Israel Abanikanda tied a school record with six rushing touchdowns and broke Tony Dorsett’s school record with 320 rushing yards as Pittsburgh beat visiting Virginia Tech 45-29 on Saturday.
Abanikanda joined Norman Bill Budd as the only Panther with six rushing touchdowns. Budd achieved the feat in 1910 against Ohio as a quarterback.
Abanikanda also broke Dorsett’s previous mark of 303 rushing yards set Nov. 15, 1975 at home against Notre Dame and became the seventh player in ACC history to run for more than 300 yards. He also tied the ACC record for rushing touchdowns set by Kelvin Bryant in 1981 for North Carolina.
The junior broke Dorsett’s mark on a six-yard gain with 5:35 remaining. His final run was a 16-yard gain on the next play after surpassing Dorsett when he was shaken up and appeared to slightly limp off the field.
Before breaking Dorsett’s record, Abanikanda scored twice in the first half, including the go-ahead 17-yard run with 7:14 left that gave Pittsburgh a 16-14 lead. He added TD runs of 29 yards and five yards in the third quarter to help the Panthers to a 31-16 lead and then scored twice in a span of 2:44 to give Pittsburgh a 45-29 lead after the Hokies cut the deficit to 31-29.
Abanikanda, whose previous career high was four TDs against Rhode Island, finished it off with an 80-yard run with 7:56 left after Virginia Tech kicker William Ross missed a 38-yard field goal.
Abanikanda’s big day helped the Panthers rebound from last week’s disappointing loss to Georgia Tech when he exited in the first half with a shoulder that had him in a sling and put his status against Virginia Tech in doubt.
Kedon Slovis completed 15 of 27 passes for 170 yards as the Panthers (4-2, 1-1 ACC) beat the Hokies for the third straight time.
Grant Wells completed 25 of 47 passes for 277 yards as Virginia Tech (2-3, 1-2) dropped its second straight. Kaleb Smith had nine receptions for 152 yards but was in the medical tent late in the fourth quarter.
Abanikanda reached 177 yards by halftime after Pittsburgh erased an early 16-7 deficit and held a 17-16 lead. He scored his final two touchdowns after Da’Wain Lofton had a 43-yard TD reception with 30 seconds left in the third and Virginia Tech blocked a punt with 13:25 left in the fourth.
–Field Level Media
