The Miami Hurricanes head north to Charlottesville to meet the Wahoos in what just might be the most important game in the brief Mike London era. Randy Shannon is 2-1 against Virginia, and some might say he is on the coaches hot-seat as the Hurricanes coach since he is only 26-19 at Miami in his 4th season, more than a bit behind where Miami fans thought he would be in the rebuilding process. Miami has won five National Championships over the years (last in 2001), yet have struggled to return to BCS glory since joining the ACC in 2004.
Saturday will be the first time Mike London’s Wahoos have been nationally-televised on the main ESPN network, and that can certainly be a bonus for recruiting if Virginia plays well enough to keep this game tight. Vegas has the ‘Canes as either 14 or 15 point favorites, which is pretty high for a team playing on the road in the same division in the ACC. There are going to be several high-profile, un-committed 2011 high school recruits at the game, some of which will be on “official visits” to the University.
Miami (5-2, 3-1) is fresh off a balanced-attack, 33-10 win last week at home against Carolina. The Hurricanes gained 442 yards against the ‘Heels with 225 on the ground, and 217 through the air. Jacory Harris is their leader at the quarterback position, and it being Halloween weekend is perfect since Harris is the “Jekyll and Hyde” QB of the Coastal Division. One play he can look like Tom Brady, the next like a confused high school signal-caller that throws off balance and telegraphs his passes.
Virginia (3-4, 0-3) played well in the second-half last week against Eastern Michigan in the win, but there is plenty of room for improvement for the Wahoos this week, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Jim Reid’s rush defense is the worst in the conference statistically (114th-120th nationally), coming in dead last in the ACC as they give up 211.4 yards per game on the ground. Virginia is much better against the pass as they are #2 in pass defense, but only because the teams they have played only have thrown the ball 160 times all season against UVA. No need to throw when you are lighting the Hoos up with the run.
Miami’s defense is second in the nation in tackles for losses. Sean Spence, Micanor Regis, Allen Bailey and Olivier Vernon are going to be trouble for Marc Verica and his crew. Tailback Damien Berry and wide receiver Leonard Hankerson are super-tough to bring down, and Virginia is going to have to play a nearly perfect game to have a chance to upset the ‘Canes and keep their bowl chances alive.
Virginia’s tailback tandem of Keith Payne and Perry Jones are both going to have huge days, and return-guy extraordinaire Raynard Horne needs to get the Hoos into Miami territory early and often if the good guys are going to steal this game.
Prediction? Hoos 24 Miami 45.