The Sports Xchange
Sep 3, 2016

Junior running back James Conner scored two touchdowns in his return from a serious knee injury and a cancer battle to help Pittsburgh record a 28-7 victory over Villanova on Saturday in a nonconference affair at Pittsburgh.

Conner rushed for 53 yards and one touchdown and added a 9-yard scoring reception for the Panthers (1-0). Conner, the 2014 ACC Player of the Year, suffered a serious knee injury in last season's opener and was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in November before recently being declared free of cancer.

Sophomore Quadree Henderson returned a kickoff 96 yards for Pittsburgh. Senior quarterback Nate Peterman completed 19 of 32 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns.

Villanova (0-1) totaled just 172 yards and its lone points came on a fumble return by junior safety Rob Rolle. The Wildcats had just 53 yards on the ground in 33 attempts and sophomore quarterback Zach Bednarczyk completed 16 of 31 passes for 119 yards and one interception.

Conner, who rushed for 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2014, gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead when he scored on a 3-yard run with 7:08 left in the first half. His touchdown catch came with 19 seconds left as Pittsburgh took a 14-point lead into the break.

Henderson returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown to make it 21-0.

Four-plus minutes later, redshirt freshman Drew Wiley sacked Peterman and forced a fumble. Rolle recovered it at the 3-yard line and scored to get the Wildcats on the board.

Peterman connected on a 16-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Jester Weah to make it 28-7 with six minutes remaining in the contest.