Hurricanes Look To Rebound Against Hokies

Hurricanes Look To Rebound Against Hokies

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Oct. 30, 2006

MIAMI HURRICANESvs. (#24 Coaches/#23 AP) VIRGINIA TECH

When: Saturday, November 4, 2006, at 8:00 p.m. ET

Where: Orange Bowl (natural grass; 72,319) in Miami

TV: The game will be broadcast live on ABC with Mark Jones (play by play), DavidNorrie (analyst) and Stacey Dales (field reporter).

Tape Delay Telecast: On CSS at 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8.

National Radio: Westwood One will broadcast the game live with Kevin Kugler (play by play) and TerryBowden (analyst).

Local Radio: The Hurricanes Radio Network (WQAM 560 AM) will carry the game live with Joe Zagacki(play by play), Don Bailey Jr. (analysis) and Brian London (sideline reporter).

Radio En Espanol: The game will broadcast in Spanish on WRHC 1550 AM with Joe Pujala (play byplay) and Joe Martinez (analysis).

Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) and Virginia Tech (www.hokiesports.com)

THIS WEEK’S GAME: The Miami Hurricanes return home to host the Virginia Tech Hokies at 8:00 p.m.Saturday in the Orange Bowl. The game will be regionally televised by ABC.

The Hurricanes are 5-3 this season after losing at Georgia Tech last Saturday. The Hokies are 6-2 afterdefeating Clemson on Thursday night. The Hurricanes still have a lot to play for this season, with an outsideshot at a berth in the ACC Championship game still a possibility. And certainly an invite to their eighth consecutivebowl game looms at the end of the season. But to do so, the Hiuricanes will have to defeat an ACCrival with a winning record. Following Virginia Tech comes road trips to 6-2 Maryland and 4-5 Virginia beforethe season finale against 7-1 Boston College on Thanksgiving night in the Orange Bowl. Miami is 2-2 in theACC. Virginia Tech improved to 6-2 (3-2 in the ACC) with their 24-7 victory over Clemson. The Hokies areranked 24th in the Coaches poll and 23rd in the Associated Press poll. They are led by running back BrandonOre, who ran for 203 yards against Clemson and now has 939 yards and 12 touchdowns for the season.

After eight games, the Hurricanes rank eighth in the nation in total defense, 14th (tied) in scoringdefense, fourth in rushing defense and 53rd in pass defense. Offensively, Miami ranks 80th in rushing,42nd in passing, 61st in scoring and 63rd in total offense. The Hokies are 71st in total offense, 61st inpass offense, 66th in rush offense and 29th in scoring offense. Defensively, they are third in totaldefense, fifth in scoring defense, third in pass defense and 21st in run defense.

THE SERIES: The two teams have played 23 times, with Miami leading the series 16-7. In the lastmeeting, Miami defeated Virginia Tech 27-7 in Blacksburg, Va. on November 5, 2005.

THE COACHES: Larry Coker is 58-12 in six seasons and 3-2 vs. Virginia Tech. Frank Beamer is 152-78-2 in 20 seasons at Virginia Tech and 194-104-2 overall in 26 seasons has a head coach. Beamer is7-8 vs. Miami.

A HURRICANES VICTORY OVER THE HOKIES WOULD: Give them a 6-3 record. It would give thema 3-2 record in the ACC Coastal Division and it would also give them a 17-7 record in the series againstVirginia Tech.