Sept 20, 2003

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From AP and UT reports

TOLEDO, Ohio - Bruce Gradkowski threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Lance Moore with 43 seconds left as Toledo stunned No. 9 Pittsburgh 35-31 on Saturday night. It was the highest-ranked opponent Toledo has ever defeated.

Gradkowski lofted the ball into the right corner of the end zone and Moore made a diving catch, just dragging his feet in bounds. The pass capped a 15-play, 83- yard drive that began with 4:36 left.

Gradkowski calmly directed the Rockets down the field - the key play coming on fourth-and-1. He found tight end Andrew Clarke along the sideline for a 13-yard pickup that kept the drive alive.

Gradkowski relied on short passes as the Rockets (3-1) then chipped away at the Panthers' defense. They converted three times on third down to keep the drive alive.

Pitt (2-1) had one final shot at the end zone, but Rod Rutherford's pass was batted down in the end zone, setting off a wild celebration on the field for the overflow crowd of 31,711 in attendance at the Glass Bowl.

The Panthers led 31-21 early in the fourth quarter and seemed to be in control.

But Gradkowski, who completed a Mid-American Conference record 49 passes in 62 attempts for 461 yards, led the Rockets on a 98-yard drive - the big play coming on third down at midfield when he found redshirt freshman Steve Odom for a 31-yard gain.

That set up sophomoreTrinity Dawson's 2-yard leap into the end zone that cut Pitt's lead to 31-28 with 6:45 remaining.

Neither team could establish its running game, forcing the quarterbacks to take over. And both were up to the task.

Rutherford picked up apart Toledo's defense, spreading the ball among all his receivers. He finished with 315 yards passing and four touchdowns, but he also had two interceptions in the second half that kept Toledo in the game.

Pitt all but abandoned its running game on a third quarter drive that started when Larry Fitzgerald made a leaping 36-yard catch with two defenders hanging on him.

Six plays later, Rutherford hit tight end Kris Wilson for a 5-yard touchdown - his third scoring catch of the night that put Pitt ahead 31-21.

Fitzgerald, one of the nation's best receivers, finished with 201 yards receiving but was held to just one touchdown.

Wilson, often overshadowed by Fitzgerald in Pitt's pass offense, made a pair of nifty catches for touchdowns in the first half.

He leaped above Toledo's Patrick Body on a 20-yard scoring catch for the Panthers' first scorch and made a sliding catch in the back of the end zone that gave Pitt a 17-7 lead with 5:02 left in the first half.

It looked like Pitt was ready to take control, but Toledo answered in just four plays.

Gradkowski hit Moore on a short curl pass over the middle and Pitt defensive back Keon Jackson slipped trying to make the tackle, allowing Moore to break free untouched for a 53-yard touchdown.

Moore finished with a school-record 15 receptions for a career-high 162 yards.