2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team The 2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2000 college football season . Regular season . The previous season saw Pitt miss the post season by finishing 5 - 6 . For 2000 , Pitt looked to find a replacement at defensive back for NFL drafted Hank Poteat . The season started out with a 30 - 7 win over Kent State . The Panthers then travelled to Bowling Green , winning there 34 - 16 and improving to 2 - 0 for the first time since 1995 . Pitt then hosted Penn State for the two teams last scheduled meeting , which Pitt won 12 - 0 . This was Pitt ' s first win against Penn State in 8 games and improved Pitt to 3 - 0 , their best start since 1991 . Pitt continued their winning ways with a 29 - 17 win over Rutgers , despite seven turnovers by the Panthers . Pittsburgh ' s winning streak would come to an end at Syracuse in double overtime fashion , 17 - 24 . Pitt would come back two weeks later with an impressive win over Boston College . BC came into the game with the second ranked passing defence in the country , but not after Pitt quarterback John Turman threw for 332 yards and five touchdown passes . Running back Kevan Barlow also contributed , running for 209 yards on 25 carries including a 45 yard touchdown run , in the 42 - 26 Pitt victory . The following game required a road trip to , then ranked second in the nation , Virginia Tech . Pitt led Tech 34 - 27 going into the fourth quarter , due mostly to their passing attack . John Turman threw for 311 yards and 4 touchdown passes in the game . Without starting quarterback Michael Vick , Virginia Tech came back in the fourth quarter , scoring 10 points , to win the game 34 - 37 . Pittsburgh only gained 24 yards on the ground and the defence gave up 477 yards . Pittsburgh would then host North Carolina , who would upset the Panthers 17 - 20 despite holding a 407 - 293 disadvantage in total offence . Pittsburgh would then have to visit another top ranked team on the road with a trip to , then ranked second in the nation , Miami . Pittsburgh would have its worst offensive performance of the season , gaining only 266 yards , in the 7 - 35 loss . The Panthers have now lost 3 straight and their record is 5 - 4 . Pittsburgh clinched their first winning season since 1997 and recorded their second shutout , first time since 1987 , with a 7 - 0 win at Temple despite 6 Panther turnovers . Wide Receiver Antonio Bryant , who gained 81 yards on 6 receptions and recorded the games only touchdown , broke the Big East record for most receiving yards in a season with 1 , 154 yards . Pitt would end the season 7 - 4 , their best since 1989 , with a 38 - 28 win over West Virginia . Pitt running back Kevan Barlow , playing in his last home game as a Panther , rushed for a career high 272 yards and 4 touchdowns , 1 , 053 yards for the season . Only Tony Dorsett had rushed for more yards in a single game . Barlow also broke a record for most yards gained against a West Virginia defence . Insight . com Bowl . Pittsburgh accepted a bid to play in the Insight . com Bowl , Pittsburgh ' s second bowl game under Walt Harris , against Iowa State . The contest was the first football game played at the home field of Major League Baseball ' s Arizona Diamondbacks , Bank One Ballpark . Pitt scored on their first possession by way of a 72 yard Antonio Bryant touchdown reception from quarterback John Turman . Iowa State would then go on to score 27 unanswered points . Pitt would score twice unanswered to start the second half , a Rod Rutherford 2 yard touchdown run and an Antonio Bryant 44 yard touchdown reception . Pitt would miss the extra point to make the score 20 - 27 . Pittsburgh would then give up a 72 yard punt return for a touchdown by Iowa State ' s JaMain Billups , 20 - 34 . Next , Pitt ' s Nick Lotz would kick a 25 yard field goal to make it 23 - 34 with 11 : 08 left in the game . On Iowa State ' s ensuing possession , they fumbled on first play at their own 29 . Kevan Barlow would score from 3 yards out with 9 : 45 left in the game . A failed 2 - point conversion made the score 29 - 34 . Iowa State would add a 41 yard field goal with 4 : 53 left , 29 - 37 . Pitt ' s comeback drive would be ended by a Marc Timmons interception at Iowa State ' s 12 yard line . John Turman threw for a career high 347 yards and two touchdowns , Antonio Bryant caught 5 passes for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns , and Kevan Barlow rushed for 114 yards and 1 touchdown . Ramon Walker had 15 tackles and 2 forced fumbles .