Miami’s blowout of Pitt didn’t end with the final score. It ended with a handshake that had plenty of people talking.
With the Hurricanes in firm control, the spotlight shifted to Mario Cristobal and Pat Narduzzi and whatever was going to happen when the two met at midfield. Narduzzi had already done plenty of talking leading into the game, including sharp comments about Miami’s success in the transfer portal and a serious accusation that the Hurricanes tried to poach Pitt quarterback Mason Heintschel.
Cristobal, for his part, had kept his response measured. After the game, though, there was at least some tension to read into.
And was Cristobal a little aggressive in the post-game greeting? We'll let you be the judge of that.
pic.twitter.com/13Kk2Pzd6X
- Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) October 24, 2026
Those shoulder taps from Cristobal looked like they carried a little extra force, even if the exchange itself appeared fairly cordial. Both men are big, physical guys, so maybe there’s more heat in the imagination than in the moment.
Still, it didn’t exactly look like either coach was eager to turn the night into a friendly chat. Cristobal probably won’t be inviting Narduzzi over for cafecito anytime soon.
The game itself had been loaded with noise long before kickoff. A month ago, this matchup had the feel of something bigger, especially with Pitt unbeaten and Narduzzi labeling Cristobal a thief over the summer. At that point, it looked like the kind of game that might decide the ACC race.
But Heintschel’s injury changed the whole picture for Pitt, and Miami made sure the Panthers never found a foothold. Malachi Toney, after taking some mid-week trash talk, answered where it mattered most and ripped through the Pitt defense.
Raion Strader’s words didn’t carry the day. Toney’s performance did.
Narduzzi has lost every game since crying that Pitt should be ranked & "respected" 💀 pic.twitter.com/EStYMhUHcw
- Bad Rad Brad (@B1OBEY0ND) October 24, 2026
The final 52-23 line made the Hurricanes’ win look more competitive than it really was. Miami left points on the field with a few breakdowns in the secondary and some costly offensive mistakes, but even with those issues, the Hurricanes still had room to run the score up much higher.
Narduzzi’s comments at ACC Kickoff, and then again this week, crossed the line. College football has created a world where not every program can operate the same way, and Miami has spent heavily to build a championship-caliber roster.
Pitt has to scrape together wins on the margins, and Narduzzi has clearly done a solid job of that. But he also went too far by blaming Cristobal for Pitt’s situation with Heintschel.
Whether Narduzzi ever owns that or not is another matter. Cristobal doesn’t sound like he’s waiting around for an apology. His Hurricanes are No. 1 in the country, they’re 1-0 this week, and Monday is when the work starts again.
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