Virginia Tech @ Miami preview
Hard Rock Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2009 ) Miami 7, Virginia Tech 31
Virginia Tech needs just one more win to clinch the ACC Coastal Division championship. Miami wants to keep its slim title hopes alive for another week and then hope for some unlikely help from Virginia.
If 15th-ranked Virginia Tech (8-2, 6-0 ACC) loses at No. 21 Miami on Saturday, the Hokies will need to win on the road as huge favorites against Virginia to wrap up the title. If Virginia Tech loses its last two, Miami (7-3, 5-2) wins the division and moves on to the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte on Dec. 4.
Last Saturday, the Hokies beat North Carolina 26-10 after trailing 10-9 at halftime, as UNC committed six turnovers and Virginia Tech had none. The Hokies are on an eight-game winning streak after season-opening losses to Boise State and James Madison.
The game presents an interesting matchup between Miami's pass defense and the throwing of Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Miami ranks second in the nation in pass efficiency defense, limiting opponents to a rating of 93.4, with six touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Taylor is ninth nationally in passing efficiency with 1,988 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has 581 yards and three touchdowns rushing. Virginia Tech leads the ACC in scoring, pass efficiency and yards per snap (6.4).
Virginia Tech's Jarrett Boykin has 39 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns. David Wilson has scored twice on kickoff returns and averages 113.2 all-purpose yards a game. He missed the North Carolina game because of mononucleosis but is expected back this week. So is defensive end Chris Drager, who was recovering from a hit in the Georgia Tech game.
Darren Evans is the leading rusher for the Hokies with 605 yards and nine touchdowns. Sophomore cornerback Jayron Hosley is tied for the national lead with seven interceptions.
Miami appears headed someplace like the Champs Sports Bowl against a Big East opponent or the Hyundai Sun Bowl against the Pac-10. The Hurricanes have played well overall, ranking 19th nationally in total defense (314.3 ypg) and 29th in total offense (425.4).
The Hurricanes dismantled Georgia Tech 35-10 on Saturday and piled up more than 500 yards of offense in each of their past two games.
Against Georgia Tech, freshman quarterback Stephen Morris was 10 of 18 for 230 yards and a touchdown in his second start in relief of Jacory Harris. Harris has not played since suffering a concussion Oct. 30. He practiced this week but with Morris playing well, Harris won't be rushed back into action.
Senior wideout Leonard Hankerson has 879 yards and 11 touchdown receptions, tied with Michael Irvin (1986) for the Miami season record. Damien Berry leads the Hurricanes with 783 yards and five touchdowns rushing.
The Hurricanes' average of 8.4 tackles for loss per game ranks third in the nation. They had 10 against Georgia Tech. Linebacker Sean Spence leads Miami in total tackles (82) and tackles for loss (13.5).
Last year, Virginia Tech routed Miami 31-7 in the rain in Blacksburg, Va., after leading 21-0 at the half.