Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Pitt running back Ray Graham finished with 24 carries for 172 yards and one score, but Dan Fox and the Irish defense limited him to 21 yards on eight attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime. Harper missed a 33-yard field goal attempt that would have sealed a win for the underdogs in the double overtime. Notre Dame senior run- coach Paul Chryst said. "We didn't get it done." Wood's fumble was ning back Cierre Wood lost control of the foot- ball while diving in the end zone to end Notre Dame's half of the second extra period. Notre Dame survived when Harper left his kick to the right. Pitt went backward on its next possession, and Golson and Riddick com- bined to finish the game from there. "We had an opportu- nity there, a golden op- portunity," Pitt head PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA the third turnover of the game for Notre Dame. All three nearly cost the Irish dearly. Golson threw an interception in the end zone with 3:59 to go in regulation that temporar- ily killed their comeback bid. The pick sent an 88- yard drive crashing to a halt. "It was a horrible throw, a horrible read," Golson said. Kelly said Golson made a slew of poor reads that landed him on the bench to the start the second half. Junior Tommy Rees entered the game in relief after Golson lost his hel- met on a sack late in the second quarter. Rees completed 6 of 11 pass attempts, but his last throw of the night was intercepted by Pitt linebacker Eric Williams, who returned the ball to the short side of the 50- yard line and set up the Panthers' second touch- down of the game. Fresh- man tight end J.P. Holtz rumbled 43 yards down the middle of the field on a screen pass on the very next play. Holtz finished the drive with his second career touchdown catch, hauling in a nine-yard