These 11 a.m. kickoffs aren't for the weak.
As the undisputed winner of a wild Week 7 across the college football landscape, the Hurricanes will now look to keep the momentum rolling against a Pittsburgh team that enters the matchup raring to start a problem.
There's quite a lot of pride on the line here, though. This is the first time Miami has played as the No. 1-ranked team in the country in nearly 25 years, and it's looking to keep things where they are, but an early kickoff never bodes well for those plans. However, there's a silver lining: Pitt enters the matchup reeling after losing its starting quarterback earlier in the year and falling to Boston College last week.
To say Pitt has struggled to move the ball since Mason Heintschel went down would be an understatement, but to the Panthers' credit, the Pitt defense has been as stiff as any in the country. Miami will need to put points up early and often to counter Pitt's stout run defense. Luckily, Miami has the tools to do just that.
This is Game Central for Week 8 of the 2026 Miami Hurricanes football season.
Note: This story will be frequently updated throughout the day and game.
Latest Injury News From Pitt at Miami
If a player goes down during the game, we'll track it and share updates as they happen. We'll update this throughout the game. View the conference availability report.
As of Friday's availability report, the current Miami players listed as OUT for Miami's game against FSU are:
WR #3 Joshua Moore
RB #6 CharMar Brown
DB #16 Ja'Boree Antoine
WR #19 Milan Parris
DB #29 Romanas "OJ" Frederique Jr.
OL #66 Max Buchanan
TE #88 Luka Gilbert
Pitt at No. 1 Miami Game Information
Who: Pitt (5-2, 2-2 ACC) at No. 1 Miami (6-0, 4-0 ACC)
When: Saturday, Oct. 24, Noon. ET
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla
TV: ESPN
Series History: Miami leads the series 30-12.
Last meeting: The Hurricanes defeated Pitt in a classic game, with the weather not being a problem, helping Miami get ranked and inside the top 10 to make it to the College Football Playoff.
Last time out, Miami: The Hurricanes outlasted Florida State in double overtime after an impressive performance from Malachi Toney and freshman running back Javian Mallory.
Last Time Out, Pitt: Pitt is coming off a loss to Boston College after starting the game on fire with a bomb downfield. Their freshman quarterback looked troubled at times against the Eagles.
Weather: This week, Miami and Pitt should have no weather concerns. Temperatures are set to be in the upper 70s and rising by kickoff, with partly cloudy skies.
Officials: The exact crew has not been released yet, but a standard ACC official crew will work the game.
Game Captains: Miami: Malachi Toney, Mark Fletcher Jr., Darian Mensah, Ryan Rodriguez, Matthew McCoy, Mohamed Toure, Zechariah Poyser, Marquise Lightfoot, Chase Smith, Kamal Bonner| Pitt: Ryan Baer, Braylan Lovelace, Cruce Brookins
How to Watch Pitt at No. 1 Miami
TV: ESPN | Bob Wischusen as play-by-play, Louis Riddick as analyst, and Stormy Buonantony as sideline reporter.
Radio: 104.3 WQAM (Joe Zagacki, Don Bailey, Jr., Josh Darrow)
Spanish Radio: Radio Libre 790 AM (Alfredo Alvarez, Joe Martinez)
Betting Odds for Pitt at No. 1 Miami
Spread: Miami -20.5
Over/Under: 48.5 points
Source: FanDuel Sportsbook
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Keys to the Game: Pitt at No. 1 Miami
The biggest question mark this week lies with the Miami offensive line. Last week, Florida State routinely got to Darian Mensah and created pressure. This week, while it isn't a rivalry matchup, the Pitt defensive line will look to exploit those holes that FSU found just one week ago.
Miami has dealt its share of injuries on the line of scrimmage, but with the talent in that room, they have to handle the blitzes Pitt throws their way. The Panthers send extra rushers on about 40% of their defensive snaps and can get exotic with their blitzes. Those pickups will require constant communication and effort, and Mensah needs a clean pocket to do his job.
Pitt knows Miami will try to nickel and dime its way down the field and let its playmakers do their job in space to make big gains. The game plan will be relatively simple: apply pressure, hope it gets home, and try to force turnovers.
On the flip side of that conversation, the Pitt offense relies heavily on downfield routes that take time to develop. The offensive line has to hold up for the entire system to work. That doesn't bode well against a Miami team that has finally hit its stride in replacing last year's group as a whole.
On paper, in just about every head-to-head matchup in this game, Miami has the edge. If the No. 1 team in the country shows up at 11 a.m., the Hurricanes have a great opportunity to improve their record and return to playing under the Hard Rock Stadium lights next week.
Pitt at No. 1 Miami Depth Charts
OFFENSE
Miami
QB: Darian Mensah, Luke Nickel
RB: Mark Fletcher Jr. (TBD), Girard Pringle Jr., Jordan Lyle
X Receiver: Cooper Barkate, Vandrevius Jacobs
Y Receiver: Malachi Toney, Daylyn Upshaw
Z Receiver: Daylyn Upshaw, Dre Jacobs, Somourian Wingo
TE: Elija Lofton, Gavin Mueller
LT: Samson Okunlola, Joel Ervin
LG: Jackson Cantwell, Joel Ervin
C: Ryan Rodriguez, SJ Alofaituli
RG: Ben Congdon, Max Buchanan
RT: Matthew McCoy, Jaden Wilkerson
Pitt
QB: Holden Geriner OR Corey Dailey
RB: Damon Ferguson Jr., La'Vell Wright, Justin Cook, Jaylin Brown
X Receiver: Tony Kinsler, Cam Sapp, Bryan Hamilton
SL-WR: Censere Lee, Bryce Yates, Tyreek Robinson
Z Receiver: Cataurus Hicks, Demtrice McCray, Benny Hamilton
TE: Carson Kent, Elijah Lagg, Jordan Fields, Wyatt Villarreal
LT: Netinho Olivieri, Jiavani Cooley
LG: Kendall Stanley, Torian Chester
C: Ryan Carretta, Keith Gouveia
RG: BJ Williams, Keylen Davis, Isaiah Montgomery
RT: Ryan Baer, Mason Lindsay
DEFENSE
Miami
DE: Armondo Blount, Herbert Scroggins III
DT: Justin Scott, Keona Davis
DT: Jarquez Carter, Keona Davis
DE: Damon Wilson, Marquise Lightfoot
WILL: Chase Smith, Bobby Pruitt
MIKE: Mo Toure, Kamal Bonner
CB: Ethan O'Connor, Camdin Portis
CB: Damari Brown, Ryan Mack
S: Bryce Fitzgerald, Omar Thornton
S: Zechariah Poyser, JJ Dunnigan
NICKEL: Omar Thornton, Camdin Portis
Pitt
DE: Isaiah Neal, Zach Crothers, Josh Pittman
LDT: Sean FitzSimmons, Eliyt Nairne, Ty Yuhas
RDT: Nick James, Jeremiah Warren, Ty Yuhas
RDE: Jimmy Scott, Jaeden Moore, Reston Lehman
MONEY: Alex Sanford Jr., Cameron Lindsey, Abe Ibrahim
MLB: Jeremiah Marcelin, Justin Thompson, Davin Brewton
STAR: Braylan Lovelace, DeMarco Ward, Jayden Bonsu
LCB: Raion Strader, Shadarian Harrison, Kentrail McRae Jr.
SS: Josh Guerrier, Cole Woodson
FS: Cruce Brookins, Allen Bryant, Tony Forney
RCB: Shawn Lee Jr., Rashan Murray, Zion Ferguson
SPECIAL TEAMS
Miami
P: Dylan Joyce
K: Jake Olsen
KOS: Jake Weinberg
KO/P Return: Malachi Toney, Girard Pringle Jr.
Pitt
P: Gabe Russo, Kaemon Tijerina
K: Antonio Chada, Sam Hunsaker
KOS: Sam Hunsaker, Carter Genchi
KO/P Return: Cataurus Hicks, Cam Sapp, Tyreek Robinson
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