Van Pelt Gets Two Records, but Rutgers Gets 21-16 Win

Alex Van Pelt got Dan Marino’s career passing record at Pittsburgh and connected on the longest touchdown pass play in Panther history on the same night.

They weren’t enough as Rutgers ended 11 years of frustration against Pitt with a 21-16 victory Thursday night.

Bruce Presley caught one of two touchdown passes thrown by Bryan Fortay and also ran two yards for what proved to be a game-winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter as Rutgers (2-1 overall, 1-1 in the Big East) beat Pitt (1-2, 0-2) for the first time after nine losses.

The loss spoiled what should have been a memorable night for Van Pelt, who completed 36 of 55 passes for 395 and two touchdowns. The four-year starter needed 31 yards to break Marino’s career passing mark of 8,597 yards set in 1982. He broke that with a 15-yard pass to Chris Bouyer with 7:14 left in the second quarter.

Van Pelt got another school record with a 91-yard scoring pass play to Dietrich Jells with Pitt trailing, 14-3, in the third quarter.

That broke the record of 82 yards from Lou Cecconi to Nick DeRosa in 1948 against Marquette.

However, three of Van Pelt’s passes went to Rutgers players. The first was on a two-point conversion after the long touchdown and the other two were in the fourth quarter with Pitt in Rutgers territory threatening to get back into the game.

The one that hurt most came after Pitt drove to the Rutgers 26 when trailing, 14-9. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jay Bellemy’s interception in the end zone ended the drive.

Rutgers then went 80 yards in seven plays, with Craig Mitter running 41 yards on the second play and Presley finishing the drive for a 21-9 lead.

Van Pelt got Pitt close with 2:42 left on a four-yard touchdown pass to Bouyer, but Presley got a crucial first down on a 60-yard run with 2:20 left on second and 15.