PITTSBURGH — Only Tony Dorsett gained more yards in a game for Pittsburgh than Ray Graham did. Pretty good day for a player who wasn't supposed to start and is headed back to the bench.

Graham ran for 277 yards and three touchdowns in his first college start and Pittsburgh shook off three sluggish quarters to beat Florida International 44-17 on Saturday.

Graham's third consecutive 100-yard effort — his first two were off the bench — represented the second-highest rushing total in Pitt history. Dorsett ran for 303 yards against Notre Dame in 1975.

Pitt (2-2) plays Notre Dame on Saturday, but it will be last year's second team All-American, Dion Lewis, who starts. Lewis, held out Saturday with a shoulder injury, had 152 yards in a 27-22 victory against the Fighting Irish last season but is off to a slow start with 143 yards. Graham already has 492 yards.

"That'll give you something to talk about this week," coach Dave Wannstedt said. "The way we run the ball, we could use four tailbacks."