South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe made one quick move at the line of scrimmage and like a lightning bolt shot down the field through Pitt's defense for 80 yards and a Bulls touchdown.

And just like that, Pitt's hopes for a fifth victory and a little bit of satisfaction in a season filled with frustration and disappointment went up in smoke.

Grothe's big run came on the first play of the third quarter of the showdown yesterday before 32,123 at Heinz Field. It not only gave the Bulls their first lead, but it also seemingly deflated the Panthers, who up until that point had controlled the game.

The Bulls never trailed again and came away with a 48-37 victory to spoil Pitt's Senior Day.

"It is disappointing, the way the game unfolded," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. "I really thought we were focused to start the game and at the half. And then we went out there in the second half and we give up that one big play and then for whatever reason, after that, offensively just came totally unglued."

Wannstedt said Grothe's big run was a result of two mental mistakes -- one at the line of scrimmage and one in the secondary. He said one of the defensive linemen should have been in a different gap and there should have been a safety in the middle of the field to stop Grothe if he did get through the line.

But Pitt middle linebacker Scott McKillop, who had a career-high 18 tackles, including three for losses, said the play was a result of a bust on his part because he knew what play was coming -- it was a quarterback counter -- and saw it and just didn't react to it.

"We knew Matt Grothe was a heck of an athlete and he had been making plays and he was like 75 percent of their offense, but if you take that one long touchdown back we did a good job of containing him," McKillop said. "It is a little upsetting. I should have been there, I should have read my key. I saw the play. We were told there are certain steps that they do and I just have to see it and react quicker."

Grothe said the run was obviously the big momentum swing his team needed because they were trailing, 14-10, at the time. But he believes an even more important play was a successful fake punt the Bulls pulled off in the first quarter that led to their first touchdown.

Pitt dominated the early part of the game and took a 7-0 lead when tailback LeSean McCoy scored on a 1-yard run. It was the first of three rushing touchdowns by McCoy.

The Panthers (4-7, 2-4 Big East) then came out on the ensuing drive and appeared to have forced a punt as the Bulls faced a fourth-and-8 at the Pitt 46. But rather than punt, the Bulls used a direct snap to up man Sam Miller and he ran 29 yards to the 17.

Two plays later, Mike Ford scored on a 15-yard run and the score was tied, 7-7. Pitt quarterback Pat Bostick hit Maurice Williams with a 37-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter, but Delbert Alvarado kicked a 31-yard field goal to pull the Bulls within 14-10 just before halftime.

"Pitt overreacted a little bit at the snap of the ball [on the long run] and everything just kind of came together from there," Grothe said. "I got some good blocks at the line of scrimmage and some good blocks downfield and, fortunately, I was able to take the ball 80 yards for a score. The fake punt helped a lot, too. I think they controlled the play through the first half, but the score that resulted from that fake punt kept us in the game.

"We were able to come out after that and play exceptionally well and get the momentum back."

Grothe's long run gave the Bulls a 17-14 lead, and the Panthers' offense crumbled under a mountain of penalties, poorly executed plays and turnovers. The defense, however, had played well enough to keep the Bulls (9-3, 4-3) within striking distance -- Pitt trailed, 20-14, with a minute left in the third quarter -- but eventually the mistakes were too much to overcome.

The big blow came on the final play of the third quarter when South Florida's Nate Allen intercepted a Bostick pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown and a 27-14 lead. South Florida linebacker Ben Moffitt then intercepted a Bostick pass and returned it 60 yards to the 1. Three plays later Ford scored.

Pitt's fate was then sealed by South Florida defensive back Trae Williams, who returned a third Pat Bostick interception 21 yards for a touchdown and a 41-21 lead.

Pitt did make the final score a little more respectable with two late touchdowns, but, as has been the case for most of this season, it was too little, too late.