DETROIT — Of course the final game of the season for the Pitt Panthers went to overtime. More than one, actually. Six.

In what was the longest bowl game in NCAA history, Pitt heartbreakingly fell to Toledo in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, 48-46. Julian Dugger — a true freshman from Pittsburgh, Pa. — almost cemented himself in Pittsburgh sports history. He wasn’t able to win it in regulation, and with an effort he should be proud of, he fell just short in overtime.

Toledo converted its two-point conversion attempt in the fourth overtime, and Dugger — after a review — was ruled to have crossed the line. The two teams traded a couple more conversions, taking a 48-46 lead, and the Panthers were finally unable to match.

It was a tough result for Dugger and the Panthers, but he showed a lot of heart. Pitt trailed 20-12 at the half, following an uninspired two-minute drill that ended with an unceremonious punt, and Dugger started to receive more playing time in the second half. Despite a fourth quarter pick-six, Dugger gave the Panthers the boost they needed.

He completed 7-of-13 pass attempts for 72 yards and two touchdowns and added 88 yards and a touchdown on the ground, Desmond Reid racked up 154 yards and a touchdown and the offense scored 42 points, but it wasn’t enough in the end.

Toledo struck first, a two-yard touchdown toss on fourth down to wideout Anthony Torres, but Kyle Louis didn’t let the Rockets add another point. He shot off the line and blocked the point-after attempt, racing 85 yards back to the end zone. 6-2, Rockets, after the first drive.

And then David Lynch, the quarterback, took the field.

It took some time for Lynch to get going, with a sprinkling of Julian Dugger in his collegiate debut, but the Panthers finally found the end zone to kick off the second quarter. Desmond Reid took a quick pitch three yards to the end zone.

Ben Sauls added his sixth field goal of at least 50 yards, drilling a 57-yarder, to stretch the lead to 12-6 early in the second quarter. The Rockets struck back with a 67-yard catch and run down the sideline, courtesy of wideout Junior Vandeross III, to retake the lead.

And the Rockets stretched the lead to eight as David Lynch stared down Poppi Williams midway through the second quarter, allowing defensive back Braden Awls to jump the route and take it 46 yards back to the end zone.

Pitt had a chance at the end of the half to cut into the Toledo lead, set up with a nearly perfect two-minute drill, but it fizzled out quickly. The opening drive to start the second half ended in an even worse fashion.

Lynch rolled out on third-and-5 and attempted to complete a pass to Kenny Johnson on the run, which was at least 10 yards short and straight into the hands of Toledo defensive back Daniel Bolden.

Dugger was worked into the offense more following the interception and as the Panthers incorporated more quarterback runs, the offense started to click. Dugger fueled a 10-play, 71-yard drive that ended with his first career touchdown pass — an 11-yarder to Jake Overman in the corner of the end zone. A successful two-point conversion tied the game up.

Another Sauls field goal, from 37 yards, to retake the lead. And the Panthers added to the lead with a 16-yard touchdown connection between Dugger and Williams.

The introduction of Dugger proved to be a difference maker, but he was a true freshman after all. Dugger missed Toledo defensive tackle Darius Alexander sitting underneath and tried to Johnson over the middle. Alexander jumped the pass and took it 58 yards — cutting the lead to 30-27.

Dugger and the Panthers couldn’t pick up the first down, and the decision to punt allowed the Rockets to tie the game at 30. After trading scores through a few overtimes, the Rockets secured the win.

Pitt finishes the 2024 season with a 7-6 (3-5 ACC) record, losing six straight to end the season.