MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Malachi Toney had a big game, again. Darian Mensah had a big game, again.
And No. 1 Miami got a big win, again.
Toney had a school-record 16 catches, Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns, and Miami rolled past Pitt 52-23 on Saturday in the Hurricanes’ first game as the nation’s top-ranked team in nearly 24 years.
“We ran into a buzz saw,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “That’s a good football team. They’re the No. 1 team in the country and it’s no joke. They’re averaging 45 points a game. They’re No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 in just about every darn category. I don’t know if I’ve faced a team that is No. 1 in just about every category besides being No. 1 in the country.”
Toney finished with 194 receiving yards and three touchdown catches, while Javian Mallory rushed for two scores and Mark Fletcher Jr. moved into the No. 2 spot on Miami’s all-time list with the 33rd rushing TD of his career.
The win should keep Miami (7-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) atop the poll when the AP Top 25 is updated Sunday — ending what has been a three-week run of the No. 1 team dropping in the poll after a loss. Texas was No. 1 before losing to Oklahoma, then Georgia was No. 1 before falling to Auburn.
“A really good conference win,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “Solid play.”
Miami native Blue Hicks had five catches for 149 yards and a touchdown for Pitt (5-3, 2-3), which dropped its third straight game. Holden Geriner got the start at quarterback and completed 18 of 32 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown.
Miami improved to 43-6 as the No. 1 team in the country. Pitt fell to 0-14-1 when facing No. 1.
The Hurricanes put on a show with dozens of members of the 2001 national championship team watching; this weekend was the 25th anniversary celebration of that Miami title. Miami’s current team wore throwback jerseys featuring the same look and fonts as that 2001 team — and looked the part with their play, too.
Mensah completed 31 of 37 passes, Miami converted 10 of its first 12 third-down chances and the Hurricanes scored seven times in their first eight possessions — with six touchdowns and a field goal in that span.
At least one Pitt player said the Panthers had what they believed to be a good scheme to slow down Toney.
They were evidently mistaken.
Toney had 159 receiving yards at halftime, matching Pitt’s total offense number through the first two quarters. His 16 catches broke the previous school mark of 13 in a game — first done by Mike Harley against Duke in 2021, then matched by Toney against Pitt last season.
The takeaway
Pitt: After a pair of Hail Mary heaves nearly connected for Florida State at Miami in double overtime last week — and the Seminoles insisting that they were robbed — the Hurricanes gave up another to end the half. Geriner’s pass to Hicks went for a 53-yard gain, but he was tackled at the Miami 1 as time expired.
Up next
Pitt: Host Georgia Tech on Oct. 31.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Pittsburgh 0 7 7 9 — 23
Miami 10 21 14 7 — 52
First Quarter
MIA–FG Weinberg 40, 7:21.
MIA–Ma.Toney 19 pass from Mensah (Weinberg kick), 2:00.
Second Quarter
MIA–Mallory 16 run (Weinberg kick), 12:25.
PITT–D.Ferguson 5 run (Chadha kick), 4:36.
MIA–Ma.Toney 53 pass from Mensah (Weinberg kick), 1:50.
MIA–Mueller 3 pass from Mensah (Weinberg kick), :39.
Third Quarter
MIA–Fletcher 2 run (Weinberg kick), 13:00.
PITT–Hicks 36 pass from Geriner (Chadha kick), 10:18.
MIA–Mallory 2 run (Weinberg kick), 4:33.
Fourth Quarter
MIA–Ma.Toney 11 pass from Mensah (Weinberg kick), 12:58.
PITT–safety, 7:41.
PITT–Sapp 49 pass from Dailey (Chadha kick), :46.
A–65,991.
TEAM STATS PITT MIA
First downs 18 25
Total Net Yards 403 506
Rushes-yards 26-69 39-119
Passing 334 387
Punt Returns 1-2 3-28
Kickoff Returns 1-18 0-0
Interceptions Ret. 0-0 0-0
Comp-Att-Int 21-35-0 31-37-0
Sacked-Yards Lost 2-17 3-28
Punts 6-44.333 2-49.5
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards 6-54 10-77
Time of Possession 23:40 36:20
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–Pittsburgh, D.Ferguson 9-39, Wright 4-11, J.Cook 4-11, J.Brown 2-8, Geriner 7-0. Miami, Mallory 7-47, Fletcher 13-41, Lyle 4-31, Wheatley-Humphrey 4-12, Pringle 6-0, Mensah 5-(minus 12).
PASSING–Pittsburgh, Geriner 18-32-0-268, Dailey 3-3-0-66. Miami, Mensah 31-37-0-387.
RECEIVING–Pittsburgh, Hicks 5-149, Kent 5-38, Knight 2-39, Kinsler 2-30, Wright 2-6, Sapp 1-49, Yates 1-10, D.Ferguson 1-7, J.Cook 1-4, C.Lee 1-2. Miami, Ma.Toney 16-194, Jacobs 3-50, Barkate 3-32, Upshaw 2-31, Lofton 2-28, Wingo 2-28, Fletcher 1-16, Briggs 1-5, Mueller 1-3.
MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.
