Malachi Toney caught a program-record 16 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 1 Miami to a 52-23 win at home against Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.
Toney finished the first half with 11 catches for 147 yards to secure his sixth career double-digit catch game. The Hurricanes (7-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) remain unbeaten after their first game as the top-ranked team in the nation since 2002.
Pitt (5-3, 2-3) dropped its third consecutive game since losing quarterback Mason Heintschel for the season after he tore his ACL.
Holden Geriner made his second start in Pitt’s past three games. He completed 18 of 32 passes for 268 yards and one touchdown. He was sacked twice but didn’t throw a single interception.
Cataurus Hicks, a Miami native, caught five passes for 149 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown from Geriner with 10:22 left in the third quarter.
The Hurricanes answered with an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped by Javian Mallory’s 2-yard touchdown to put Miami ahead 45-14.
Mallory led the Hurricanes in rushing with 47 yards on seven carries and two touchdowns. Mark Fletcher Jr. also had 41 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.
Miami quarterback Darian Mensah was efficient once again, completing 31 of 37 passes for 387 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Mensah has thrown 22 touchdown passes and one interception this season, and has completed 166 of 204 passes (81.4%) for 2,151 yards.
Mensah has thrown for three touchdown passes or more in six of Miami’s seven games this season.
The Hurricanes’ offense got off to a sluggish start as Mensah was sacked twice and was held to a field goal on their opening drive. Jaeden Moore recorded two of Pitt’s three sacks.
But Miami found its rhythm on its second drive when Mensah connected with Toney on a 16-yard catch and run to put the Hurricanes ahead 10-0.
Damon Ferguson Jr. put the Panthers on the board on a 5-yard touchdown run with 4:36 left in the second quarter.
Miami answered when Toney snared a 53-yard touchdown pass from Mensah to push its lead to 24-7.