No. 1 Miami, in its first game atop AP poll since 2002 season, rolls past Pitt 52-23

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Malachi Toney had a big game, again. Darian Mensah had a big game, again.

And No. 1 Miami got a big win, again.

Toney had a school-record 16 catches, Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns, and Miami rolled past Pitt 52-23 on Saturday in the Hurricanes’ first game as the nation’s top-ranked team in nearly 24 years.

“We ran into a buzz saw," Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. "That's a good football team. They’re the No. 1 team in the country and it’s no joke. They're averaging 45 points a game. They’re No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 in just about every darn category. I don’t know if I’ve faced a team that is No. 1 in just about every category besides being No. 1 in the country.”

Toney finished with 194 receiving yards and three touchdown catches, while Javian Mallory rushed for two scores and Mark Fletcher Jr. moved into the No. 2 spot on Miami’s all-time list with the 33rd rushing TD of his career.

The win should keep Miami (7-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) atop the poll when the AP Top 25 is updated Sunday — ending what has been a three-week run of the No. 1 team dropping in the poll after a loss. Texas was No. 1 before losing to Oklahoma, then Georgia was No. 1 before falling to Auburn.

“A really good conference win,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “Solid play.”

Miami native Blue Hicks had five catches for 149 yards and a touchdown for Pitt (5-3, 2-3), which dropped its third straight game. Holden Geriner got the start at quarterback and completed 18 of 32 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown.

Miami improved to 43-6 as the No. 1 team in the country. Pitt fell to 0-14-1 when facing No. 1.

The Hurricanes put on a show with dozens of members of the 2001 national championship team watching; this weekend was the 25th anniversary celebration of that Miami title. Miami's current team wore throwback jerseys featuring the same look and fonts as that 2001 team — and looked the part with their play, too.

“It's motivating, for sure,” Mensah said. “All those guys just have a great knowledge of the game.”

Mensah completed 31 of 37 passes, Miami converted 10 of its first 12 third-down chances and the Hurricanes scored seven times in their first eight possessions — with six touchdowns and a field goal in that span.

At least one Pitt player said the Panthers had what they believed to be a good scheme to slow down Toney.

They were evidently mistaken.

Toney had 159 receiving yards at halftime, matching Pitt's total offense number through the first two quarters. His 16 catches broke the previous school mark of 13 in a game — first done by Mike Harley against Duke in 2021, then matched by Toney against Pitt last season.

Toney said he had a conversation with Andre Johnson, one of the stars of that 2001 team and an all-time Miami receiving great.

“He told me just keep being myself,” Toney said.

Seems to be working just fine to this point.

Pitt: After a pair of Hail Mary heaves nearly connected for Florida State at Miami in double overtime last week — and the Seminoles insisting that they were robbed — the Hurricanes gave up another to end the half. Geriner’s pass to Hicks went for a 53-yard gain, but he was tackled at the Miami 1 as time expired.

Miami: That 2001 Hurricanes team posed at midfield for a halftime photo and raved about what they saw from the current team. “I've been excited for the guys from Day 1. ... It just brings those memories back that we had,” Miami great and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed — wearing a Sean Taylor jersey — said in a televised in-game interview.

Pitt: Host Georgia Tech on Oct. 31.

Miami: Visit North Carolina on Oct. 31.

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here

Miami running back Javian Mallory (21) celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws a pass as Pittsburgh defensive lineman Zach Crothers (5) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Members of Miami's 2001 National Championship football team celebrate with Miami mascot Sebastian the Ibis as they are honored at halftime of an NCAA college football game between Miami and Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney (1) celebrates with quarterback Darian Mensah (10) after scoring a touchdown against Pittsburgh during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami fans cheer during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

A small city in southern Ukraine, cut off for months by fighting, is set to get a brief pause in the 4 1/2-year-old war so that aid can get in and residents can get out.

U.S. first lady Melania Trump brokered the localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied city she said is “on the brink of disaster.”

Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiators reached the deal Friday. Officials on all sides have confirmed it, but many details have not been released.

The first lady, voting alongside her husband Saturday afternoon, was asked about her work brokering a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the ravaged, Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky so that humanitarian aid can be delivered and civilians evacuated.

“It is great to have (the) Pope’s support,” she said, adding that the ceasefire is expected to start on Oct. 27. “I hope everything goes as it’s planned."

Asked if she had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or Russian President Vladimir Putin, she and President Donald Trump said both.

“I think she’s doing better than the professionals right now,” the president added.

Asked if she will visit Ukraine, Melania Trump responded: “We will see.”

Oleshky is located in Ukraine's partially occupied Kherson region. It sits on the Dnipro River, which separates Ukrainian forces from the city’s Russian occupiers. Moscow’s forces captured it on the first day of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Its buildings were shelled and burned.

In June 2023, floodwaters swamped the city after the Kakhovka Dam collapsed in an explosion that an Associated Press investigation found was likely caused by the Russian military. Hundreds of residents were killed.

Once home to about 24,000 people, the city has had scarce food and medical supplies for months. There is no electricity, heat or running water. Roads out of town are mined and lined with burned-out cars, and drones buzz overhead. With another harsh winter approaching, those still there face death from hunger or disease.

Ukraine has repeatedly appealed for a local ceasefire to organize evacuations. As the occupying power, Russia is obligated under international law to make sure civilians under its control have what they need to survive.

The deal sets out three stages: a ceasefire, then delivery of humanitarian aid, then evacuation of civilians who want to leave Oleshky, according to Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman and its chief negotiator in the talks.

Before any aid moves, mines will be cleared on the routes into the city, Lubinets said.

Russia’s human rights ombudswoman, Yana Lantratova, who took part in the negotiations, said firstly they plan to establish what residents need and then deliver food, medicine, hygiene products and other essentials. She said anyone who wants to leave the combat zone will be guaranteed safe passage.

Lubinets told the AP that the ceasefire will begin Tuesday, two days before the humanitarian mission starts, and will last several days.

Russia’s chief of the general staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said Russian forces “will cease fire on the Kherson axis” from 4 a.m. Tuesday Moscow time, which is late Monday in the United States. He said Russian forces would also carry out “engineering reconnaissance” and ensure the “humanitarian convoy” can move safely into the city.

Ukraine's General Staff said the ceasefire will begin at 3 a.m. Tuesday Kyiv time, since Ukraine moves its clocks back an hour on Sunday while Russia does not.

Lubinets said the pause would apply across the Kherson region and neighboring areas essential to the operation.

Lubinets gave no details on how the ceasefire or the aid mission would be monitored or carried out, citing the sensitivity of the negotiations. He declined to say whether Melania Trump would travel to Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said people who want to leave Oleshky will be able to. He would not say whether they would be taken to Russian- or Ukrainian-held territory. Asked how long the evacuation would last, he said only that it would most likely take several days.

“The operation will be carried out gradually and is extremely challenging to implement,” Lubinets said.

The first lady began talks on Oleshky after she heard about the situation at one of her events during the U.N. General Assembly session in September, the White House said. She and a representative then worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to set the terms. She had already been working with officials from both countries on a separate matter.

“When Melania Trump learned about the situation in Oleshky, the negotiation process began under her coordination,” Lubinets said. He said the sides spent several weeks discussing ideas and developing “new approaches, mechanisms and tools” to help civilians there survive.

Helping children in conflict zones has become one of her signature issues during her husband’s second term. She hosted a U.N. Security Council meeting on the issue earlier this year. Last year she wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin about efforts to reunite families with children she described as “displaced by the war.” Her senior adviser, Marc Beckman, says she has helped reunite nearly three dozen children.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has lobbied various world leaders for help reuniting children he says were taken by Russia after the invasion began in 2022. The International Criminal Court in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.

The development comes as tensions have increased to new highs between the Trump administration and Ukraine’s government. Kyiv has faced restrictions on the satellite internet system it relies on to knock down Russian attacks, with President Donald Trump and other top U.S. officials sending mixed messages about who was responsible for throttling the Elon Musk-made Starshield system.

Trump also recently waived new Russia sanctions, reached an agreement with Russia to import diesel fuel and pushed Zelenskyy to make a deal to end the war. In renewed efforts to revive the peace process, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Norway this week for talks with Zelenskyy before meeting Putin in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Zelenskyy did not mention the ceasefire in Oleshky during a remote appearance at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank, on Friday. He did note that American Patriot missile interceptors were still on hold.

He also spoke of the importance of the United States to renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war, including a possible joint meeting with Trump and Putin.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

In this undated image from video provided by the Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" on Oct. 4, 2026, a drone drops a parcel of supplies to civilians in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region of Ukraine. (Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" via AP)

In this undated image from video provided by the Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" on Sept. 22, 2026, smoke rises from a residential neighborhood in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region of Ukraine. (Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" via AP)

In this undated image from video provided by the Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" on Sept. 30, 2026, destroyed cars are seen on a highway from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region of Ukraine. (Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade "Borysfen" via AP)

FILE - First lady Melania Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House, Oct. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)