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Virginia Tech @ Miami Football Odds & Picks

Written by Steve Janus

In one of the better match ups you’ll find this season on a Thursday night, the Miami Hurricanes host the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Hurricanes are one of the hottest teams in the conference and Virginia Tech has been a solid squad for the past several years. Both teams sit at 6-3 for the season, making them both bowl-eligible. This game is significant in the conference standings, for sure, but it could also play a big factor in determining where the winning team ends up as far as bowl placement. There’s a lot more at stake than just money for these programs by making a major bowl game. There’s pride to consider, not to mention the boost in recruiting from a big showing on the national scene. In the ACC Coast Division, the Hurricanes and Hokies are both part of a three-way tie with North Carolina for the top spot. The winner of tonight’s match up obviously gains a huge advantage. Miami is a 4.5 point favorite over Virginia Tech tonight with the total set at 42.5 points.

The Hokies have never really been an explosive offensive team this year. They are putting up a modest 24 points per game on just under 300 yards of total offense. Like so many of head coach Frank Beamer’s teams before, Virginia Tech thrives on their running game, getting well over half of their total yards on the ground. They’ve also held on to the ball very well, turning the ball over only 10 times in 9 games, something any coach would celebrate. Less turnovers usually translates into more wins.

Defense has nearly always been the major factor in Virginia Tech’s success and this year is no exception. They are solid against both the run and the pass, giving up just 104 yards on the ground per game and 192 passing yards. These aren’t the great numbers that Beamer’s teams usually have, but they are more than enough to get the job done against just about ever team they face. While the offense has given the ball away 10 times, the defense has done their part to help, forcing 20 turnovers of their own. That +10 margin is one of the biggest factors in Virginia Tech’s 6-3 record this year. If you think the Tech defense can stop the hot Miami offense, you might want to take the Hokies +4.5 tonight.

After a few down years, the Miami Hurricanes have come back to be a much better program overall in 2008. Offensively they are much improved. They are scoring 30 points per game and rushing for over 130 yards per game, part of an offensive unit that puts up around 320 yards of total offense each week. There is some concern for the Hurricanes from the quarterback position, particularly from Robert Marve, who has made some poor decisions and thrown 10 interceptions on the year. Luckily, freshman Jacory Harris has been able to step in and provide a little more consistency when Marve becomes too erratic.

Miami has also been very solid defensively holding opponents to just 22 points per game and less than 290 total yards per game. They are very similar to Virginia Tech in that they’ve stopped the run as equally well as the pass, so there aren’t any big weaknesses for the Hokies to expose. The Hurricane defense keeps them in games, but could really help the team out by playing more aggressively and causing some turnovers. Maybe you’d like to take Miami -4.5 at home tonight.

This is a big game for both teams, in the conference and as far as bowl selections might go. The Hokies are a very solid squad, but Miami has been the hot team in the conference and they are playing at home. It looks like a close one Thursday between two evenly-matched squads.

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