South Bend, IN (Sports Network) - Conor Lee converted all five of his field goal attempts, including a 22-yard effort in the fourth and final overtime, to give the Pittsburgh Panthers a 36-33 win over Notre Dame in non-conference action at Notre Dame Stadium.
Lee had field goals in each of the four overtime sessions for the Panthers (6-2) as they won for the sixth time in the last seven outings. LeSean McCoy also contributed to the hard-fought win with a season-high 169 yards and a score on the ground, while quarterback Pat Bostick converted 14-of-27 for 164 yards and a TD, surviving three interceptions along the way.
The Fighting Irish (5-3) were paced by Jimmy Clausen who converted 23-of-44 for 271 yards and three touchdowns in the longest game every played at Notre Dame.
Notre Dame began the day's scoring with a 39-yard field goal by Brandon Walker at the 9:38 mark of the first quarter. Walker ended up making 4-of-5 field goal attempts, his lone missing coming in the fourth overtime when he tried to give the team a lead.
Lee responded for Pittsburgh with a 35-yard kick of his own later in the frame to lock the score at 3-3 heading into the second quarter.
The only scoring in the second came from the Irish as Clausen and Michael Floyd combined for passing touchdowns of 18 and four yards, providing the home team with a 17-3 advantage at the break. Floyd, who broke the record for receptions by a Notre Dame freshman, had 10 grabs for 100 yards.
In the third quarter Pitt's LaRod Stephens-Howling capped a 15-play, 70-yard drive that ate up nearly eight and a half minutes with a one-yard TD run. Early in the fourth quarter McCoy's one-yard touchdown lunge for the Panthers knotted the score at 17-17.
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Clausen then struck again for the Irish with a six-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate at the 5:38 mark of the frame to give Notre Dame the 24-17 edge.
But before the Irish could celebrate, the Panthers came back with a touchdown of their own an a 10-yard TD pass from Bostick to Jonathan Baldwin with just over two minutes to play, eventually pushing the teams into overtime tied at 24-24.
The teams traded field goals through each of the first three extra periods, Lee and Walker both converting 22-yard efforts in the first overtime. In the second Walker began with a 26-yard kick and Lee responded with a 32-yard conversion. Lee led off the third overtime with a 26-yard field goal and, after the Irish were pushed back, Walker knocked through a career-best 48- yarder to make the score 33-33.
In the fourth Walker was set up for a 38-yard kick after his offense failed to move the ball significantly, but this time his kick was pushed slightly left, which meant Pittsburgh was up for the win on its next possession.
Not to miss an opportunity, Lee was provided with a short field after McCoy ripped off an 18-yard run to the left side and made good on his 22-yard kick to give the visitors a thrilling three-point win in quadruple overtime.
Notre Dame, which tallied only seven yards on 10 plays in the third quarter, averaged less than three yards per rushing attempt on the afternoon.
The Panthers, who are searching for their first bowl appearance since 2004, are now eligible to participate in the postseason and need one more victory to give head coach Dave Wannstedt his first winning season at Pittsburgh in four years.
