Malachi Toney, Darian Mensah star as No. 1 Miami routs Pitt - ESPN

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Malachi Toney had a school-record 16 catches and Darian Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns as No. 1 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.»

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 career list with his 33rd rushing TD.

«We have playmakers around Malachi, where if you try to double one and create more attention on one, you can get hurt on the other side, which we saw today as well,» Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. «There's not a guy in the country that's more dependable than Malachi Toney.»

The win should keep Miami (7-0, 5-0 ACC) 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,» Cristobal said. «Solid play.»

Toney has reached the 2,000-yard mark for his career, joining Ohio State standout Jeremiah Smith as the only active Football Bowl Subdivision players to reach that milestone by the end of their sophomore season. Toney reached the milestone in his 23rd career game, while Smith took 24 to get there, reaching the mark last season.

«The dude works his butt off day in and day out,» Mensah said of Toney. «And come Saturday, he's super prepared.»

Miami native Cataurus «Blue» Hicks had five catches for 149 yards and a