Pittsburgh Beats Rutgers in Ireland

Curvin Richards scored three touchdowns and Adam Walker had two scores as 24th-ranked Pittsburgh extended its mastery over Rutgers to another continent with a 46-29 victory Saturday in the Emerald Isle game.

Alex Van Pelt threw to Richards on touchdown pass plays of 54 and 15 yards, and Richards scored on a one-yard run to lead the Panthers, who have never lost in seven games against the Scarlet Knights.

Walker added two rushing touchdowns as the Panthers, bound for the John Hancock Bowl, improved to 7-3-1. Rutgers (2-7-2) finished its season with seven consecutive losses.

Van Pelt completed 15 of 25 passes for 336 yards, his third 300-yard passing game this season. Rutgers quarterback Scott Erney completed 20 of 37 passes for 243 yards.

Richards, a sophomore who has rushed for more than 1,100 yards in each of his first two college seasons, pounded through the Rutgers defense for 98 yards in 24 carries.

Walker scored on runs of eight and three yards for Pitt, and freshman Jimmer Bundy added a late one-yard touchdown run and Ed Frazier had a 19-yard field goal.

Pitt needed less than 2 1/2 minutes to score, on an eight-yard run by Walker that capped a 66-yard drive.

Erney threw to Randy Jackson on a 24-yard touchdown pass play and scored on a three-yard run. Tailback James Cann also scored on a three-yard run.

Tom Tarver threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jim Guarantano in the closing seconds and Doug Giesler kicked a 43-yard field goal for the Scarlet Knights.

Irish flags waved alongside Rutgers and Pitt pennants in the stands of the 42,000-seat Lansdowne Stadium rugby grounds.

Only about 19,800 fans attended the game, compared to the sellout for last year’s Boston College-Army game in the inaugural Emerald Isle game.

About 2,000 fans accompanied the teams to Dublin, as compared to about 10,000 Americans who made the trip last year.