NEW YORK -- ESPN's broadcast of the Pitt-Miami game was the network's highest-rated regular-season college football game since 1999, and its highest-rated Thursday night game since 1996.

ESPN said an average of nearly 3.4 million households watched No. 1 Miami beat Pitt (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP) 28-21, with a rating of 4.19.

The previous highest-rated game was Notre Dame against Tennessee on Nov. 6, 1999. The highest-rated Thursday night game was Notre Dame-Vanderbilt on Sept. 5, 1996.