Pitt-UConn Notebook

Even though the Pitt football team didn't play intensely from start to finish, practically the entire Panthers' game roster contributed to the 24-21 win against Connecticut Saturday at Heinz Field.

And there were several notable performances in the victory for Pittsburgh (5-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big East:

• Pitt's 15-point comeback against Connecticut is the largest under head coach Dave Wannstedt. The Panthers were down 21-6 and won 24-21 on a Dan Hutchins' 18-yard field goal on the final play. Pitt was down 14 points at Notre Dame Nov. 1, 2008 and came back to win 36-33 in four overtimes.

• The Panthers recorded 489 yards in total offense to mark a season-high. Pitt's previous best was 404 yards last week at Louisville. The last time Pitt gained 400 or more yards in back-to-back games was last year against Navy (499 yards, Oct. 18, 2008) and Rutgers (486, Oct. 25, 2008).

• Redshirt junior place-kicker Hutchins nailed a 42-yard field goal in the first quarter. It was the longest in his brief career to go with the 19-yarder and 18-yard game-winner. Hutchins is 7-for-7 on field goals this season.

• Freshman tailback Dion Lewis tallied his third 100-yard rushing game of the season with 158 yards. He lost about 30 on a penalty. Lewis also had 129 yards rushing in the opener against Youngstown State and 190 at Buffalo). Lewis has an amazing 738 rushing yards (5.63 per carry) this season.

• Sophomore wideout Jonathan Baldwin picked up his third 100-yard receiving game in a row with eight catches for 104 and one touchdown against UConn. Baldwin also amassed 111 yards receiving against Navy and 105 last week at Louisville. His receptions also marked a career-high. He had six against Navy Sept. 19, 2009 and has 27 for 532 (19.70 per catch) this season with three scores.

• Senior tight end Dorin Dickerson had just one catch for 27 yards, but it went for his team-high seventh touchdown reception. Lewis also has seven rushing touchdowns.

• Senior tight end Nate Byham had three catches for 34 yards against UConn to match his season totals, while 6-5, 220-pound redshirt freshman Michael Shanahan -- getting his first extensive playing time since breaking his left ring finger during training camp -- added two catches (his first ones at Pitt) for 35 yards.

• Redshirt sophomore linebacker Max Gruder recorded his first sack and forced fumble on UConn quarterback Cody Endres in the second quarter and had eight tackles with five solo stops.

• Sixth-year senior Adam Gunn appears to be all the way back after missing two games with an ankle injury. He again led the Panthers with 10 total tackles, including seven solo, and has 33 this season.

• Pitt redshirt junior defensive end Greg Romeus recovered Gruder's forced fumble at the Pitt 32 for the third of his career. Romeus also forced his first fumble of the season on the first play of the fourth quarter with a bone-crushing sack on Endres.

• The Panthers had three sacks against UConn and have 26 overall in six games (4.33 per game) and an amazing 48 tackles behind the line (eight per game) this season.

• Pitt recorded its first two-point conversion of the season in the fourth quarter, which tied the game 21-21. The last time Pitt converted on a two-point play was a Bill Stull to Jonathan Baldwin pass at Syracuse on Sept. 27, 2008 (a 34-24 Pitt win).

• Game captains for Pitt were fifth-year senior defensive tackle Mick Williams, Gunn, Byham and fifth-year senior wideout Cedric McGee.