Saturday, November 18, 2017 12:20 PM (ET)

Virginia Tech stops Pitt at goal line to preserve win

The Sports Xchange
Nov 18, 2017

Virginia Tech stopped Pittsburgh four times from the 1-yard line in the final minute to preserve a 20-14 victory Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.

The Panthers reached the 1 on freshman quarterback Kenny Pickett's 74-yard pass to wide receiver Jester Weah on fourth-and-4 from the Panthers 25. Running back Darrin Hall was stopped on first down and after an incomplete pass, Hall was stuffed twice more on the final plays.

The Hokies (8-3, 4-3 ACC) took a 20-14 lead when wide receiver Cam Phillips became the school's all-time receiving yards leader on a 23-yard touchdown catch from freshman quarterback Josh Jackson with 6:23 remaining.

Phillips finished with 117 yards on eight catches. He has 2,981 career yards, passing Isaiah Ford (2,967 from 2014-16). Jackson was 17 of 37 for 218 yards and an interception.

Pickett, who replaced starter Ben Dinucci in the second quarter, was 15 of 23 for 242 yards and an interception. Weah caught four passes for 104 yards.

Pitt (4-7, 2-5) resorted to trickery to take a 14-10 lead with 14:13 left.

The Panthers lined up in a split formation on fourth-and-7 from the Virginia Tech 15. The ball was long-snapped to Hall, who pitched to Pickett after running several yards to his left. Pickett found senior tight end Nathan Bossory over the middle for the go-ahead score. It was Bossory's first career catch.

The Hokies led 10-7 at halftime with freshman Brian Johnson's 30-yard field goal in the second quarter the difference. Jackson's 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was answered by Dinucci's 13-yard TD pass to junior wide receiver Rafael Araujo-Lopes 5:39 later.
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