Miami dominates Pitt to keep ACC title game, College Football Playoff dreams alive

The No. 12 Miami Hurricanes knew they had to enactment connected a ascendant show connected the roadworthy against the No. 22 Pitt Panthers if they wanted to support their ACC rubric and College Football Playoff hopes alive.

Mission accomplished.

The Hurricanes controlled the Panthers each crippled connected their mode to a 38-7 triumph to determination to 10-2 connected the season. They are present 6-2 successful league play, portion the Panthers, contempt being 8-3, besides stock that 6-2 record.

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Miami Hurricanes backmost Carson Beck passes against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the archetypal 4th astatine Acrisure Stadium Nov. 29, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

Miami inactive needs immoderate games to autumn its mode contempt wherever the CFP rankings presently spot them. The ACC champion, which volition beryllium determined adjacent Saturday astatine Bank of America Stadium successful Charlotte, North Carolina, is expected to assertion an automatic berth successful the CFP. Miami entered Week 14 successful sixth spot successful the ACC standings.

But present that their archetypal extremity was implicit by beating the Panthers, the Hurricanes volition ticker the remainder of the conference. There are galore scenarios that could get Miami into the ACC rubric game, the astir evident being Virginia (No. 1 successful the standings), SMU (No. 2 and a squad who bushed Miami earlier this month) and Duke (5-2 successful league contempt a 6-5 wide record) each losing.

The Hurricanes should besides beryllium watching the N.C. State–North Carolina rivalry crippled due to the fact that it has immoderate interaction connected the standings.

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If the Hurricanes were to get an at-large bid, though, a fewer teams would person to suffer connected Saturday. Among them is No. 10 Alabama, which fell to Oklahoma 2 weeks agone astatine home, dropping successful the CFP rankings. Auburn would person to upset the Crimson Tide successful the Iron Bowl Saturday, portion No. 11 BYU would besides person to suffer to UCF astatine home.

Miami did get immoderate help, however, from the No. 1 wide squad successful the country. The Ohio State Buckeyes took down No. 15 Michigan, a effect that should extremity Michigan’s chances of reaching the CFP.

Elija Lofton of the Miami Hurricanes celebrates with teammate Alex Bauman (87) aft scoring a touchdown successful the 2nd 4th against the Pittsburgh Panthers astatine Acrisure Stadium Nov. 29, 2025, successful Pittsburgh. (Justin Berl/Getty Images)

So, however precisely did the Hurricanes instrumentality attraction of concern connected Saturday day successful occidental Pennsylvania? Carson Beck threw 3 touchdowns, going an businesslike 23-for-29 done the aerial for 267 yards. He besides threw an interception.

But Beck wasn’t the lone Hurricanes subordinate to propulsion a touchdown. Malachi Toney, the team’s starring receiver successful the game, had the Hurricanes’ archetypal of the game. It came successful the 2nd 4th erstwhile Toney recovered Elija Lofton for a nine-yard touchdown drawback successful the extremity zone.

Then, connected the ensuing drive, Toney was the recipient of a 22-yard Beck onslaught for a people that began to springiness Miami immoderate separation, making it 17-7.

CJ Daniels and CharMar Brown besides had touchdown catches, portion Mark Fletcher Jr. added a rushing touchdown for the Hurricanes.

Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney reacts to the Panthers' pupil conception aft catching a touchdown walk against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the 2nd 4th astatine Acrisure Stadium Nov. 29, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

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The Hurricanes, including caput manager Mario Cristobal, person been saying each twelvemonth that the CFP should beryllium taking his squad successful higher regard, particularly considering Notre Dame is ranked higher than it contempt the Hurricanes opening the play with a triumph implicit the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame has the aforesaid grounds arsenic Miami heading into its last regular-season crippled against Stanford Saturday night.

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