Censere Lee's one-handed grab highlights Pitt's rout of Georgia Tech as Panthers reach a bowl
Censere Lee's one-handed 44-yard catch went viral as Pitt beat Georgia Tech 34-11, ended a three-game skid and became bowl eligible.
Pitt receiver Censere Lee made one of the best catches of the college football weekend on Saturday night. A pass interference call didn't stop him from pulling in a one-handed 44-yard catch, and the Panthers went on to beat Georgia Tech 34-11 at Acrisure Stadium. The win ended a three-game losing streak and made Pitt bowl eligible at 6-3.
ClutchPoints reported that Holden Geriner threw deep and Lee reached up with one hand while a Yellow Jackets defender was draped on him. The catch put Pitt in the red zone, and ESPN posted the clip on X. The drive still came up empty because Pitt turned the ball over at the goal line. Lee finished with three catches for 56 yards, and the 44-yarder was Pitt's longest play of the night. Lee is a redshirt senior who has dealt with injuries since he transferred from Western Carolina in 2024. It was the kind of play Pitt's passing game hasn't produced often during a stretch of injuries and quarterback changes.
The catch got the attention, but the ground game won the game. The Associated Press reported that Pitt ran for 281 yards against an injury-depleted Georgia Tech defense. Freshman Damon Ferguson Jr. carried 31 times for a career-high 185 yards and two touchdowns. Field Level Media reported that Geriner's 30-yard touchdown pass to Blue Hicks early in the fourth quarter made it 27-3. Georgia Tech's only touchdown came from backup quarterback Grady Adamson, who ran 18 yards and then added the two-point conversion.
Pitt's defense held Georgia Tech to almost nothing. According to 93.7 The Fan, Pitt sacked Georgia Tech quarterbacks five times. The Yellow Jackets converted 3 of 18 third downs and 1 of 5 fourth downs. They fumbled five times and lost two. Pitt outgained them 461-238. The win was not clean: Pitt lost a fumble late in the first half, and Georgia Tech turned it into a 49-yard field goal before halftime.
What it means for Florida State
Pitt has a week off before it hosts Florida State on Friday, November 13, on ESPN. That gives the Panthers time to recover after a hard month. They opened 5-0 by beating Miami (OH), UCF, Syracuse, Bucknell and Virginia Tech. Then they lost 21-17 to North Carolina, 27-21 at Boston College and 52-23 at No. 1 Miami. The two close losses were decided by a combined 10 points. Pitt has outscored opponents 287-178 this season and is 3-3 in ACC play, according to the AP. Its conference record still depends on November.
The Georgia Tech win also showed the formula Pitt is likely to use from here: run the ball with Ferguson, rely on the pass rush and throw deep only when the matchup is there. Lee's catch showed what a deep shot can add. Pitt completed only 13 passes against Georgia Tech, so a receiver who wins contested balls could help an inconsistent passing game.
Georgia Tech is moving the opposite way. The Yellow Jackets are 2-6 and 1-4 in the ACC, and they have lost three straight since beating Duke 28-25. They allowed 49 points to Boston College before Saturday's loss and have given up 246 points this season. Next they host Louisville on Saturday, November 7, on ACC Network.
