PITTSBURGH — Some Pitt football fans wanted sophomore tailback Ray Graham to get more carries this season, and they got their wish as a slight shoulder injury to sophomore Dion Lewis provided Graham with that opportunity.

Graham embraced it with a vengeance, as he scored three touchdowns and nearly set a team rushing record in Pitt’s 44-17 win against FIU on Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field.

Graham had 277 yards rushing on 29 carries with scoring runs for 34, 79 and 19 yards. He also had 19 yards on three catches and 78 yards on two kickoff returns for 374 all-purpose yards. Graham’s rushing total is the most for a Pitt player at Heinz Field and second all-time for the Panthers behind Tony Dorsett’s 303 rushing yards against Notre Dame during his junior season in 1975.

“That’s about as good an effort as I’ve seen by an individual, and that was great for him,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. “We knew we had two good tailbacks here. Dion was banged up in practice all week. He was ready to play, but we held him out intentionally.”

Wannstedt didn’t hesitate and answered affirmatively when asked if Lewis would start next week. However, he did say that Graham has earned a shot to get an even split in carries with Lewis. Graham, who missed the opener while recovering from an offseason knee injury, now has 492 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 52 carries (9.46 yards per run).

“I would have liked to get the record, but I’m really satisfied with the ‘W,’ ” Graham said. “It was great to bounce back after the Miami game, and that’s why I’m most satisfied. After my third touchdown, I was told that I was close to the record, but I’m just glad to be mentioned with Tony Dorsett, a great back like that, is just a blessing.”

The Panthers, who improved to 2-2 overall, overcame seven pre-snap penalties – four on defense and three on offense – and an ill-advised unsportsmanlike conduct call – to eventually pull away.

Pitt faces Notre Dame Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in South Bend, Ind.

“We just shoot ourselves in the foot way too many ways,” Wannstedt said. “We were the least-penalized team in the conference and one of the best in the country a year ago at this time, and now we get 10 penalties.

“That’s unacceptable, but we’re going to come in (at 8 this morning), everybody, and we’re going to deal with it then. ... (Strength and conditioning coach) Buddy Morris will meet with the players.”

Pitt was its own worst enemy in the first half, with six of those pre-snap penalties, including four by the defense. Each one cost the Panthers either a possession or points.

Pitt led just 13-10 at halftime, 16-10 after three and about five minutes into the fourth quarter. But Graham caught a swing pass on third-and-long and rammed 15 yards for the first down to take the wind out of FIU. The Panthers also got some big defensive plays from senior Dom DeCicco, who moved up to a hybrid weak-side linebacker/safety spot to basically give Pitt five defensive backs against the FIU spread.

“After the last game, the coaches came to me and told me it was good for the team for me to move up, and I’m 100 percent for that,” DeCicco said. “So, I want to keep learning the position and help the team out to win every game that we can.”

Graham also had his 79-yard scoring run and 19-yard TD burst in the fourth quarter, as Pitt scored four times. Fullback Henry Hynoski caught a 9-yard scoring pass from quarterback Tino Sunseri, and No. 3 tailback Chris Burns ran in from the 4 to cap the scoring.

Sunseri overcame a rough start to finish 15 for 23 for 169 yards and a touchdown. Mike Shanahan led Pitt with four catches for 82 yards.

“When we started this season, we knew that we had two good running backs to hand the ball off to so they could do some special things,” Sunseri said. “But you also have to give credit to the offensive line, because they really opened some holes. And when you have holes that big, you can build up those yards. We really wanted to establish the running game, and we were able to do that.”

Notes: Graham’s 374 all-purpose yards tied Dorsett’s mark from that Notre Dame game in 1975. ... Burns’ scoring run was the first of his career. ... Dan Hutchins’ only punt went 38 yards and was downed at the 2. ... Redshirt sophomore Marco Pecora, a Richland High School graduate, had a 10-yard return after a short kickoff. ... The attendance was 45,207.