Virginia Tech (6-3, 3-2 ACC) at Miami (6-3, 3-2 ACC)
Thursday, November 13
7:45 PM ESPN
Dolphin Stadium (Natural Grass)
Sports.com Line: Miami -4.5, O/U 43

This season has certainly been one of streaks for me on Thursday nights. I won my first three games, lost my next three, won the following four and now have lost two in a row for a 7-5 (58%) record.

Last week’s loss (TCU -2) was a tough one to stomach considering the Horned Frogs jumped out to a 10-0 lead and managed to hold that lead until just 48 seconds remained when the Utes scored a touchdown to win 13-10. The fact that TCU missed two very makeable field goals – 26 & 35 yards – in the fourth quarter only adds to the frustration.

Oh well, as fellow VegasInsider.com handicapper Brian Edwards likes to remind me, the only sure thing is the Florida Gators. That, of course, is a joke although Brian is feeling pretty confident about his Gators right about now. In fact, I heard he has already booked a suite at the Ritz-Carlton on South Beach for the BCS Championship game on January 8 in Miami.

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. There is still plenty of Thursday night action left in this season and speaking of Miami – this Thursday we’re down in South Florida as Virginia Tech pays a visit to the University of Miami.

While neither the Hurricanes nor Hokies have a chance of being in the BCS Championship game, both teams have serious hopes of playing on that same field a week prior in the Orange Bowl when the ACC Champion will battle either an undefeated non BCS squad or the Big East champion.

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Coach Randy Shannon was under some heat earlier in the year when his young squad stood at just 2-3 but since that point the Hurricanes have rattled off four straight wins, including three ACC victories and are now squarely in contention for the Coastal Division title. With just three contests left, the Canes need to win out and have North Carolina – who they are currently tied with atop the Coastal - lose once more to make it to the Championship game in Jacksonville.

Coach Frank Beamer knows all about winning the Coastal Division and the ACC title, having made the Championship game in two of the last three years, including winning it all in 2007. The Hokies’ road to Jacksonville is a bit clearer as they control their own destiny since Tech holds the tie-breaker over the Tar Heels if those two teams finish in a tie.

Either way, both teams know they must win this Thursday night to have any chance of making it to the ACC Championship and so you can expect an all out effort from both programs.

This will be the last home game of the year for Miami in its first season playing at Dolphin Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins and Florida Marlins. While it doesn’t have the home-field advantage of the old Orange Bowl, Shannon and company should expect the loud and rowdy Canes fans to be out in full force for this game.

Usually the kiss of death for an offense, the Hurricanes currently have a pretty productive two-quarterback system in place with starter Robert Marve and backup Jacory Harris, the true freshman local product who is 57-of-113 passing with only three interceptions. Neither player will throw for a ton of yards but both can be productive through the air – usually to another true freshman, WR Aldrius Johnson - and both are a threat on the ground as well.

And the ground attack will be crucial in this game for both teams.

The quarterbacks along with RBs Graig Cooper and Javarris James (ankle) give Shannon a number of potent rushing weapons but they will be facing a stingy Virginia Tech run defense that is only surrendering 104 yards a game on the ground. James has been dealing with an ankle injury that caused him to miss some time in Miami’s recent win over Virginia but the coaching staff expects him to play Thursday.

As if flexing their defensive prowess to intimidate the Hurricanes, Virginia Tech proved last Thursday night just how dominant they can be in stopping the run. Virginia Tech’s defense held a Maryland offense that was averaging 167 rushing yards to staggeringly low minus 12 on the ground for the game. Terps RB Da'Rel Scott, who entered the game as the ACC's per game rushing leader, could only grind out 11 yards on 10 carries and will likely be having nightmares about Virginia Tech DTs Cordarrow Thompson and John Graves for weeks to come.

Unless Miami can handle Thompson and Graves as well as get some blockers on linebackers Cody Grimm and Brett Warren, it could be a struggle for the Hurricanes to generate offense and points.

Beamer knows all about struggling to generate offense and points as the Hokies have searched for an offensive identity for much of the season.

Of course, you wouldn’t know it by watching Virginia Tech last Thursday night. Behind redshirt freshman RB Darren Evans and his school-record 253 yards, the Hokies gained 400 total yards, its highest output since putting up 430 in the regular-season finale at Virginia last year.

However, just as Miami will have a challenge facing the Virginia Tech defense, the Hokies will likely find the sledding much tougher this Thursday night versus last week against the Terps. The Canes defense is giving up a meager 287 yards a game, with only 110 of that on the ground.

Virginia Tech QB Sean Glennon, who was splitting time with Tyrod Taylor earlier in the year until Taylor suffered an ankle injury, has a long history of making crucial mistakes but the good news for Beamer is his QB has been efficient lately. Glennon, who has completed 23 of 36 pass attempts for 260 yards and no interceptions since taking over full time for the injured Taylor, also has the experience advantage as this will be the 26th start in his Virginia Tech career.

Strangely enough, the one area of concern for Beamer and his staff all season long is something that for years and years has been a strength for this program, basically defining what is known as “Beamer Ball”: Special teams play.

However, this season the opposition has been beating Virginia Tech at their own game and the Hokies special teams have been anything but.

A blocked punt by ECU in the season opening loss to the Pirates, a punt return for touchdown by Boston College in the Hokies' loss to the Eagles and a costly roughing-the-kicker penalty in the FSU loss are three major mistakes among many that surely have Beamer scratching his head.

However, the Virginia Tech coach can’t be too disappointed. After all, even with the uncharacteristic mistakes and the injuries, his team is bowl-eligible for the 16th straight season and has the inside track to return to the ACC Championship game. If that is disappointment, I’m sure there are plenty of coaches who will line up to take it.

Recently, Virginia Tech has owned the Hurricanes, winning the last two and four of the last five. Miami's only win in the last five years surprisingly came in Blacksburg – a very tough place to win – when they defeated the Hokies 27-7 in 2005.