CT GAMEDAY: Miami faces Virginia in an ACC showdown
The (5-2) Miami Hurricanes will be hosting the (2-5) Virginia Cavaliers 3:30 p.m. EST, on ACCN.
UM will look to build on the positive momentum that was generated during a 28-20 double overtime win over Clemson last Saturday and play host to a Virginia Cavaliers program that has played UM tough in recent years.
Miami (5-2, 1-2) is coming off an impressive 28-20 win over Clemson in which the Hurricanes had to start true freshman Emory Williams at quarterback in place of an injured Tyler Van Dyke. UM scored ten unanswered points in the fourth quarter to push the game to overtime and finished the game out.
Van Dyke is expected to return to action this week.
Virginia (2-5, 1-2) is coming off a positive result of their own, earning a win 31-27 win at North Carolina as a 23 point underdog.
UM owns the all-time series against Virginia, 12-8, and in the last five meetings the Hurricanes hold a 3-2 edge.
All of Miami’s last five games against the Cavaliers have been decided by one score. Last year’s match-up went four overtimes with the Hurricanes grinding out a 14-12 win in Charlottesville.
Pregame Notes
• Weather is expected to be 83 degrees in Miami Gardens at kickoff with 18 mile per hour winds from the East-Northeast. The chance of rain is forecasted at less than a ten percent chance for the entire game.
• Miami holds the all-time edge against Virginia, 12-8.
• The last five games between UM and UVA have been determined by one score. The Hurricanes hold a 3-2 edge during that span.
• UVA has posted back-to-back 200-yard team rushing efforts and will square off against the top rushing defense in the ACC in Miami. The Hurricanes have allowed 79.6 rushing yards per game this season and only one opponent has rushed over 100 yards this season (North Carolina). The Cavaliers haven’t rushed for more than 200 yards in three straight games since 2004.
• Virginia has owned double-digit leads in four of its seven games this season. The Cavaliers have been on the wrong end of three games decided by three points or less this season. In the first 17 games of Tony Elliott’s tenure, the Cavaliers have been a part of seven games decided by a field goal or less and are 1-6 in those contests.
Virginia Cavaliers (2-5, 1-2 ACC) at Miami Hurricanes (5-2, 1-2 ACC)
Kickoff time: 3:30pm Eastern
TV: ACC Network
Online Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: 560 WQAM, 990AM ESPN Deportes, WVUM, TuneIn app has a channel for CFB broadcasts, which may help you as well.
DraftKings Sportsbook odds: Opened: Miami -18.5, O/U 49.5; As of 3:45pm Thursday: Miami -18.5, O/U 47.5
While the Cavs’ record may not be the greatest, they’re tied with Miami at 1-2 in the ACC standings. And, furthermore, they did something last week that Miami has only done 3 times in the last decade, and 0 times in the last 5 years: beat North Carolina.
So, while this team may not be thought of as a tough test, let’s remember that any give Saturday things can get squirrely, so Miami better be on high alert. And we all know what happened the last time Miami played as a 3 TD favorite at Hard Rock. Rest assured that Mario Cristobal wants to leave no doubt about the outcome in this game.
You should be there at HRS if you can! It’s Homecoming after all! But if you can’t the least you can do is tune in and support your Canes, from wherever you live.
Go Canes
Trinton is the owner of CanesToday. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, he is a freshman in high school and wants to graduate from the University of Miami
