PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers suffered a sad and uninspiring Senior Day 38-7 defeat to the No. 12-ranked Miami Hurricanes in Acrisure Stadium.
The loss ended any chance the Panthers had to clinch a spot in the ACC Championship and they finished the regular season 8-4 (6-2 ACC).
Like the Notre Dame loss two weeks ago, the Panthers were outplayed from the jump. Miami’s impressive freshman receiver Malachi Toney had yet another dominant game with 13 catches for 126 yards, a receiving touchdown and a passing touchdown. He also had five carries for 30 yards.
Pitt received the opening kickoff and went backwards on two of the three plays, including a 10-yard sack on the first snap of the game.
The Panthers subsequently punted and Miami started its first drive on its 37-yard line. The Hurricanes picked up a first down, but the drive ended when Isaiah Neal sacked Carson Beck and forced a punt.
Pitt’s struggles on offense continued when the group gained just one yard and went three-and-out for the second consecutive drive. Miami then drove 54 yards in nine plays and settled for a 29-yard field goal to take the first lead of the game at 3-0.
Nov 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Ja’Kyrian Turner (25) runs the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The offense finally picked it up when they passed the sticks for the first time in the game off a Ja’Kyrian Turner 1-yard run. Juelz Goff then powered for a 13-yard run, and Heintschel lobbed one up for Blue Hicks, who came down with the 40-yard pass on Miami’s 11-yard line.
Pitt picked up the first down at the 1-yard line to end the first quarter, trailing 3-0.
Heintschel fumbled the handoff to Goff to push the offense back five yards on the first play of the quarter, but scored on the following play with a 6-yard pass to a wide-open Justin Holmes in the flat.
The lead didn’t last long, though. The Hurricanes drove down the field in seven plays thanks to two big plays by do-it-all true freshman receiver Toney. His first was a diving one-handed 19-yard grab and he later capped the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Elija Lofton to make it 10-7 for the road team.
Nov 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) catches a touchdown pass against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Panthers kept the offensive momentum going with a 38-yard pass to Raphael “Poppi” Williams on the second play of the drive. The offense drove to the 24-yard line until a sack forced a 43-yard field goal, which Trey Butkowski missed wide right in his first game back from dealing with an illness.
Miami put together a few good plays, and a 23-yard pass from Beck to Alex Bauman set up a 22-yard touchdown pass to Toney for his second score of the quarter and to extend the lead to 17-7.
Pitt had a chance to cut the lead, but Heintschel was sacked for the fifth time of the half and got up limping. He eventually entered the locker room, and Eli Holstein took his place heading into the half.
Beck started the half with another connection to Bauman, this time for 33 yards, and two unsportmanlike penalties on Tamon Lynum and Shadarian Harrison eventually moved Miami down to the 4-yard line. Pitt used an early timeout and Mark Fletcher Jr. punched in the score a play later to make it 24-7.
Nov 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Hurricanes tight end Alex Bauman (87) runs after a catch against Pittsburgh Panthers safety Kavir Bains-Marquez (23) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Heintschel returned to Pitt’s offense, but they were off the field in three plays for the third time of the afternoon. The Hurricanes then went 59 yards in six plays and finished the drive with a 9-yard pass from Beck to running back CharMar Brown.
Heintschel hit Censere Lee for the biggest play of the half for the Panthers — a 31-yard pitch and catch. Pitt then went for it on fourth down and was stopped short of the line to gain.
Miami’s drive went into the fourth quarter and wound up punting it away. Pitt’s hopes to play in the ACC Championship continued to slip away with a fifth punt of the game as the fans evacuated Acrisure Stadium.
Cruce Brookins intercepted Beck’s pass in the red zone to prevent another score, but it led to yet another punt off the foot of Caleb Junko.
The Hurricanes ended the game with a 33-yard touchdown from Beck to CJ Daniels. Heintschel was then intercepted to end the game.
Beck finished the game 23-for-29 passing, 267 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Heintschel finished his last home game 22-for-32 passing, 199 yards, a touchdown and a pick.
Pitt was outgained 417 yards to 229 and was held to 30 rushing yards. The Panthers also had nine penalties for 88 yards and were 4-for-13 on third downs.
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