University of Pittsburgh at No. 1 Miami Preview: A QB Question, the ACC’s Top Run Defense and WPIAL Alumni

By Keystone Clutch Sports

The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) hasn’t won in two weeks and hasn’t announced a starting quarterback, though CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported Thursday night that fifth-year Holden Geriner is expected to start. Now Pitt heads south to face the No. 1 team in the country. The Panthers (5-2, 2-2 ACC) play at Miami (6-0, 4-0 ACC) at noon Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. A win would make Pitt bowl-eligible. For Miami, it’s the first game as the AP’s No. 1 team since 2002.

Game info

• Matchup: Pitt (5-2, 2-2 ACC) at No. 1 Miami (6-0, 4-0 ACC)
• Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 24, noon ET
• Site: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
• TV: ESPN, with Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Louis Riddick (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
• Radio: 93.7 The Fan and the Pitt Panthers Radio Network, with Bill Hillgrove and Pat Bostick; also on SiriusXM 258
• Rankings: Miami is No. 1 in the AP poll released Oct. 18 and received 40 first-place votes. Pitt is unranked. The first College Football Playoff rankings of the season come out Tuesday, Nov. 3.
• Series: This is the 44th meeting, and Miami leads 30-12-1. Pitt won 42-16 on its last trip to Miami, in 2022.

How they got here

Pitt started 5-0. It beat Miami (Ohio), UCF, Syracuse and Bucknell at Acrisure Stadium and won 35-33 at Virginia Tech. Then it lost 21-17 at home to North Carolina on Oct. 10 and 27-21 at Boston College last Saturday. Both losses came after starting quarterback Mason Heintschel tore his ACL in the Oct. 2 win at Virginia Tech, an injury that ended his season, according to a statement from coach Pat Narduzzi. CBS Sports also reported the injury.

Miami has won all six of its games. The Hurricanes have won road games at Stanford (45-6), Wake Forest (33-20) and Clemson (41-13). At home they’ve beaten Florida A&M (77-7), Central Michigan (52-3) and, last Saturday, Florida State, 43-35 in double overtime. Several top teams lost that weekend, and Miami moved up to No. 1. Every Miami game so far has kicked off at 6:30 p.m. ET or later, so Saturday is the Hurricanes’ first noon start of the season.

The quarterback question

Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said Monday that the staff would watch Holden Geriner and true freshman Corey Dailey in practice this week before choosing a starter, and that playing both is also an option, according to Pitt Athletics and CBS Sports. “There’s no question. It’s a lot easier when you say that guy’s our guy,” Narduzzi said, per both reports.

Each has made one start since Heintschel’s injury. Geriner went 27-for-44 for 219 yards with two interceptions in the loss to North Carolina, per CBS Sports. Dailey went 11-for-25 for 193 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions at Boston College, per CBS Sports. Dailey’s touchdown was a 75-yarder to Cataurus Hicks on Pitt’s first snap, the Panthers’ longest touchdown of the season, according to Pitt’s game notes. Hicks had a career-high 135 receiving yards that day and leads the team with 26 catches for 500 yards. True freshman running back Damon Ferguson Jr. ran for a career-high 119 yards at BC and leads Pitt with 438 rushing yards.

On Thursday night, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported, citing sources, that Pitt is expected to start Geriner at Miami and that Dailey is expected to see time as well. Pitt had not announced a starter as of Friday morning.

On the ACC’s availability report, Pitt running back Ja’Kyrian Turner was upgraded from questionable to probable Thursday night, while cornerback Rashan Murray and safety Josh Guerrier remained questionable, per On3. Pitt listed eight players as out, including Heintschel, and Miami listed six as out, including defensive backs Romanas “OJ” Frederique Jr. and Ja’Boree Antoine, per Sports Illustrated’s Miami site. Miami freshman receiver Milan Parris was listed as doubtful.

Pitt’s defense vs. Miami’s run game

Pitt’s defense gives it a chance. The Panthers lead the ACC in rushing defense (57.3 yards per game, 2.0 per carry) and in interceptions (nine), and they’re third in the league in scoring defense (16.4 points per game), according to the school’s game notes. Miami has been running the ball more lately. It ran for 257 yards against Florida State, and coach Mario Cristobal said running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald are “good to go” after injuries in that game, per CBS Sports.

Miami’s coaches praised Pitt’s front this week. “They’re violent,” Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said, in comments collected by Pitt Athletics. “If I had to explain them in one word, that’s it.” Cristobal brushed off talk about the ranking on the Joe Rose Show: “Last I checked, there has never been a trophy or parade for anybody halfway through the season” (CBS Sports).

Pitt’s best path is the formula its numbers point to: keep Miami’s run game in check, create turnovers and lean on Ferguson and the ground game so a new quarterback isn’t asked to win the game on his own. Geriner and Dailey threw four interceptions between them in their two starts. Ball security is the thing to watch against a No. 1 team that has scored at least 33 points in every game.

WPIAL alumni to watch

Hometowns and high schools below are as listed on Pitt’s official 2026 roster. Miami’s official roster lists no players from Pennsylvania.

Beaver County

• Sean FitzSimmons, DL, fifth year (Monaca; Central Valley). He was among the players Pitt made available to the media during Miami week. His official bio says he started and played a career-high 10 games in 2025.
• Cameron Lindsey, LB, junior (Aliquippa; Aliquippa). Per his official bio, he played in all 13 games in 2025, with 32 tackles and five tackles for loss.

Butler County

• Sean Franklin, OL, freshman (Mars; Mars). His bio says he walked on at Pitt in June 2026 after graduating from Mars.

No Pitt player lists a Lawrence County hometown or high school.

Other WPIAL alumni in key roles

• Raion Strader, DB, senior (Penn Hills). He had a career-high two interceptions at Boston College, both in the red zone, per Pitt’s game notes.
• Cruce Brookins, DB, senior (Steel Valley). He leads Pitt with 46 tackles.
• Kanye Thompson, DB, fifth year (McKeesport). He blocked Boston College’s first punt for a safety.

Other Pitt players from WPIAL high schools include LB Braylan Lovelace (Leechburg), LB Abe Ibrahim (Chartiers Valley), OL Shep Turk and long snapper Justin Schmidt (Thomas Jefferson), OL Ty Banco (Trinity), OL Josh Nindl and OL John Curran (Pine-Richland), DL Ty Yuhas and WR Jake Sassic (Central Catholic), DB Da’Ron Barksdale (Steel Valley), DB Valdez Stuvaints (McKeesport), WR Benny Haselrig (Hampton), LB John Wetzel (Greater Latrobe), DL Dylan Pitzer (Derry Area), DL Reston Lehman (Peters Township) and DL Lincoln Hoke (North Allegheny).

What’s next

Pitt comes home to host Georgia Tech at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2. Miami plays at North Carolina the same day.

Sources

• Pitt Athletics: 2026 football schedule and results
• Pitt Athletics: Game Week, Panthers Meet with No. 1 Ranked Hurricanes in Miami (game notes, Oct. 19)
• Pitt Athletics: Behind Enemy Lines, Miami (Oct. 21)
• Pitt Athletics: Statement from Pat Narduzzi on Mason Heintschel (Oct. 3)
• Pitt Athletics: Narduzzi Notebook (Oct. 19)
• Pitt Athletics: 2026 football roster
• Miami Athletics: 2026 football schedule and results
• Miami Athletics: 2026 football roster
• CBS Sports (Field Level Media): No. 1 Miami hosts Pitt in first game atop rankings since 2002 (Oct. 20)
• CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz on X: Report that Pitt is expected to start Holden Geriner vs. No. 1 Miami (Oct. 22)
• On3: Pitt vs Miami Injury Updates: Good News on Panthers Playmaker (Oct. 22)
• Sports Illustrated (Miami): First Availability Report for Pitt at No. 1 Miami (Oct. 21)
• AP: Miami is No. 1 in AP Top 25 for first time since 2002 (Oct. 18)
• College Football Playoff: 2026-27 rankings schedule

Big Moments, Big Pressure, Big Performance.