clemson's lead to 42-40.
“I blacked out and the next thing I know, I'm in the end zone,” he said.
Conner rushed for 132 yards.
Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
