Pittsburgh cornerback Raion Strader's comments this week about Malachi Toney carry the same core idea Texas A&M expressed before its College Football Playoff first-round loss to Miami last December: have confidence in you ability and don't be shy about that.
But for the Aggies, that did not work out, and some of the comments during the week leading up to the game is similar to what Texas A&M was saying.
Strader's confidence follows Texas A&M's pre-CFP approach
Strader, asked about Toney and what he brings, said: "He's a really good player, real dynamic player. But I think we have a great scheme for him. I think we'll go in and just play how we play, keep playing aggressive. You've got to let the chips fall where they may. We believe in ourselves, we're real confident on the defensive side and we're going to bring it to him."
The senior, who leads Pitt in interceptions (three) and pass breakups (five), is expected to see significant snaps against Toney when No. 1 Miami hosts the Panthers on Saturday.
Zuhn's Comment and the Result in College Station
The most publicized pregame confidence from the Aggies side came from offensive tackle Trey Zuhn III. After the CFP committee paired the teams, Zuhn was asked about Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and said: "I don't think he'll be a threat that we need to worry about too much. We have great players, we've got a great offensive line, so we will be able to handle him."
This is giving me flashbacks 😈 https://t.co/u1zsweyxZH pic.twitter.com/A17IgXwnzJ
— Brad Tejeda (@TejedaBrad) October 21, 2026
Bain finished with three sacks, four tackles for loss and a blocked field goal in Miami's 10-3 win.
Miami’s defense recorded seven sacks total.
Toney, who lost a fumble earlier in the second half, scored the game-winning 11-yard touchdown with under two minutes remaining.
Miami-Pitt matchup
Head coach Pat Narduzzi said doubling Toney is not the answer. "It's not like they've got Malachi Toney and nobody else," Narduzzi said. "You double him, they'll run the ball down your throat... Best thing to do is be sound against him, know where he is and play good football. That's what we do."
Last season Toney recorded 13 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown in Miami's 38-7 win. This season he has 50 receptions for 758 yards and eight touchdowns through six games.
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