The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Matt Schaub capped his career as Virginia's most prolific quarterback by taking a knee on his second consecutive Continental Tire Bowl victory.

Virginia made it 2-for-2 in the 2-year-old Tire Bowl by using solid defense to snap Pitt receiver Larry Fitzgerald's record touchdown streak at 18 games in a 23-16 victory Saturday.

"We have worked very hard to become a significant defensive team, and we knew stopping Larry Fitzgerald was going to be important," Cavaliers coach Al Groh said.

The Heisman Trophy runner-up, who could petition the NFL for early entry into the draft, was held to five catches for 77 yards and failed to score a touchdown for Pittsburgh for the first time since Oct. 12, 2002. His 18 consecutive games with a touchdown are an NCAA record.

What could have been Fitzgerald's swan song instead became Schaub's big day. He threw for 244 yards and a touchdown - the 56th of his career, a Virginia record.

Winton Woods High graduate Brandon Miree ran for 110 yards for Pitt and added four catches for 43 yards, including a 17-yard TD.

Pittsburgh	0	13	3	0	-	16
Virginia	7	10	3	3	-	23

First Quarter

UVa-H Miller 52 pass from Schaub (Hughes kick), 3:31.

Second Quarter

Pit-Brockenbrough 13 pass from Rutherford (Abdul kick), 14:24.

UVa-Luncy 1 run (Hughes kick), 11:37.

Pit-Miree 17 pass from Rutherford (kick Failed), 6:05.

UVa-FG Hughes 44, :00.

Third Quarter

UVa-FG Hughes 30, 12:31.

Pit-FG Gibboney 28, 9:28.

Fourth Quarter

UVa-FG Hughes 39, 2:28.

A-51, 236.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-Pittsburgh, Miree 22-110, Polite 7-15, Walker 2-12, Rutherford 15-11. Virginia, Pearman 7-104, Lundy 23-90, Hagans 1-12, Schaub 3-(minus 7), team 1-(minus 3).

PASSING-Pittsburgh, Rutherford 18-26-1-246. Virginia, Schaub, 20-31-1-244.

RECEIVING-Pittsburgh, Fitzgerald 5-77, Brockenbrough 4-53, Miree 4-43, Wilson 2-54, Polite 2-11, Lee 1-8. Virginia, Pearman 6-32, Miller 4-84, Sawyer 3-45, Hagans 3-30, Anderson 2-38, Mines 1-11, Lundy 1-4.