The No. 12 Miami Hurricanes travel to face the No. 22 Pittsburgh Panthers this Friday in a matchup that will shape the final standings of the ACC. Both programs remain in contention for a trip to Charlotte to play in the conference title game, though the path requires a victory at Acrisure Stadium to keep those hopes alive.
The forecast calls for near-freezing temperatures and wind chills in the 20s, which adds a significant layer of difficulty for a visiting team accustomed to the heat of South Florida.
Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal expects his roster to return to near full strength for this regular-season finale. Quarterback Carson Beck has found his rhythm recently, but he faces a Panthers defense desperate to bounce back after struggles in the trenches earlier this month. The stakes make this one of the most intriguing matchups of Week 14 as the college football season reaches its climax.
Narratives surrounding the Hurricanes often question their ability to perform in cold weather environments. College football analyst David Pollack addressed this specific concern on the Wednesday episode of the See Ball Get Ball podcast. The former linebacker weighed the adverse weather conditions against the offensive talent disparity before making his final prediction for the contest.
Pollack officially picked Miami to secure the road win despite the atmospheric challenges. He acknowledged that teams from Florida often struggle when traveling north late in the season, noting that the Miami Dolphins frequently underperform in similar spots. However, the analyst argued that one specific playmaker negates the weather advantage for Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi.
Pollack pointed to the dynamic ability of freshman wide receiver Malachi Toney as the deciding factor. He urged offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson to utilize Toney creatively to bypass the elements.
“The weather’s going to be cold. That’s a real thing,” Pollack said. “So, how do you combat that? Malachi Toney. Like Malachi Toney and the Wildcat. Malachi Toney on jet sweeps. Malachi Toney on screens. Like, find ways to get him touches.”
Toney leads the Hurricanes with 844 receiving yards on 71 catches this season. Pollack believes this specific skillset is the key to victory. “I’ve got Miami even though it’s going to be cold, but it’s because of the Malachi Toney show,” Pollack said.
Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) went for 146 yards and a touchdown on 12 receptions last week against Virginia Tech. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Beyond the win, Pollack stressed that Miami must dominate physically to prove they belong in the College Football Playoff conversation. He suggested that a close victory might not be sufficient for the selection committee, given Miami’s previous losses to the Louisville Cardinals and the SMU Mustangs.
“I think if there’s any chance for Miami to get into the playoffs, I think they have to open palm slap… like they got to put it on them,” Pollack said.
The analyst also noted the chaotic nature of the ACC race. While Pittsburgh has a clearer path with a win and a loss by the Virginia Cavaliers or SMU, Miami needs a complex series of events to fall their way. “Miami is like, oh my gosh, it’s like a paragraph,” Pollack said regarding the tiebreaker scenarios.
The Hurricanes will face the Panthers at Acrisure Stadium on Friday at 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC.