Throwback uniforms or not, Miami looked every bit like the No. 1 team in the country again Saturday in Miami Gardens.
The Hurricanes rolled past Pitt behind another huge day from Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney, leaned on a defense that held firm for most of the afternoon, and kept moving toward an undefeated season with a 52-point outburst.
Miami improved to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the ACC, and the formula was familiar: explosive quarterback play, a freshman playmaker at receiver, and enough balance on the ground to keep the pressure on. The version of the Hurricanes that showed up wanted to prove it could do more than just ride Toney. It got that chance, and the result was one of the more complete performances of the year.
Mensah finished 31-for-27 for 387 yards and four touchdowns, and Toney caught three of them while breaking his own Hurricanes single-game record. The fourth scoring strike went to freshman tight end Gavin Mueller.
Miami also got a strong ground contribution from freshman back Javian Mallory. He finished with seven carries for 47 yards and two touchdowns, part of a day when the Hurricanes rushed for under 100 yards but still kept scoring in bunches.
Early on, Miami stacked 10 points while controlling the clock. Even so, the offense still left Mario Cristobal wanting more at times, with the line repeatedly putting the Hurricanes behind the sticks.
That didn’t stop the points from coming. Miami answered with another score through Mallory and never really let Pitt settle in.
The Panthers did briefly gain some life after Miami passed up a fourth-and-short opportunity. Mensah, described as home run-happy in the game story, didn’t convert by either taking off or dumping it off, and Pitt used that opening to score the first points of the game.
Miami didn’t stay down long. The Hurricanes responded by ripping off 21 straight points before Pitt could answer again, and the gap kept widening from there.
On the other side of the ball, freshman standout JJ Dunnigan led the way for Miami’s defense. The Hurricanes finished with two sacks, four tackles for loss, and one forced fumble. Pitt was kept under 100 rushing yards, although Miami’s secondary was tested throughout the game.
There was one familiar headache: the Hail Mary scare at the end of the first half. But beyond that, Miami’s defense stayed stout enough to support an offense that kept landing punches.
After opening the fourth quarter with its first drive, Miami pulled its starters once the score reached 52 points.
Next up is a road trip to face a red-hot North Carolina team in what the source described as the ultimate trap game.
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Miami Gets A Break As Pitt's Backfield Suddenly Changes
Pitts backfield took a hit ahead of its matchup with No. 1 Miami, with JaKyrian Turner ruled out because of a lower-body injury. The update is a notable one for the Hurricanes, even if Turner has been limited to just three games this season and has not been on the field since Oct. 10.
Pitt will have to adjust around Turners absence and lean more heavily on Damon Ferguson Jr. and LaVell Wright to handle the rushing load. For Miami, it changes at least one piece of the scouting report as the Hurricanes prepare for a Panthers offense that has been reshuffled late in the week. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Cristobals Postgame Moment Kept Miamis Feud In The Spotlight
Miamis decisive win over Pitt should have been the nights biggest takeaway, and in many ways it was, but the postgame scene between Mario Cristobal and Pat Narduzzi made sure the earlier back-and-forth between the programs stayed in view. The two coaches exchanged a handshake after the game, a brief moment that carried extra weight after Narduzzis public accusations about Miamis recruiting tactics had already sharpened the edge around this matchup.
The interaction looked tense but still cordial, even if Cristobals gestures were read by some as more forceful than routine. Pitt was already dealing with a quarterback injury that shaped the way the game unfolded, so the result and the atmosphere around it were both lopsided in Miamis favor. Still, with the feud lingering in the background, the postgame exchange added one more layer to a rivalry that has been impossible to separate from the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Jameis Winston Just Added Fuel To Miamis FSU Rivalry Win
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Mike Norvell was already on record expressing dissatisfaction with the officiating and said he contacted the ACC supervisor of officials about the calls. Winstons comments only added another layer to a result that already carried plenty of heat, giving Miami fans even more reason to savor a win that came with the kind of late-game drama this rivalry rarely lacks. [Read more 🡒]