No. 1 Miami heads into Saturday’s noon kickoff against Pittsburgh with the same message echoing through the program: don’t chase the rankings, don’t look too far ahead, just handle the day in front of you.
That approach has become part of the Hurricanes’ identity under Mario Cristobal, and it’s being reinforced again this week as Miami closes out a two-game homestand against an ACC opponent that arrives with questions of its own. After a wild college football weekend and Miami’s 43-35 double-overtime win over Florida State last Saturday, the Hurricanes are one of just six FBS teams still unbeaten. They also landed at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll on Sunday, putting Miami in a spot it hasn’t occupied since 2002.
Inside the football facility, though, the conversation has stayed pointed in a much smaller direction.
“I think that all of us think that rankings only matter when the last game of the season is played, so as it relates to that, that’s probably the best answer I can give,” Cristobal said this week, when asked about Miami’s rise in the polls. “It’s the one that to me, makes the most sense. I know it’s not an interesting answer, a juicy one … but hopefully, it fits.”
That mindset has filtered through the locker room as well. Redshirt senior center Ryan Rodriguez said the focus remains on improvement rather than the weekly shuffle at the top of the polls.
“The ranking doesn’t really matter until the end of the season. That literally changes every week, and we’ve just got to continue to be 1-0, continue to find a way to get better every week.
[Offensive line coach Alex] Mirabal, what he’s been preaching to us is, ‘What now? You won, great.
What now?’ You’ve got to continue to get better and that’s our goal and that’s our mindset, and we’re nowhere near where we want to be and we’re going to continue to get better.”
Miami enters at 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the ACC, but Pittsburgh brings a different kind of test. The Panthers are trying to reset after losing starting quarterback Mason Heintschel for the season when he tore his ACL in the win over Virginia Tech on Oct.
- Since then, fifth-year senior Holden Geriner, a Texas State and Auburn transfer, and freshman Corey Dailey have each started games.
Pittsburgh is 5-2 and 2-2 in conference play, though it dropped both games after Heintschel’s injury.
Even with the quarterback uncertainty, Miami’s defense is preparing for a full menu of possibilities. Pittsburgh still has playmakers, including running back Ja’Kyrian Turner, who was listed as probable on the most recent availability report, along with Damon Ferguson Jr. and receiver Cataurus Hicks.
“Watching their offense, they have two good quarterbacks that are good at both running and [passing]. We’re just getting ready for everything,” said Hurricanes defensive lineman Armondo Blount.
“They’ve got a good team. Good o-linemen.
Physical team. We know they’re coming down here to play.”
Linebacker Chase Smith echoed that same all-bases-covered approach.
“We’re prepared for everything that we could possibly get presented for and that’s kind of how we’re attacking the game plan. We’re not leaving out anything.
We don’t want any discrepancies when we go into this. We’re just kind of going into it straightforward, touching all bases.”
Pittsburgh’s defense may be the headline strength, though. The Panthers have been the nation’s best run defense, allowing only 57.3 rushing yards per game. That sets up a direct challenge for a Miami backfield that has plenty of punch, led by Mark Fletcher Jr., who has 373 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and Javian Mallory, who has 397 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
“They’re great. They have a great scheme.
They’re [well] coached. [Pitt head coach Pat] Narduzzi is respected by everyone.
They have veteran d-tackles, veteran linebackers,” Rodriguez said. “I remember some of those guys from last year and they’re going to play hard.
They’re going to come and try to beat us. We’ve got to show up, execute and do our thing and be 1-0.”
Miami also has its own edge in the passing game. Darian Mensah has been the most accurate quarterback in the country through six games, completing 80.8 percent of his throws. He has passed for 1,764 yards and 18 touchdowns and has also shown he can pick up yards on the ground when needed.
One of his favorite targets, sophomore wide receiver Malachi Toney, keeps making noise. Toney has 50 catches for 758 yards and eight touchdowns, and after racking up 191 all-purpose yards against Florida State, he was named the Paul Hornung Award Player of the Week. His 3-yard touchdown catch in the second overtime helped seal the win, and he also threw the 2-point conversion to Cooper Barkate.
That receiving group could put pressure on a Pitt defense that ranks 116th nationally against the pass, but Miami isn’t treating that as a free pass. Mensah pointed to the Panthers’ run defense as the part that stands out most.
“I think their run defense is, I think, number one in the country,” Mensah said. “Physical, good d-line, really good third-down package, so, yeah, we’ve got to come prepared. That’s what stands out.”
Tight end Elija Lofton said the matchup gives Miami a chance to go out and compete with a full understanding of what’s ahead.
“They have good players on both sides of the ball. They have good defensive players. It’s going to be … a great opportunity to go out there and battle with my brothers, have fun, and play the game that we all love.”
In Other News...
Belichick's North Carolina Suddenly Has A Massive Chance Against No. 1 Miami
Miamis trip to North Carolina on Oct. 31 suddenly looks like one of the most intriguing games left on the schedule. The Hurricanes are still unbeaten at 6-0 and coming off a double-overtime win over Florida State, but they now have a short turnaround before a matchup with a Tar Heels team that has quietly put together a 5-1 start under Bill Belichick.
North Carolina also brings a history of giving Miami trouble, which adds another layer to a game already carrying plenty of weight in the race for the top spot. Miami still has Pitt on deck after that, and the Panthers arrive off a loss to Boston College, so the Hurricanes are staring at a stretch that could say plenty about how long they can stay at No. 1. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State May Already Have A New Portal Problem In Corvallis
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Oregon State is one of the teams feeling the ripple effect in Corvallis, where the portal has already become both a source of opportunity and a looming challenge. The Beavers are among the programs watching their new arrivals turn into real building blocks, but the broader lesson is clear for Miami and everyone else paying attention: when transfers start delivering interceptions, rushing yards and disruptive defensive snaps right away, the program that found them can look smart one week and vulnerable the next. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Exposed A Miami Problem Pitt Will Be Watching
Miami escaped Florida State with a double-overtime win, but the game also put a spotlight on a defense that had to hang on far longer than it would have liked. The Seminoles piled up a season-high 35 points against Miami, pressed the Hurricanes with nearly two Hail Mary completions and turned a rivalry night into a stress test for Corey Hethermans unit. Even with the victory preserved by Bryce Fitzgeralds controversial interception after review, there were enough breakdowns and close calls to give the defense plenty to sort through.
For Miami, the bigger concern is how those issues might travel into the next matchup, especially against a Pitt team that will be studying every vulnerable spot. Hetherman and linebacker Chase Smith both pointed to the problems the Hurricanes had with screen passes and the late-game chaos that nearly flipped the outcome. Miami got the result it wanted, but the tape left behind a clear reminder that surviving one wild finish is not the same thing as cleaning up the problems that caused it. [Read more 🡒]