University of North Carolina Athletics
Davenport, Defense Take Down Pitt
June 21, 1999 | Football
October 10, 1998
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- Oscar Davenport hit Na Brown with a 44-yard scoring pass on North Carolina's first possession of the second half to spark a 29-10 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Davenport's touchdown toss came after Ebenezer Ekuban sacked Pitt quarterback Matt Lytle for a safety on the second play of the half. The safety and touchdown gave North Carolina a 15-3 lead. The Tar Heels' defense shut down the Panthers, holding Pitt (2-3) to 48 yards rushing and 181 yards total offense.
North Carolina (2-3) sacked Lytle five times, recovered two Pitt fumbles and blocked a punt to set up the Tar Heels' final score. The Tar Heels also scored in the fourth quarter on Ronnie Robinson's 2-yard run and Deon Dyer's 9-yard run.
Despite just 11 yards of total offense in the first quarter, Pitt took a 3-0 lead on Chris Fenecik's 46-yard field goal. North Carolina's Josh McGee answered with a pair of 21-yard field goals for a 6-3 lead at halftime.
Pitt's lone touchdown of the second half came on Lytle's 25-yard pass to a wide-open Juan Williams, cutting North Carolina's lead to 15-10 with 7:40 left in the third quarter.
North Carolina responded with its only sustained scoring drive of the afternoon, a 63-yard, eight-play effort capped by Robinson's touchdown. Dyer scored after Russell Davis blocked a Pitt punt and Steve Fisher recovered it at the Panther's 13-yard line.
