Miami (FL) @ Virginia preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 23, 2013 ) Virginia 26, Miami 45

The pain of losing to rival and defending national champion Florida State remains, but if Miami can win the rest of its games, beginning Saturday at Virginia, some of the lingering anguish would be removed. The Hurricanes have been eliminated from contention for a spot in the ACC championship game, but the objective now is winning out against the reeling Cavaliers, Pittsburgh in the regular-season finale and a bowl game, which would give them nine wins in back-to-back seasons. “For the seniors, it’s especially important for us to win out because we want to keep this snowballing into next year,” Miami center Shane McDermott told reporters. “We want to leave this program on a positive note. I think we need to do that for this program, get it going in a positive way before we leave it. We’ve been through a lot of down years. It’s up to us seniors to make sure that happens.”

While Miami believes its program is on the upswing, Virginia is headed in the opposite direction. The Cavaliers have dropped four straight after starting the season 4-2, with their last win coming Oct. 4 against Pitt. Virginia, which lost 34-20 to Florida State in Tallahassee on Nov. 8, had a bye last week and needs to beat the Hurricanes and Virginia Tech in its season finale to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2011.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Miami - 6.

ABOUT MIAMI (6-4, 3-3 ACC): The Hurricanes have rushed for 197 yards a game with running backs Duke Johnson, Joe Yearby and Gus Edwards, but Virginia held Florida State to just 115 yards rushing in its last game. The Hurricanes could lean on their impressive passing game led by quarterback Brad Kaaya, who is emerging as a star as a freshman. The run defense appeared to turn the corner in limiting the Seminoles to 114 yards rushing.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (4-6, 2-4): This probably isn’t the time to face the Hurricanes’ rejuvenated run game as the Cavaliers have rushed for a combined 59 yards in the last two games. Moving the ball could fall to the hands of quarterback Greyson Lambert, who has been inconsistent. The run defense is good, but the secondary, led by strong safety Anthony Harris and corner DreQuan Hoskey, must force turnovers.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Johnson is No. 2 on Miami’s career rushing list with 3,210 yards and needs just 122 yards to pass Ottis Anderson (3,331) for first place.

2. S Quin Blanding leads Virginia with 102 tackles, the most by a Cavaliers true freshman since linebacker Ahmad Brooks totaled 117 in 2003.

3. Kaaya has thrown for 19 touchdowns in the last seven weeks.

PREDICTION: Miami 30, Virginia 14