Miami is the top-ranked team in the country for the first time in 24 years and will find out how well it can handle that lofty status starting Saturday afternoon against visiting Pitt in an Atlantic Coast Conference game.
The last time the Hurricanes (6-0, 4-0) were No. 1 was in the 2002 season, before they lost to Ohio State in the national championship game.
This season, Miami ascended to the top after last week’s wave of upsets across college football and after surviving a 43-35 double-overtime win against rival Florida State.
Next up are the Panthers (5-2, 2-2), who are coming off a 27-21 setback at Boston College on Saturday and have lost back-to-back games since losing quarterback Mason Heintschel for the season due to a torn ACL.
“We are at the top of what? Last I checked, there has never been a trophy or parade for anybody halfway through the season,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said Monday on the Joe Rose Show. “We like being the hunter. We like being the alpha. We don’t believe in all that BS that comes with predictions and rankings. Let’s just shut our mouths and go get better.”
Pitt has not announced its starting quarterback for Saturday’s game, as coach Pat Narduzzi said Monday that he and his staff will evaluate Holden Geriner and Corey Dailey in practice this week before deciding.
Dailey started against Boston College and completed 11 of 25 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown, with two interceptions. Geriner started the prior week in a 21-17 loss at home against North Carolina and went 27-for-44 for 219 yards and no touchdowns against two interceptions.
Narduzzi said using both quarterbacks also is being considered.
“There’s no question. It’s a lot easier when you say that guy’s our guy. Makes it a lot easier,” Narduzzi said.
On defense, the Panthers allowed four passing plays of 20 or more yards against Boston College.
The Hurricanes, meanwhile, have leaned on their running game more in recent weeks, averaging 5.8 yards per carry vs. the Seminoles and totaling 257 on the ground overall. Cristobal said Monday that the team’s second-leading rusher, Mark Fletcher Jr. (373 yards on 68 carries) will be “good to go” against Pitt, as will defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald, after each sustained injuries against Florida State.
Cristobal said he liked the way his team played late in the game.
“Early on it was tough sledding, and then as the game went on, our guys up front started leaning on them and finishing blocks, and in the third and fourth quarter our time possession was 20 minutes and our yards per carry went from 3.5 to 6.5 yards,” he said.