Short Week Ahead: Football Travels to Pitt

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes (8-3, 4-3 ACC) close their regular-season schedule Friday at Pittsburgh (6-5, 3-4 ACC). Friday’s game will kick at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

With its 45-26 win over Virginia, Miami snapped a three-game losing streak and enters the final weekend of the regular season with a chance to still win the ACC Coastal Division.

Miami and Pittsburgh are meeting as conference foes for the first time since 2003 when they were both members of the BIG EAST Conference. Friday is the first series meeting since a 31-3 Miami win in 2010 at Pitt. The Hurricanes lead the all-time series 22-9-1 and have won seven straight meetings.

GAME INFORMATION – GAME 12
NR/RV/NR MIAMI HURRICANES (8-3, 4-3 ACC) at NR/NR/NR PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (6-5, 3-4 ACC)
Friday, Nov. 29, 2013 • 3:30 p.m. ET • ABC • Pittsburgh, Pa. • Heinz Field (65,500)

SERIES HISTORY
Miami leads 22-9-1 … First series meeting since 2010 … Miami has won last seven meetings (1998-2003; 2010) … Miami is 12-5 at Pitt … Miami’s longest win streak in series is eight.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
ABC • Dave Lamont, Play-by-Play • David Diaz-Infante, Analyst • Niki Noto, Sideline Reporter
WQAM 560 AM • Joe Zagacki, PXP • Don Bailey Jr., Analyst • Josh Darrow, Sideline Reporter
RADIO CARACOL 1260 AM • Roly Martin, PXP • Pepe Campos, Analyst • Joe Martinez, Analyst
WVUM 90.5 FM • Chris Wittyngham, PXP • SATELLITE RADIO • Sirius 92 • XM 193 (Pitt Broadcast)

#5THINGS

1. Senior QB Stephen Morris is one of only four 7,000-yard passers in program history.
2. Miami is seeking its first 9-win season since 2009 and fourth 9-win season since joining the ACC.
3. Senior WR Allen Hurns needs 35 yards to post the fourth 1,000-yard receiving season in school history.
4. Miami has won 15 of the last 16 series meetings with Pitt.
5. Miami is 10-1 in its last 11 games when scoring 30+ points and trailing in TOP.

HERE’S THE KICKER
What an addition graduate P Pat O’Donnell has been to the Miami Hurricanes in 2013. O’Donnell, who was a two-time All-BIG EAST punter at Cincinnati, ranks second nationally in punting with 47.6 yards per punt.O’Donnell leads the ACC by more than 3.0 yards per punt. Virginia Tech’s AJ Hughes is second behind O’Donnell with a 44.5 yards-per-punt average.19 of O’Donnell’s 43 punts this season have gone for 50+ yards.

SCORING IN BUNCHES

• Miami scored 45 points in its win Saturday against Virginia, improving the Hurricanes record to 103-1 all-time when scoring 45+ points. Miami’s lone loss when scoring 45+ points was the infamous “Hail Flutie” Game in 1984.
• Miami is 79-0 when scoring 45+ since then.
• Miami has scored at least 45 points four times this season. That matches Miami’s total from the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons – combined.
• Miami’s four games of 45+ points this season are the most by a Hurricanes team in a single season since 2002.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING (per @ByTimReynolds)

• Miami had 45 points with only 11 first downs vs. UVA. The last time that happened at the FBS level was Sept. 13, 1997, when Minnesota (with 11 first downs) beat Iowa State 53-29.
• Miami is now 37-2 since the start of 1996 when forcing 4+ turnovers.

ALL IS HURNS

• Senior WR Allen Hurns is enjoying – quietly – one of the best single-seasons by a Miami Hurricanes receiver in program history. Hurns has 965 yards in 2013 and is 35 shy of posting only the fourth 1,000-yard season in school history.
• Hurns already has more yards than any Miami receiver had managed in 20 of the previous 22 seasons (per @ByTimReynolds).
• Hurns’ 110 career receptions rank 10^th in school history. He is four shy of tying Wesley Carroll (114) for 9th all-time.
• Miami’s 1,000-yard seasons: 1,114 – Eddie Brown (1984; 1,092 – Andre Johnson (2002); 1,156 – Leonard Hankerson (2010)

HURRICANE HOTLINE
Sandbar Sports Grill (@SandbarGrove), located 3064 Grand Ave. in Coconut Grove, will be the new location for the Hurricane Hotline. Fans are encouraged to join third-year head coach Al Golden, various assistant coaches and players each week during the 2013 football season. The Hurricane Hotline, hosted by Joe Zagacki and Don Bailey Jr., will air from 7-9 p.m. on WQAM – players from 7-7:30 p.m., Coach Golden from 7:30-8:30 p.m. and an assistant coach from 8:30-9 p.m.