EAST ROUNDUP : Big East Football Makes Debut; Pitt, Rutgers Win

Alex Van Pelt completed 12 of 20 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns to help Pittsburgh beat West Virginia, 34-3, Saturday night at Morgantown, W.Va., on the day Big East football made its debut.

The new Big East football conference is made up of Boston College, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Miami--all full-time members--and football-only members West Virginia, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and Temple.

Van Pelt’s second touchdown pass, a 45-yard play, broke open Pitt’s victory. Van Pelt found wide receiver Chad Askew wide open at the 27, and the touchdown gave Pitt a 24-3 lead with 2:24 left in the third quarter.

Two plays later, West Virginia backup quarterback Chris Gray scrambled to elude a heavy rush, threw the ball off balance and directly to Pitt defender Sean Gilbert, who ran 26 yards down the left sideline for another score.

Gray was playing for Darren Studstill, who bruised his left shoulder in the second quarter. Studstill completed five of nine passes for 44 yards with one interception. Gray, in relief, completed 12 of 17 passes for 108 yards.

Rutgers 20, Boston College 13--The Scarlet Knights’ victory at Piscataway, N.J., spoiled the debut of Eagle Coach Tom Coughlin.

Rutgers recovered a Boston College fumble on the opening kickoff return and got a one-yard touchdown plunge from Bill Bailey five plays later. But despite leading throughout, Rutgers was unable to put away the Eagles.

One problem was Rutgers’ John Benestad missed field goals of 36 and 34 yards in the first half and an extra point in the third quarter.