SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- It appears the University of Pittsburgh has an athletic punter, too.

During the week of practice leading up to Saturday's game against Syracuse, the Panthers had to prepare for trick plays by Orange punter Riley Dixon, who has rushed for three first downs this season and threw a touchdown pass last year on fake punts.

But Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi had his own fake punt up his sleeve and it turned out to be the key play in the No. 25 Panthers' 23-20 win over Syracuse at the Carrier Dome.

Set up to punt on fourth-and-7 from their own 48 late in the game, the Panthers snapped the ball to punter Ryan Winslow, who raced to the edge of the line of scrimmage.

Winslow, who unlike Dixon was not a quarterback in high school, floated a pass to middle linebacker Matt Galambos, who rumbled to the Syracuse 40.

Pittsburgh moved to the Orange six-yard-line before kicker Chris Blewitt drilled a 25-yard field goal on the last play of the game.

"We were on the sideline and (Narduzzi) called the signal and we went out there and told the guys on offense that were still out there that we were going to run it, and it was go time," Winslow said. "I was excited, because it was a pivotal play.”

Added Galambos: "The whole deal was really get the first down there. If I was covered up, try to go deeper. I had all of the confidence in the world that someone was going to get open and we were going to get a first down."

The irony of the fake punt was not lost on Narduzzi, who is a longtime friend of Syracuse coach Scott Shafer.

"I know Scott, he's an aggressive coach like I am and we were prepared for them," Narduzzi said. "I think we were locked in on what we needed to do and we had the opportunity to do it."

Syracuse freshman quarterback Eric Dungey left the game for two plays and was taken to the locker room early in the third quarter after taking a hard hit.

Dungey threw interceptions on back-to-back passes in the third quarter after throwing only one pick in his first 115 throws this season.

"Two plays," Dungey said. "Those were really just ones where it's going to be hard to fall asleep tonight.”

The Panthers (6-1, 4-0 in the ACC) wasted the first interception by Galambos.

But Pittsburgh cashed in on the second interception by cornerback Lafayette Pitts, who returned his pick 17 yards to the Syracuse 44.

Tailback Qadree Ollison, a New York State native and one-time Syracuse recruit, rushed six times for 37 yards on the drive that ended with his one-yard touchdown run that gave Pittsburgh a 20-17 lead.

Dungey responded with a 26-yard run as Syracuse drove into position for kicker Cole Murphy's 37-yard field goal that tied the score 20-20.

Ollison led the Panthers' offense with 98 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. Following the fake punt, Ollison rushed on seven of Pittsburgh's nine plays to set up Blewitt's game-winner.

"That's the situations you live for, that's football, that's what makes it such a great sport," Ollison said. "Those are some of the biggest moments of the game and you have to own up to those moments."

Pittsburgh wide receiver Tyler Boyd had 12 receptions for 93 yards, while quarterback Nate Peterman completed 19-of-25 passes for 189 yards.

Dungey completed 21-of-30 passes for 210 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Wide receiver Steve Ishmael caught seven passes for 114 yards and one touchdown.

"Football is a game of inches; it's one play here, one play there that can make the difference in the outcome of a ball game and we saw that," Syracuse's Shafer said. "The last drive ended up being 19 plays when you add in the punt fake. It was a good call by them."

The Orange (3-4, 1-2) led 17-13 at the half after the teams combined to score 17 points in the final 1:37 of the second quarter. Pittsburgh tied the score 10-10 on Ollison's two-yard touchdown plunge that capped a 14-play, 70-yard drive with 1:37 left in the half.

Syracuse answered with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that took only 1:11 and was highlighted by Dungey's 40-yard pass to Ishmael. Dungey and Ishmael finished the drive with a 4-yard score on a slant and the Orange grabbed a 17-10 lead.

With only 26 seconds left in the half, the Orange kicked short to stay away from the dangerous Boyd. Pitts returned the ball 21 yards and the Panthers gained 15 more yards on a personal foul penalty on Syracuse kicker Ryan Norton at the end of the play.

Pittsburgh gained 29 yards on two plays and ended the half on Blewitt's 30-yard field goal that hit the left crossbar and caromed through to make it 17-13.

NOTES: Coaches Pat Narduzzi and Scott Shafer worked together as assistants at Northern Illinois (2000-02) and Rhode Island (1993-95). Narduzzi is one of 22 head coaches who have been named candidates for the 2015 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award. ... With 12 receptions Saturday, Pittsburgh WR Tyler Boyd increased his career total to 216, which is No. 1 on the Panthers' all-time list ahead of such greats as Larry Fitzgerald, Antonio Bryant and Devin Street. ... Former Big East Conference rivals Pittsburgh and Syracuse have played every year since 1955, when both schools were independent. The Panthers lead the series 37-31-3 and have won 12 of the last 14 meetings.