PITTSBURGH — A year ago, James Conner spent the days before Thanksgiving wondering what was wrong with him. The answer came in the form of a cancer diagnosis that sent the Pittsburgh running back through months of debilitating treatment that threatened his career.

It’s all behind him now. All of it. And that - more than the records he’s breaking at an alarming rate - is what matters. It’s why Conner didn’t get wrapped up in his own hype after his pair of touchdowns in Pitt’s easy 56-14 romp over Duke on Saturday made him the leading career touchdown scorer in Atlantic Coast Conference history.

“When I take the field, I put cancer and everything behind me and just play,” said Conner.”

The Panthers (7-4, 4-3 ACC), showed no signs of a letdown after stunning Clemson last week. Conner, as is his wont, led the way. He bulled over from 1 yard in the first quarter and again in the third to give him 50 rushing touchdowns for his career, breaking the previous mark set by N.C. State’s Ted Brown (1975-78).