2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
| 2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football | |
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Insight.com Bowl, L 29–37 vs. Iowa State
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| Conference | Big East Conference |
| 2000 record | 7–5 (4–3 Big East) |
| Head coach | Walt Harris (4th year) |
| Offensive coordinator | J. D. Brookhart (1st year) |
| Offensive scheme | Pro-style |
| Defensive coordinator | Paul Rhoads (1st year) |
| Base defense | Multiple 4–3 |
| Home stadium |
Three Rivers Stadium (Capacity: 59,600) |
| 2000 Big East football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #2 Miami (FL) $ | 7 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #6 Virginia Tech | 6 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pittsburgh | 4 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Syracuse | 4 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boston College | 3 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia | 3 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temple | 1 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rutgers | 0 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season.
The previous season saw Pitt miss the post season by finishing 5–6. For 2000, Pitt looked to find a replacement at defensive back for NFL drafted Hank Poteat.
The season started out with a 30–7 win over Kent State. The Panthers then travelled to Bowling Green, winning there 34 - 16 and improving to 2-0 for the first time since 1995. Pitt then hosted Penn State for the two teams last scheduled meeting, which Pitt won 12–0. This was Pitt's first win against Penn State in 8 games and improved Pitt to 3–0, their best start since 1991. Pitt continued their winning ways with a 29–17 win over Rutgers, despite seven turnovers by the Panthers.
Pittsburgh's winning streak would come to an end at Syracuse in double overtime fashion, 17–24. Pitt would come back two weeks later with an impressive win over Boston College. BC came into the game with the second ranked passing defence in the country, but not after Pitt quarterback John Turman threw for 332 yards and five touchdown passes. Running back Kevan Barlow also contributed, running for 209 yards on 25 carries including a 45-yard touchdown run, in the 42-26 Pitt victory.
The following game required a road trip to, then ranked second in the nation, Virginia Tech. Pitt led Tech 34–27 going into the fourth quarter, due mostly to their passing attack. John Turman threw for 311 yards and 4 touchdown passes in the game. Without starting quarterback Michael Vick, Virginia Tech came back in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points, to win the game 34–37. Pittsburgh only gained 24 yards on the ground and the defence gave up 477 yards.
Pittsburgh would then host North Carolina, who would upset the Panthers 17–20 despite holding a 407–293 disadvantage in total offense. Pittsburgh would then have to visit another top ranked team on the road with a trip to, then ranked second in the nation, Miami. Pittsburgh would have its worst offensive performance of the season, gaining only 266 yards, in the 7–35 loss. The Panthers have now lost 3 straight and their record is 5–4.
Pittsburgh clinched their first winning season since 1997 and recorded their second shutout, first time since 1987, with a 7–0 win at Temple despite 6 Panther turnovers. Wide Receiver Antonio Bryant, who gained 81 yards on 6 receptions and recorded the games only touchdown, broke the Big East record for most receiving yards in a season with 1,154 yards. Pitt would end the season 7–4, their best since 1989, with a 38–28 win over West Virginia. Pitt running back Kevan Barlow, playing in his last home game as a Panther, rushed for a career high 272 yards and 4 touchdowns, 1,053 yards for the season. Only Tony Dorsett had rushed for more yards in a single game. Barlow also broke a record for most yards gained against a West Virginia defence.
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