October 31, 1998

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Donovan McNabb threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as No. 17 Syracuse warmed up after a shaky start for a 45-28 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday.

McNabb was 12-of-23 for 228 yards and ran for 98 yards on 17 carries for Syracuse (5-2, 3-0 Big East), which won its ninth straight Big East game and stayed atop the conference standings. It was another disappointment for Pittsburgh (2-5, 0-3), which was coming off an embarrassing loss to Rutgers two weeks ago.

The Panthers' defense, ranked 10th nationally and allowing only 279.5 yards per game, was victimized repeatedly by the high-powered Orangemen, who finished with 423 total yards.

The Orangemen, 23-point favorites, sealed the triumph with two touchdowns in 18 seconds midway through the fourth quarter, and it was McNabb who made the difference.

After a 10-point flurry had moved the Panthers within 31-28, McNabb drove the Orangemen 65 yards in 11 plays. On a third-and-12, McNabb gained 13 yards to keep the drive alive. He then took advantage of a pass interference call against Hank Poteat on a third-and-9, and scored on a 5-yard run with 9:17 left.

Poteat's woes skyrocketed when he fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Syracuse recovered at the 14. Kevin Johnson, who led the Orangemen with five receptions for 77 yards, scored on a reverse on the next play to give the Orangemen a 17-point lead.

McNabb hit Maurice Jackson with a 54-yard TD pass to give Syracuse a 31-18 lead midway through the third quarter.

But Matt Lytle, who started the game on the bench, rallied the Panthers. After Chris Ferencik's 20-yard field goal, Lytle hit Latef Grim with a 15-yard TD pass 47 seconds into the fourth quarter to pull the Panthers within 31-28.

Lytle was 18-of-29 for 221 yards. Starter Matt O'Connor was 2-of-6 for 35 yards. Grim caught five passes for 52 yards and Terry Murphy had seven receptions for 89 yards.

Pittsburgh gained a quick advantage at the game's outset. McNabb, who entered the game with a 70 percent completion percentage, missed badly on his first two throws and Syracuse was forced to punt. The Panthers took advantage of a bad snap and Mark Ponko blocked the kick back into the end zone for a safety.

O'Connor, a junior college transfer from Oregon with four completions in 15 attempts this season for the Panthers, started in place of Lytle and put the Orangemen in a deeper hole when they kicked off after the safety.

O'Connor hit Murphy with a 7-yard pass on a third-and-5 play and three plays later connected again with Murphy on a 28-yard scoring pass to give Pitt a 9-0 lead less than five minutes into the game.

When Kyle McIntosh fumbled on Syracuse's next possession, it appeared the Orangemen were in for another long afternoon. Then Pittsburgh acted like the team that barely beat Division I-AA Villanova earlier in the season and the Orangemen stormed to the lead.

McNabb hit Pat Woodcock with a 50-yard completion to the Pittsburgh 14 to set up Nate Trout's 31-yard field goal. Then Duke Pettijohn hit O'Connor as he was getting set to throw, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Syracuse's Rickie Simpkins near the goal line. Dee Brown scored on a 1-yard run with 4:37 left in the first quarter to put Syracuse ahead 10-9.