University of Pittsburgh Athletics
10/23/2026 12:44:00 PM | Football
RECAP
No. 1 Miami beat Pitt 52-23 on Saturday, and the Panthers never found an answer for Malachi Toney. The Hurricanes' receiver caught 16 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns, turning quick throws into big plays all afternoon.
Pitt's defense held up early. A Mark Fletcher Jr. touchdown was wiped out by a holding penalty, Jeremiah Marcelin sacked Darian Mensah, and Cruce Brookins broke up a pass to hold Miami to a field goal. Toney's 19-yard screen touchdown and a 16-yard Javion Mallory run quickly made it 17-0.
The Panthers got on the board when Holden Geriner hit Blue Hicks for 28 yards and Damon Ferguson Jr. finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. But Toney answered with a 53-yard catch-and-run, and after a J.J. Dunnigan-forced fumble, Gavin Mueller scored to make it 31-7 at the half.
Pitt got a spark in the third quarter when Geriner connected with Malik Knight twice and finished the drive with a 36-yard touchdown to Cataurus Hicks. Miami scored again on Mallory's 2-yard run, and Toney added another touchdown early in the fourth. Jimmy Scott's tackle for a safety gave Pitt two more points, and midway through the quarter, Corey Dailey came in and found Cam Sapp for a 49-yard touchdown, the first of Sapp's career.
Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns and was sacked three times, while Geriner finished 18-of-32 for 268 yards and a touchdown. Dailey went 3-of-3 for 66 yards and a score. Miami outgained Pitt 506-403. Brookins led the defense with nine tackles, while Josh Guerrier and Marcelin each added eight. Jaeden Moore had two of Pitt's three sacks, and the Panthers also recorded one safety.
Dailey's touchdown pass to Sapp was a small moment on a lopsided afternoon, but for a young receiver, it was a first worth remembering.
FOURTH QUARTER
0:52: Corey Dailey found Cam Sapp for a 49-yard touchdown pass, the first touchdown of Sapp's career.
7:32: Corey Dailey is in at quarterback
7:44: Jimmy Scott got the tackle for the safety, and Pitt trails 52-16.
13:00: Another Miami drive, another Malachi Toney touchdown. Starting at the Pitt 46, the Hurricanes got a boost from a roughing penalty on Zach Crothers and a 20-yard run before Darian Mensah hit Toney for a 10-yard score.
THIRD QUARTER
4:33: Javion Mallory punched it in from 2 yards out to cap an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive, and Miami goes up 45-14.
10:22: Pitt's next drive started with a 4-yard loss, but Holden Geriner steadied it with a 22-yard completion to Malik Knight and a 17-yard connection on 3rd and 6. He capped the drive with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Cataurus Hicks to make it 38-14.
13:19: Darian Mensah went deep to Vandrevius Jacobs, and Shadarian Harrison was flagged for pass interference, a 44-yard gain. Mark Fletcher Jr. then punched in a 2-yard touchdown run to extend Miami's lead to 38-7.
HALFTIME
Panthers trail 7-31 at half.
SECOND QUARTER
0:44: Touchdown, Miami. Gavin Mueller makes up for his early holding penalty, and the Hurricanes lead 31-7 just before halftime.
1:48: Holden Geriner kept it on a quarterback run up the middle for an 8-yard gain, but J.J. Dunnigan forced a fumble. Miami's Justin Scott recovered it at the Pitt 33.
1:57: Malachi Toney took a quick pass 53 yards, making defenders miss along the way. He's up to 11 catches on 11 targets for 147 yards and two touchdowns, and Miami leads 24-7.
4:38: It started with a 28-yard heave from Holden Geriner to Blue Hicks. Another pass, this one to Carson Kent, moved the chains, and Damon Ferguson Jr. finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. Pitt is now on the board but trails 17-7.
12:29: That's another touchdown for Miami. Javian Mallory found a hole and ran it in from 16 yards out, and the Hurricanes go up 17-0 early in the second quarter.
FIRST QUARTER
2:04: Facing 3rd and 11, Darian Mensah found Malachi Toney on a wide receiver screen, and Toney strolled into the end zone from 19 yards out. Pitt had backed off in coverage, and Miami's blockers set it up perfectly.
7:24: Mark Fletcher Jr. ran it in from four yards out, but the touchdown didn't count. Gavin Mueller was flagged for holding, and the Hurricanes found themselves behind the sticks. Pitt linebacker Jeremiah Marcelin followed with a sack of Darian Mensah that pushed Miami back even farther, this time outside the red zone. Cruce Brookins then broke up a pass, and the Hurricanes had to settle for a field goal and a 3-0 lead.
PRE-GAME
INJURY REPORT
The ACC released its availability report two hours before Saturday's noon kickoff at No. 1 Miami. Pitt's backfield is down a piece, but the secondary is getting help.
OUT
RB Ja'Kyrian Turner
Turner has appeared in three games this season, rushing 30 times for 3.7 yards per carry and a touchdown. He returned against Virginia Tech and North Carolina after missing three games but did not finish the game against the Tar Heels. He then sat out last week's game against Boston College.
Pitt will keep leaning on freshman Damon Ferguson Jr. and sixth-year La'Vell Wright. Ferguson leads the team with 83 carries, 5.3 yards per carry and three touchdowns. Wright is averaging 4.10 yards per carry and has scored four touchdowns.
GAME TIME DECISION
CB Rashan Murray
Murray has appeared in six games this season and has five tackles. He sat out last week's game against Boston College. He is one of seven Panthers with an interception, but he is not a starter, so Pitt would not take a major hit without him.
GOOD NEWS
S Josh Guerrier
Guerrier is not listed on the report after being questionable on Friday's availability report. He missed the last two games, but his timing could not be better, as the secondary will be tested by Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney.
A starter, Guerrier is seventh on the team with 24 tackles despite the missed time.
TRAILER | PITT VS. MIAMI
THE SCRIPT: PITT VS. #1 MIAMI
PREVIEW
The Pitt Panthers (5-2, 2-2 ACC) will travel to Miami Gardens, Fla. this Saturday to face the No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes (6-0, 4-0 ACC) at noon on ESPN.
The Panthers have won five of their past six ACC road games, including this season's 35-33 victory at Virginia Tech. Pitt has averaged 32.8 points during that stretch, scoring at least 30 in each of the five victories.
A victory Saturday would move Pitt to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in ACC play while securing bowl eligibility. The Panthers swept their four ACC road games in 2025, matching the unbeaten conference road records of Narduzzi's 2015 and 2021 teams.
Pitt and Miami meet for the 44th time in a series that dates to 1950. Miami leads the all-time series, 30-12-1. The Panthers have won two of their past five visits to Miami, including a 42-16 victory in their most recent trip in 2022.
PITT at #1 MIAMI
Oct. 24, 2026 • Noon
Hard Rock Stadium (64,767/Natural Grass) • Miami Gardens, Fla.
ESPN • 93.7 The Fan • Pitt Panthers Radio Network
PittsburghPanthers.com • @Pitt_FB
WHERE TO WATCH
National Television • ESPN
Bob Wischusen (play-by-play)
Louis Riddick (analyst)
Stormy Buonantony (sideline reporter)
TUNE IN TO THE PANTHERS RADIO NETWORK
93.7 The Fan & Pitt Radio Network (937thefan.radio.com)
Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play)
Pat Bostick (analyst)
Dorin Dickerson (sideline reporter)
OTHER BROADCAST INFORMATION
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
SiriusXM 258 and on the SiriusXM App
WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM
