PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Rod Rutherford threw three touchdown passes, including a pair to Larry Fitzgerald, as No. 12 Pittsburgh continued its domination of the Mid-American Conference with a 42-21 victory over Ball State.
Brandon Miree had three touchdown runs for the Panthers (2-0), who broke open a tie game with a 21-point third quarter. Pittsburgh improved to 21-0 against MAC teams, including a 43-3 victory over Kent State in its season opener.
Rutherford, who did not start last week's game for his role in an off-campus incident, completed 19-of-31 passes for 285 yards.
Fitzgerald, who had TD catches of 37 yards in the second quarter and 26 yards in the third, has caught a TD pass in a school-record eight straight games.
The Panthers will play another MAC team, Toledo, next week before playing Texas A&M and Notre Dame.
"It doesn't matter who you play, you always want to get out of the gates fast," Fitzgerald said. "We haven't done that in these first two games. It's what we will work strongly on this week."
The game was tied tied 14-14 at halftime thanks to a sluggish Panthers' performance. Rutherford put the Panthers ahead to stay with a 27-yard TD pass to Princell Brockenbrough early in the third third quarter.
"We did not play very well, give credit to Ball State. We did not play consistently. I'll take responsibility for that," Pittsburgh coach Walt Harris said. "I know we're better than that and I've got to do a better job."
Miree scored on a five-yard run and Fitzgerald caught a 26-yard TD pass from Rutherford to make it 35-14 after three quarters.
The Panthers broke in front 2:10 into the second quarter when Rutherford threw his first TD pass to Fitzgerald. The duo hooked up for three touchdowns last week.
Pittsburgh increased its lead 14-0 midway through the quarter on a 24-yard touchdown run by Miree.
Miree carried 15 times for 73 yards and also scored on runs of 24 and seven yards in the Panthers' balanced offense.
"When everything is in play, the sky is the limit for our offense," Miree said. "It's fun to watch Larry make plays."
The Cardinals (1-2) awoke later in the second quarter when Dante Ridgeway threw touchdown passes of 10 and 18 yards to Talmadge Hall in a 2:35 span to tie the game at 14-14.
"We had momentum, we were kicking the ball in the end zone and the defense fed off us," Hall said. "After the first half, we wanted to come out and do the same things in the second half. I take the blame for some of the throws. I didn't sense anything different in Pitt's defense in the second half."
Hall completed 19-of-30 for 192 yards for three scores while Ridgeway caught eight passes for 94 yards.
Pittsburgh outgained the Cardinals, 473-284.
