Pittsburgh and Oregon State entered the 14th Annual Insight Bowl with two of the nation's stingiest defenses. But it was the Panthers defense - and offense - that dominated the game to win convincingly, 38-13, at Bank One Ballpark.
The Panthers held Steven Jackson, the nation's fourth leading rusher with 1,656 yards, to a season-low 34 yards on 19 carries. Overall, Oregon State gained just eight yards on the ground.
Offensively, Pittsburgh relied on the feet of Brandon Miree, who rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown, and the arm of Rod Rutherford, who completed 13-of-26 passes for 183 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown pass on a diving catch by Larry Fitzgerald.
With the scored tied 10-10, Pittsburgh scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and held the Beavers to only three second half points. Tez Morris' interception set up the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run by Rutherford.
Then Shawn Robinson took a punt 66 yards for a score to become the first Pittsburgh player to return a punt for a touchdown in the school's 22 bowl appearances. Miree had a 7-yard touchdown run and Tyler Palko added an 8-yard touchdown scamper in the fourth quarter to finish the scoring.
Pittsburgh (9-4) won nine games in a season for the first time in 20 years and finished No. 19 in the final Associated Press poll.
Derek Anderson completed 21-of-44 passes for 318 yards for Oregon State. James Newson caught 10 passes for 165 yards for the Beavers, including a remarkable 65-yard touchdown play.
Jackson had gained fewer than 100 yards in just three games all season, but broke loose only once in the game, a 60-yard gain that was called back by a holding penalty.
