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Pitt Ties FBS Record With 5 Lost Fumbles In A Quarter

By Phil Watson

Oct 25, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets linebacker Paul Davis (40) causes Pittsburgh Panthers running back Isaac Bennett (34) to fumble during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets linebacker Paul Davis (40) causes Pittsburgh Panthers running back Isaac Bennett (34) to fumble during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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With fans understandably excited about the return of the old “Pitt” script on the helmets Saturday against Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh tied the wrong kind of record.

Fans of the Pittsburgh Panthers were thrilled about the return of the old “Pitt” script on the helmets for Saturday’s game at Heinz Field against Georgia Tech, but the team responded by tying the wrong sort of FBS record.

The Panthers lost a whopping five fumbles in the first quarter to the Yellow Jackets, leading to an early 28-0 deficit.

Quarterback Chad Voytik fumbled on the second offensive snap of the game. Georgia Tech turned it into a 4-yard touchdown by Roderick Snoddy.

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James Conner ran 74 yards down to the Georgia Tech 20 on the first play of the Panthers’ next possession … before he fumbled and Tech recovered.

The Yellow Jackets converted that miscue into a 79-yard touchdown pass from Justin Thomas to Charles Perkins.

Pitt trailed 14-0 and only 3:56 had gone off the clock.

The Panthers weren’t done. Isaac Bennett fumbled on the second play of Pitt’s next drive. Thomas made them pay for it with a 14-yard run on the first play of the Yellow Jackets’ ensuing possession.

That’s five plays, three lost fumbles if you’re keeping track.

On first-and-10 after the ensuing kickoff, Voytik found Tyler Boyd for a solid gain before Boyd … stop me if you’ve heard this before … fumbled the ball away.

Two plays later, Snoddy was in the end zone from 34 yards out.

Pitt did manage to run six whole plays without losing the football on its next drive, which ended when Voytik … because, of course he did … fumbled.

The Panthers’ defense at least held Tech on the next drive, stopping the Yellow Jackets on a fourth-and-2 from the Pitt 18-yard line.

They are the third team in FBS history to fumble five times in a quarter. The others were East Carolina against Louisiana-Lafayette (then Southwestern Louisiana) in 1980 and San Diego State against California in 1982.

Pitt hasn’t committed any more turnovers since then, meaning they would have to go on another binge to challenge the ACC record of eight lost fumbles in a game set by Wake Forest against Duke in 1956 or the NCAA record of 10 lost fumbles set by Wichita State against Florida State in 1969.

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