Pittsburgh vs Miami FL college football
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
No. 1 Miami (6-0, 4-0 ACC) hosts Pittsburgh (5-2, 2-2) on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami's first No. 1 ranking in 24 years meets the nation's top run defense.
Background
The Miami Hurricanes are the No. 1-ranked team in the country at 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference), averaging a nation's best 48.5 points per game. It is Miami's first time atop the AP Top 25 in 24 years, since the 2002 season, after Week 7 upsets knocked off No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 5 Indiana, No. 6 Alabama and No. 7 Texas. The Pittsburgh Panthers started 5-0 and were ranked in the top 20 entering Week 6, but have lost their last two games and now sit at 5-2, 2-2 in the ACC, leaning on the country's top statistical run defense at 57.3 yards allowed per game.
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026Pittsburgh beat Syracuse 27-13 at home.
- Sep 26, 2026Pittsburgh beat Bucknell 59-0.
- Oct 2, 2026Pittsburgh beat Virginia Tech 35-33 on the road.
- Oct 10, 2026Pittsburgh lost 21-17 to North Carolina at home.
- Oct 17, 2026Miami beat Florida State 43-35 in double overtime at Hard Rock Stadium, with Darian Mensah passing for 326 yards and three touchdowns.
- Oct 17, 2026Pittsburgh lost 27-21 at Boston College, its second straight defeat.
- Oct 19, 2026Miami coach Mario Cristobal spoke on the Joe Rose Show about the No. 1 ranking.
- Oct 24, 2026No. 1 Miami (6-0, 4-0) hosts Pittsburgh (5-2, 2-2) in ACC play at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Who’s saying what
- Caution
- Miami coach Mario Cristobal said there has never been a trophy or parade for anybody halfway through the season, adding the team likes being "the hunter" and doesn't believe in "all that BS that comes with predictions and rankings."
- Analysts
- Three A to Z Sports writers all picked Miami to win, predicting scores of 45-20, 38-17 and 34-17.
Still unverified
Pittsburgh has not formally announced its starting quarterback; Holden Geriner is expected to start with Corey Dailey behind him, per Sports Betting Dime.