Virginia Tech @ Miami (FL) preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 20, 2016 ) Miami 16, Virginia Tech 37

Fresh off a 24-3 rout of Duke, No. 13 Virginia Tech heads to Miami for a primetime battle Saturday with the sixth-ranked Hurricanes, who squeaked past North Carolina 24-19 to remain the ACC's only undefeated team. In the first meeting between a pair of ranked Virginia Tech and Miami squads since 2010, the winner sits in the ACC Coastal Division driver's seat.

With 12 straight victories dating back to last November, Miami has the FBS's longest current winning streak, but the Hurricanes -- ranked 10th in the initial College Football Playoff rankings released this week -- have hardly dominated their recent less-than-stellar competition, beating Florida State, Georgia Tech, Syracuse and North Carolina by a combined 18 points. "People are saying we're barely winning," Miami tight end Christopher Herndon IV told reporters, "but to us, it means a lot because we know how hard we've been working and we didn't give up, not once so it means a lot to all of us. All we can say is that we're fighting to the end and we're not giving up. We're giving our all each and every weekend." The Hurricanes would gain a large measure of respect and move a step closer to claiming a spot in their first ACC championship game if they can beat the defending ACC Coastal Division champion Hokies, who have won three straight since a loss to Clemson by a combined 106-20 score and have held an opponent to 10 or fewer points five times this season. The Hokies are no strangers to the pressure as no team has taken home more ACC Coastal Division (six) and ACC crowns (four) since 2004 while the Hurricanes are still seeking their first in that stretch.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Virginia Tech -2.5

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (7-1, 3-1 ACC): As usual, defense is the name of the game for the Hokies, whose 'Lunch Pail Defense' continues to shut down opponents weekly, ranking second in the nation in scoring defense (11.5 points per game), third in third-down conversion defense (24.0 percent) and sixth in first downs allowed (111). Freshman quarterback Josh Jackson passed for 200 yards -- his seventh 200-yard outing of the season -- and a touchdown against Duke last week and now owns team frosh records with 2,032 yards passing and 17 touchdowns for the season, breaking Michael Vick's 1999 marks of 1,840 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Hokies have gotten it done on the ground with a stable of backs as the team has rushed for at least 180 yards in five games -- almost the same amount as Miami's run defense is allowing (179.7) -- but no running back has rushed for 100 yards in a game.

ABOUT MIAMI (7-0, 5-0): Malik Rosier threw for a career-high 356 yards with three touchdowns last Saturday but the Hurricanes scored their first touchdown with only 1:58 left in the first half against a North Carolina team that was dismantled by Virginia Tech 59-7 the prior week. There were far too many mistakes and breakdowns all afternoon and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown was particularly displeased, calling it "the worst performance we had this entire year. Maybe the worst one we've had since we've been at Miami. (There was) a lack of focus, a lack of execution. ... It was embarrassing to see. It was embarrassing to be a part of, coaching-wise." Rosier hurt his shoulder but is expected to be ready and he will need to be at his best, especially since an already-struggling ground game -- held to a season-low 59 yards rushing against North Carolina and 136 the previous week against Syracuse -- is facing the ACC's top rushing defense (110.8).

EXTRA POINTS

1. These former Big East rivals have played 13 times since they joined the ACC, with the Hokies, who are seeking back-to-back wins in the series for the first time since winning three in a row from 2009-11, owning an 8-5 edge.

2. The Hurricanes are 5-0 in ACC play for the first time in program history.

3. Hokies senior WR Cam Phillips holds the school record with 35 consecutive games with a reception and he became Virginia Tech's all-time leader in catches last week (216), passing Isaiah Ford (210 from 2014-16).

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 23, Miami 16