Sunseri and Graham lead Pitt in upset over VT

2:31 PM, Sep 15, 2012   |    comments
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Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Tino Sunseri threw three touchdown passes, Ray Graham scored three times and the Pittsburgh Panthers earned their first win with a 35-17 victory over the 13th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies at Heinz Field.

The Pathers (1-2), coming off losses to FCS foe Youngstown State and Cincinnati to start the season, jumped out to a 21-0 lead Saturday and pitched a shutout in the fourth quarter to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2005.

Sunseri threw for 283 yards with an interception on 19-of-28 efficiency, as the Panthers ended Virginia Tech's true road winning streak at 13 games.

Rushel Shell and Graham ran for 144 and 94 yards, respectively, for a Pitt ground game that outrushed the Hokies, 254-59. Graham ran for two scores and caught another.

Logan Thomas threw three interceptions and completed just 14-of-31 attempts for Virginia Tech (2-1), which had just 14 first downs to Pitt's 27. Thomas ended with 265 passing yards -- 85 coming on a TD pass to Marcus Davis -- and led an anemic running attack with 28 yards on seven carries.

The Sports Network