To the house! Ohio stuns Pittsburgh in overtime

ATHENS, Ohio (AP) -- Dion Byrum returned two interceptions for

touchdowns, the second one in overtime Friday night that brought

thousands of jubilant fans onto the field and gave Ohio coach Frank

Solich a stunning victory in his home debut, 16-10 over Pitt.

Byrum ran one back 38 yards in the first quarter to get the

Bobcats revved. He stepped in front of Tyler Palko's pass in the

first overtime and returned it 85 yards untouched, gently placing

the ball down once he crossed the goal line.

Led by their defense, the Bobcats (1-1) pulled off one of their

biggest victories in a generation, providing Solich with a proud

moment in the national spotlight. The former Nebraska coach was

brought in to rebuild one of the nation's worst football programs.

The Panthers, opened the season ranked No. 23 under first-year

coach Dave Wannstedt, but have started to 0-2 for the first time

since 1984. Next week, they play at Nebraska.

Pitt's LaRod Stephens returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for

a touchdown, but the Panthers' offense self-destructed behind

Palko, a junior quarterback who was 13-of-26 for 120 yards with

three interceptions.

Before the game, Ohio gave away 10,000 pairs of thunder sticks,

10,000 rally towels and 2,000 T-shirts, commemorating Solich's

debut. A Peden Stadium-record crowd of 24,535 slapped the sticks

and waved the towels while the Bobcats were introduced to pregame

fireworks.

Only 13 seconds into the game, the sticks and the crowd went

silent after Stephens returned the kickoff untouched.

New coach, same old Ohio.

There was reason for pessimism. The Bobcats hadn't been on

national television since 1969. In the last 35 years, they've had

29 losing seasons, spawning a local tradition. Students go to

games, watch the band at halftime, then leave en masse.

This time, the Bobcats gave them a reason to stay put.

Byrum's interception return tied it, and the Bobcats' only drive

of the first half set up Brooks Rossman's 21-yard field goal for a

10-7 halftime lead. The 110-member band played, and everyone

stayed.

Compounding the Panthers' problems: Right tackle Mike McGlynn

and left guard Dominic Williams were hurt on the same play in the

first quarter, limping off the field together. McGlynn returned

three series later, but it didn't make much of a difference.

Palko also struggled against Ohio last year, completing only six

passes in a season-opening 24-3 win at Pitt that left the Panthers

7-0 all-time against the Bobcats.

He had a chance to tie it after Rossman missed a 32-yard field

goal attempt with 2:19 to go. Palko completed 7-of-8 passes on a

70-yard drive to Josh Cummings' 27-yard field goal with 7 seconds

left.

His only pass in overtime ended it and brought thousands of fans

onto the field, waving those thunder sticks while fireworks went

off overhead.