Pittsburgh running back Israel Abanikanda broke Tony Dorsett’s single-game school rushing record Saturday, running for 320 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-29 victory over Virginia Tech.
Dorsett set the previous record of 303 yards rushing against Notre Dame in 1975. Abanikanda’s six rushing touchdowns also ties an ACC single-game record (set in 1981) and a Pitt single-game record (set in 1910).
Abanikanda also joins LaDainian Tomlinson and Ricky Williams as the only members of teams currently in the Power 5 to rush for 300 yards and score six rushing touchdowns in the past 25 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
In a phone interview after his performance, Abanikanda said a disappointing loss to Georgia Tech last week served as motivation headed into Saturday. Abanikanda injured his shoulder in the second quarter and missed the remainder of that game. Pitt struggled without him in the 26-21 setback. Though he had his right shoulder in a sling on the sideline after he got hurt, Abanikanda said he was able to practice this week.
“I was angry after that game, and I just wanted to empty out the tank this week,” Abanikanda told ESPN. “I just wanted to show people what I’m capable of and help my team by doing what we had to do to win.”
Before the season began, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi promised his team would emphasize rushing the football, something that spurred on Abanikanda and the running back room. Abanikanda has four 100-yard rushing games on the season and 12 total rushing touchdowns.
But the Virginia Tech game was on a different level, and it showed from the start. On his second touchdown run, it appeared Abanikanda was stopped at the line of scrimmage. But he emerged on the other side and sprinted to the end zone for a 17-yard score.
“I just wanted to get the first down, and I felt like I was stopped, but somehow I kept moving my feet and I saw green and said thank you — that’s all I needed,” Abanikanda said.
On his final score, he ran 80 yards essentially untouched. That run put him at 298 yards rushing for the day. When he got to the sideline and looked up at the scoreboard, he saw how many yards he had, alongside the Dorsett record of 303 and thought to himself, “I can get this for sure.”
Abanikanda said he had never looked up the record before that moment, nor had he ever dreamed about breaking any records set by the Pitt Heisman Trophy winner. But once he saw that goal was within reach, he let it be known he wanted to try to break the mark.
Abanikanda carried the ball two more times for 22 yards, reaching 320 for the game. That ranks as the fourth-most in single-game ACC history.
“I’m so honored and so grateful that it happened,” Abanikanda said.
