It Takes Panthers Overtime to Defeat Houston, 42-35

9/14/1996

PITTSBURGH - Chuck Clements' nine-yard pass to Robbie Wheeler on the first possession of overtime lifted Houston to a 42-35 victory over Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh won the coin toss and elected to defer. The Cougars (2-1) marched 25 yards in five plays, capped by Clements' fourth touchdown pass. Pittsburgh was denied a first down when quarterback Matt Lytle was stuffed on a 4th-and-3 draw at the Houston 18.

The Panthers tied the game on a nine-yard touchdown run by Chris Schneider, the only points of the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh (1-2) raced to a 21-7 lead in the first half on six-yard TD runs by Billy West and Dwayne Schulters.

Houston's Antowain Smith cut the deficit in half with a school-record 96-yard touchdown run. Clements then hooked up with Damion Johnson on a 10-yard scoring pass to force a 21-21 tie.

Smith's run was the longest offensive play from scrimmage for Houston since a 99-yard pass by Terry Peel to Robert Ford on October 14th, 1972.

Clements hooked up with Charles West on TD passes of eight and 18 yards in the third quarter before Pittsburgh pulled within 35-28 on a nine-yard scamper by Schneider.

NCAAF   FINAL 1ST OT        1ST  2ND  3RD  4TH   OT     TOTAL
                            ---  ---  ---  ---  ---     -----
        HOUSTON               0   21   14    0    7      42
        PITTSBURGH            7   14    7    7    0      35   FINAL 1ST OT
        SCORING SUMMARY
        1ST QTR: PITT - TD, CURTIS MCGHEE 6 YD PASS FROM MATT LYTLE (CHRIS
                            FERENCIK KICK)
        2ND QTR: HOU  - TD, ANTOWAIN SMITH 10 YD RUN (SEBASTIAN VILLARREAL
                            KICK)
                 PITT - TD, BILLY WEST 6 YD RUN (CHRIS FERENCIK KICK)
                 PITT - TD, DWAYNE SCHULTERS 6 YD RUN (CHRIS FERENCIK KICK)
                 HOU  - TD, ANTOWAIN SMITH 96 YD RUN (SEBASTIAN VILLARREAL
                            KICK)
                 HOU  - TD, DAMION JOHNSON 10 YD PASS FROM CHUCK CLEMENTS
                            (SEBASTIAN VILLARREAL KICK)
        3RD QTR: HOU  - TD, CHARLES WEST 8 YD PASS FROM CHUCK CLEMENTS
                            (SEBASTIAN VILLARREAL KICK)
                 HOU  - TD, CHARLES WEST 18 YD PASS FROM CHUCK CLEMENTS
                            (SEBASTIAN VILLARREAL KICK)
                 PITT - TD, DWAYNE SCHULTERS 6 YD RUN (CHRIS FERENCIK KICK)
        4TH QTR: PITT - TD, CHRIS SCHNEIDER 9 YD RUN (CHRIS FERENCIK KICK)
 1ST POSSESSION: HOU  - TD, ROBBIE WHEELER 9 YD PASS FROM CHUCK CLEMENTS
                            (SEBASTIAN VILLARREAL KICK)
                                                                        
                        Houston  Pittsburgh 
First downs                  27          20 
Rushed-yards             38-279      55-256 
Passing yards               193         118 
Sacked-yards lost           0-0        1-11 
Return yards                 21          37 
Passes                  22-39-1      9-24-0 
Punts                    4-41.3      8-43.1 
Fumbles-lost                1-1         2-0 
Penalties-yards            4-17        6-49 
Time of possession        27:10       32:50 
Individual Statistics 
RUSHING: Houston-A Smith 21-194, Sanford 15-80, Clements 2-5.
Pittsburgh-West 33-143, D Schulters 13-73, Schneider 4-26,
Lytle 5-14.
PASSING: Houston-Clements 22-39-1-193. Pittsburgh-Lytle
9-24-0-118.
RECEIVING: Houston-D Johnson 7-62, West 5-52, R Wheeler 4-33,
Degroot 2-23, A Smith 2-2, Dennis 1-18, Bryant 1-3.
Pittsburgh-Hoffart 3-53, Butler 2-29, Jones 2-21, D Schulters
1-9, Anderson 1-6.
Att: 27,648