Malachi Toney caught a school-record 16 passes, Dariah Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns, and No. 1 Miami beat Pittsburgh 52-23 on Saturday in Miami Gardens. It was the Hurricanes’ first game as the nation’s top-ranked team in nearly 24 years.
Toney finished with 194 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. Javian Mallory rushed for two scores, and Mark Fletcher Jr. moved into second place on Miami’s all-time list with his 33rd career rushing touchdown.
Miami (7-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) is expected to stay atop the AP Top 25 when it is updated Sunday. The Hurricanes ended a three-week stretch in which the No. 1 team dropped in the poll after a loss, with Texas and Georgia both falling from the top spot.
Pittsburgh (5-3, 2-3) lost its third straight game. Miami native Blue Hicks had five catches for 149 yards and a touchdown. Holden Geriner started at quarterback for the Panthers and completed 18 of 32 passes for 268 yards.
Miami also celebrated the 25th anniversary of its 2001 national championship team, and dozens of those players attended. The current Hurricanes wore throwback jerseys. Mensah completed 31 of 37 passes, and Miami converted 10 of its first 12 third-down attempts.
Miami visits North Carolina on Oct. 31. Pittsburgh hosts Georgia Tech the same day.
