November 19, 1998

Final Stats

MIAMI (AP) - Edgerrin James scored on a 68-yard reception on Miami's second offensive play and ran for two other touchdowns as the 22nd-ranked Hurricanes routed Pittsburgh 38-10 Thursday night.

James scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards, becoming the only player in Miami history to record two 1,000-yard seasons. He ran for 106 yards against the Panthers, giving him 1,002 on the season.

Miami (7-2, 5-1 Big East) won its fourth consecutive game and can claim the Big East's berth in the Bowl Championship Series by beating No. 24 Syracuse next week at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse plays Saturday at Temple.

Scott Covington completed 17 of 23 passes for 284 yards and Jeff Popovich ran 25 yards for a TD on a fake field goal as the Hurricanes avenged last year's 21-17 loss at Pitt. Many Miami players called that loss the low point of last year's 5-6 season, the school's first losing campaign in 19 years.

R.J. English caught a 10-yard TD pass from Rob Lytle for Pittsburgh (2-8, 0-6), which lost its sixth consecutive game. James has 15 touchdowns this season, breaking the school record of 14 set by Eddie Dunn in 1938 and matched by James last year. Eleven of James' TDs have come in the past four games.

It took only two plays for James to add to his total. Covington rolled right, pulled up and threw back across the field to James, who had nobody within 15 yards when he caught the ball at the Miami 42. He turned upfield and utilized Reggie Wayne's downfield block to score just 2:42 into the contest.

English's TD catch with 5:51 left in the first quarter tied the game for the Panthers, but Miami responded with a 12-play drive that ended when James scored from 1 yard out on fourth down.

James' 3-yard TD run with 27 seconds left before halftime gave Miami a 21-7 lead. Covington ran the Hurricanes' two-minute drill to near perfection, completing seven of eight passes on the drive for 76 yards.

Miami appeared to stall at the Pitt 25 on the opening drive of the second half. But Popovich, holding for an apparent field goal, took the snap and sprinted through a huge opening for a 28-7 lead.

Kenny Kelly hit fellow backup Dan Smith on a 1-yard TD pass to give Miami a 35-7 advantage with 6:44 left in the third quarter. Pitt's Nick Lotz and Miami's Andy Crosland exchanged field goals as the game wound down.

By JEFF SHAIN
AP Sports Writer