PITTSBURGH, PA – Throughout this season, the Miami Hurricanes have demonstrated a program built for speed, resilience, toughness, creativity, and adaptability across various conditions.
These qualities were evident Saturday at the frigid confluence of Pittsburgh’s three rivers, where the No. 13 Hurricanes decisively defeated No. 24 Pitt, 38-7, in the regular season finale. After an early deficit of 7-3, Miami scored the final 35 points of the game.
With this victory, the Hurricanes improved to 10-2 overall and 6-2 in ACC play, marking their first consecutive seasons with double-digit wins since 2002-03. The Panthers fell to 8-4 overall and 6-2 in conference play. The final two spots in next Saturday’s ACC Championship Game in Charlotte remain competitive, pending later today’s results.
Wide receiver Malachi Toney continued his impressive first season, recording 13 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown. He also threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to tight end Elijah Lofton and rushed for 30 yards. Toney now holds the school’s single-season record for receiving yards by a freshman with 970 yards, surpassing Ahmmon Richards’ nine-year-old record.
Quarterback Carson Beck completed 23 of 29 passes for 267 yards, with three touchdowns and one interception. Running back Girard Pringle led Miami with 10 carries for 82 yards, while teammate Mark Fletcher added 30 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Hurricanes totaled 416 yards of offense and had a 29-11 advantage in first downs.
Miami’s defense held Pitt to 229 total yards, including just 30 rushing yards. Defensive end Reuben Bain registered five tackles and 1.5 sacks, while defensive tackle Ahmad Moten also recorded 1.5 sacks. Safety Zechariah Poyser contributed five tackles and one tackle for loss, and linebacker Wesley Bissainthe made six stops.
Pitt quarterback Mason Heintschel completed 22 of 32 passes for 199 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Wide receiver Raphael Williams caught five passes for 66 yards. Linebacker Kyle Louis led the Panthers with 12 tackles.
Both defenses began the game strongly, with Moten recording a sack on Heintschel for a 10-yard loss on the very first play. The Panthers then went three and out, and the Canes took over at their 37-yard line. Defensive tackle Isaiah Neal sacked Beck for a 15-yard loss, forcing a punt. On the ensuing possession, Bain sacked Heintschel on third down, giving Miami the ball back at their 36-yard line.
Beck connected with Toney three times for a total of 27 yards, and a 15-yard personal foul penalty against Pitt moved the ball to the Panthers’ 15. The Pitt defense held, forcing Miami to attempt a field goal, which Carter Davis made from 29 yards, giving Miami an early 3-0 lead.
Pitt opted to go for it on fourth down and one from their 34-yard line. Running back Ja’Kyrian Turner successfully gained the necessary yardage, earning the first down. Four plays later, Heintschel threw deep to wide receiver Cataurus Hicks, who made a 40-yard catch to the Miami 11-yard line. Heintschel then connected with running back Juelz Goff on a screen pass, who dove to the one-yard line. On second and goal, Heintschel found a wide-open Justin Holmes in the flat, and Holmes scored to give Pitt a 7-3 lead just 40 seconds into the second quarter.
The ensuing kickoff was returned by wide receiver Keelan Marion to the Canes’ 44-yard line. Beck completed a pass to JoJo Trader to move the chains, then threw deep to Toney, who made an impressive one-handed catch for 19 yards down to the Pitt 21. Three plays later, Toney took a shotgun snap and threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Lofton. Miami regained the lead at 10-7.
Heintschel quickly responded with a 37-yard pass to Williams, advancing to the Miami 37-yard line. However, a combined sack by Bain and Moten on Heintschel forced a 43-yard field goal attempt by Trey Butkowski, which he missed to the right. The Canes took over on their 25-yard line.
Beck led a drive with a short pass to Toney on third down before rolling out and finding tight end Alex Bauman for a 23-yard gain. Two plays later, Beck threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Toney down the left sideline, increasing Miami’s lead to double digits, which remained through halftime.
At the start of the second half, Miami’s offense continued to move the ball effectively. Beck connected with Bauman on a 33-yard completion to the Pitt 28. Two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, including one on a third-down incompletion, gave Miami first and goal at the eight-yard line. Fletcher then scored on a four-yard run, extending the lead to 24-7.
Miami’s defense forced a three-and-out, and the Canes started their next drive at their 41. Pringle rushed for 38 yards along the left sideline, followed by Toney taking a direct snap for 12 yards to set up first and goal at the four-yard line. Beck then threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Marty Brown, pushing the lead to 24 points.
Heintschel connected with Censere Lee for a 31-yard gain to the Miami 40-yard line. However, Pitt failed to convert on fourth-and-3, with Holmes short of the marker, and Miami took over on downs. The Panthers punted, but Dylan Joyce pinned Pitt at their one-yard line. Miami eventually drove down to the Pitt 19 yards, but Beck was intercepted by safety Cruce Brookins.
The Canes then forced their sixth punt of the game, and Beck threw a 33-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver CJ Daniels to conclude a seven-play scoring drive. Safety Bryce Fitzgerald intercepted Heintschel in the end zone, sealing Miami’s sixth win in its last seven visits to Pittsburgh.
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