No. 7 Miami Shuts Down No. 14 Pittsburgh, 24-3

Backup fullback Steve McGuire ran for 114 yards and a touchdown, and Miami’s defense helped set up three field goals by Carlos Huerta and forced a safety as the seventh-ranked Hurricanes defeated No. 14 Pittsburgh, 24-3, Saturday.

Miami quarterback Craig Erickson threw a touchdown pass and Miami, 8-1 and apparently headed for the Sugar Bowl, turned two Pitt turnovers and a botched punt into scores.

Miami’s defense held Pitt to minus 10 yards rushing in the first half. Miami allowed Pitt (5-2-1) past midfield only twice until Ed Frazier kicked a 29-yard field goal with 12:06 left in the game.

“Our defense dominated the game and the offense scored when it had to,” said Miami Coach Dennis Erickson, whose Hurricanes lost to Florida State two weeks ago. “This team still has a lot of pride and a lot to play for.”

McGuire, a redshirt freshman playing for Leonard Conley, Miami’s top rusher who is out with an Achilles’ tendon injury, carried four times for 44 yards on an 81-yard drive after Frazier’s field goal. McGuire scored on an eight-yard run.

McGuire, who ran for 136 yards against East Carolina last week, became the first Miami back with consecutive 100-yard rushing games since Alonzo Highsmith in 1984.

Huerta kicked field goals of 20, 27 and 44 yards as the Hurricanes won for the 26th time in 28 road games.