PITTSBURGH — A day before Halloween, the Miami Hurricanes went to Heinz Field dressed as white, green and orange offensive juggernauts.
But this was no dress rehearsal.
The Hurricanes, again led by second-year freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke’s rocket arm, poise and impressive accuracy, defeated the No. 17 Pittsburgh Panthers, 38-34, Saturday on the road to mount their first back-to-back victories in 2021 — and second victory in as many weeks against a top-20 team.
The Panthers (6-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) still lead the ACC’s Coastal Division, with UM now 4-4 and 2-2.
Van Dyke completed 32 of 42 passes for a career-high 428 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. After the interception, Pitt drove into Miami territory before freshman safety James Williams intercepted Pickett at the 4-yard line.
Van Dyke, who threw for the ninth-most yards in a single game in Miami history, went toe to toe with Heisman Trophy contender Kenny Pickett. Pickett was 39 of 55 for 519 yards — the most passing yards in Pitt history — and three touchdowns, with two interceptions.
Canes receiver Charleston Rambo had seven catches for 101 yards, while Pitt’s nationally heralded receiver Jordan Addison had eight catches for a game-high 145 yards.
Second-year freshman tailback Jaylan Knighton led UM with 80 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.
Miami amassed 492 yards to Pitt’s 587.
The Canes had a 31-17 lead at halftime, but the Panthers tied the score at 31 late in the third quarter on a 19-yard pass from Pickett to Jaylon Barden. UM answered with a 13-yard laser touchdown from Van Dyke to Key’Shawn Smith, who made an over-the-shoulder fingertip catch.
UM, up 38-34, took over with 3:43 left and on the first play of the final drive, tailback Jaylan Knighton barely got out of the end zone to avoid a safety, drawing boos from the raucus crowd of 46,977.
Van Dyke got Miami away from its own goal line with a completion to Charleston Rambo for a first down. The Canes then ran it twice, and Van Dyke hit tight end Will Mallory in the flat for 6 yards on third-and-4. But Mallory fumbled the ball out of bounds and after a long review by the officials, the referees placed the ball just in front of the first-down marker.
Miami had first-and-10 from the UM 29 with 40 seconds left and a win after Van Dyke took three straight kneel-downs.
Last week UM defeated No. 18 NC State, 31-30.
The Canes return home next Saturday to face Georgia Tech, which was 3-4 and 2-3 heading into Saturday’s matchup with Virginia Tech (3-4, 1-2).
