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Pickett sparks Pitt win at Duke

DURHAM, N.C. — Kenny Pickett and Pittsburgh built a big lead by taking the ball from Duke — only to have that lead disappear when the Panthers started giving it right back.

Given enough time for one shot at a comeback, he wasn’t going to throw it to the Blue Devils again.

Pickett threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to V’Lique Carter with 38 seconds remaining, and Pitt rallied to beat Duke 33-30 on Saturday night after wasting a 23-point lead.

“The first thing you want to do is stop the bleeding and try to get a drive,” Pickett said.

Pickett finished 29 of 48 for 268 yards with three touchdown passes to help the Panthers (4-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) claim a wild victory — their fifth straight in this Coastal Division series — after the teams combined for 10 total turnovers with each scoring TDs in the final 90 seconds.

Pitt led 26-3 late in the third quarter, only to have the Blue Devils turn three straight turnovers into touchdowns and then take a 30-26 lead on Quentin Harris’ 44-yard touchdown pass to Deon Jackson with 1:30 remaining.

Pickett needed just four plays to put the Panthers back in front. He found Carter over the middle and the Pitt running back got past defensive back Marquis Waters with a spin move on his way to the end zone.

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