Pitt hands No. 22 Syracuse 3rd straight loss in 19-9 victory

PITTSBURGH -- , Like the rest of their teammates, Rodney Hammond and C'Bo Flemister have sat and watched Israel Abanikanda carry Pittsburgh's offense for most of a wildly uneven season. The ACC's leading rusher sidelined by an injury before Saturday's visit from No. 22 Syracuse, Hammond and Flemister were more than happy to pick up the slack for a program that calls itself “RB U." Hammond ran for a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown, and Flemister added 43 yards and his first score with the Panthers as Pitt shut down the Orange in a 19-9 victory to end a two-game losing streak. “We always make sure we're available and ready to make plays,” said Hammond, who was supposed to split carries with Abanikanda this season before being injured in the season opener against West Virginia.