2011 BBVA Compass Bowl, Pittsburgh Vs. Kentucky: After Pushing And Shoving, Panthers Lead At Half, 13-3

It’s halftime at the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham. After some big plays, and some pushing and shoving, Pittsburgh leads Kentucky, 13-3.

In the second quarter, Pitt had possession, and the offensive lined was called for a false start. Several seconds after the play was whistled dead, however, Panthers quarterback Tito Sunseri received a very late hit and was knocked to the ground. This image, which shows most players standing flat-footed, helps to illustrate how late this hit was:

Luckily, Sunseri was not hurt, but his offensive line responded with some pushing and shoving. The fighting didn’t escalate to the level that would have required ejections, and after penalties offset, play resumed.

As for the football itself: Pittsburgh’s offense was spearheaded by its running game in the second half, with running back Dion Lewis rushing for 66 yards and Sunseri scrambling for 25 more. The offense was greatly benefited by a special teams play, when Kentucky punter Ryan Tydlacka’s punt was blocked. Pitt capitalized on the great field position with a touchdown.

The lone Kentucky score was put on the board by kicker Craig McIntosh, who put a 50-yard field goal through the uprights. The Wildcats have managed a couple of big plays on the ground, but they’ve only converted two of six third-down conversions.

Kentucky is set to receive the ball to open the second half.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream for updates. And for more on these teams, check out our Kentucky blog, A Sea Of Blue, and our Pitt blog, Cardiac Hill.