2008 Week 17

The Pittsburgh Panthers (7-5) and the Buffalo Bulls (9-3) went at it in Toronto, Canada in the International Bowl. Pittsburgh was teh slight underdog in teh match-up but after a loss in the New Mexico Bowl last year Pitt wasn't ready to let this one slip away. Pitt let up a safety and a touchdown early, putting themselves in a 9-0 hole. But slowly rising star, Pat Bostick, chipped away at the lead and led the Panthers to a 17-9 win and to his first career bowl game. Bostick is now 1-1 in the postseason.

Here are the Top 3 Panthers Plays from the Game:

#3. Late in the 3rd quarter, when the Panthers were losing 9-7, Pat Bostick drove down the field using the same play 3 times. On an option fake, Bostick hit Cedric McGee in the corner of the endzone to put the Panthers up for good and lead them to the win.

#2. With 1:20 left in the game, the Bulls were driving and had made it down to the Pittsburgh 15. Buffalo handed the ball off to their tailback who was immediatly hit by Greg Webster who stripped the ball. Defensive tackle Rashaad Duncan fell on the ball, taking hopes of scoring away from Buffalo. Duncan was chosen as NCAA Defensive Player of the Week as he had a sack and 2 fumble recoveries on the way to the win.

#1. After Duncan's fumble recovery, the Panthers went 3 and out and were forced to punt to Buffalo with 45 seconds remaining. The Bulls drove up to their own 40 but it all ended there when superstar cornerback Aaron Berry picked off his 11th pass of the year and was brought down. Berry ended his fantastic season by closing out the game for Pitt as he becomes one of the greatest defensive backs in all of Pittsburgh Panthers history. Many wonder whether he will declare for the NFL Draft next month or choose to stay with Pitt for his senior year.

On a rather poor note, the NCAA placed Pittsburgh on probation for the next two seasons. Pitt had too many encounters with trouble as several players were forced to be suspended over the course of this season. The most recent was Junior Outside Linebacker Dorin Dickerson who was caught cheating on his final exams. The NCAA decided that Pitt needed to be taught a lesson, so Pittsburgh will have 5 less scholarships over the next 2 years.